The VWR Foundation Advances Science with Over $129,000 in First Quarter Grants

RADNOR, Pa., March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The VWR Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to giving back to the science community, distributed 16 grants totaling over $129,000 during the first quarter of 2017. Of these 16 grants, 10 were awarded to organizations that are new to the VWR Foundation. The Foundation supports organizations and programs aligned with its three strategic priorities of research, health and well-being, and science education.

"The VWR Foundation Board has been focused on building awareness around our efforts in hopes of attracting a variety of non-profits aligned with our mission," stated Valerie Cucinotta Collado, President of the VWR Foundation. "This quarter, we received a number of grant applications from new organizations. We are excited to see how these programs will enable science like our previous grant recipients have."

Among the first quarter grant recipients was Partners In Health (PIH), whose mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. PIH strives to achieve two overarching goals: to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need and to serve as an antidote to despair. The VWR Foundation's grant will provide funds to source and purchase lab equipment and supplies needed for the Mirebalais Reference Laboratory for Diagnostics and Research located in Haiti. This lab is designed to expand access to quality-assured diagnostic services and provide advanced training to Haitian lab technicians on infectious and chronic diseases.

"With support from the VWR Foundation, Partners In Health will be able to expand access to vital diagnostic services at the Mirebalais Regional Reference Laboratory in Haiti's Central Plateau," shared Daniel Orozco, BSc, MPH, Director of Laboratory Services for Partners in Health. "By making state-of-the-art technologies more accessible, clinicians will be able to provide accurate diagnoses for patients in a shorter amount of time, meaning thousands of patients each year will get the medical care they need. We thank the VWR Foundation for its commitment to increasing access to health care for those most in need in Haiti."

The VWR Foundation also awarded the following organizations with Founders Grants during the first quarter:

• AZUSA Pacific University – Azusa, CA
• Biocom Institute – San Diego, CA
• Columbia University – New York, NY
• Covenant Christian School – Aurora, IL
• Eastern University – St. Davids, PA
• Fort Scott Middle School – Fort Scott, KS
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania Inc. – Miquon, PA
• Inter District Committee for Project Oceanology – Groton, CT
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Foundation – Philadelphia, PA
• Regents of the University of Colorado – Aurora, CO
• Save the Bay Inc. – Providence, RI
• Schmahl Science Workshops – San Jose, CA
• SEMI Foundation – San Jose, CA
• St. Bernard Catholic School – Pittsburgh, PA
• University of Texas Foundation – Austin, TX

About the VWR Foundation

Established in 2009 by a group of associates from VWR (NASDAQ: VWR), the VWR Charitable Foundation is committed to giving back to the science community. The VWR Foundation has donated more than $2.7 million since its inception, supporting organizations and programs that align with its three strategic priorities: research for new innovation and scientific applications; improving health and well-being; and building greater awareness and improvement in science education. To find more information about the VWR Foundation, including a grant application, please visit http://www.vwrfoundation.org.

VWR Foundation Media Contact:
Valerie Collado                       
Phone: (484) 885-9338                      
Email: valerie_collado@vwr.com 

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SOURCE The VWR Foundation