Critical Human Needs

We make social investments that improve the lives of individuals and help communities thrive. This often starts with meeting critical human needs by providing access to food, potable water, shelter, and disaster relief. In partnership with nonprofit organizations, we provide both immediate assistance and support long-term development strategies--helping multiply impact and improve quality of life for people around the world.

Cisco partner Community Voice Mail provides free voice mail service to 50,000 people in transition each year, connecting them to housing, job opportunities, and hope.

Cisco provides a portfolio of support to fulfill critical human needs, including: employee expertise and volunteerism, grants, employee matching gifts, and our annual Global Hunger Relief Campaign.

For example, cash grants to Feeding America are helping the nonprofit streamline its food distribution process, potentially saving as much as US$1.5 million over five years--the equivalent of 12 million meals. Meanwhile, our employees volunteer with and make individual donations to Feeding America’s member food banks.

And, in 2012, employee contributions and matching gifts generated more than US$4 million for hunger relief organizations through the annual Global Hunger Relief Campaign.

When natural disasters and humanitarian crises occur, Cisco mobilizes to help the most vulnerable communities and individuals. Working with community partners, we provide immediate relief and long-term recovery, rebuilding, and economic development.

After a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, we worked with NetHope and Inveneo to restore broadband access so 15 international relief agencies could coordinate their efforts--speeding the delivery of food, water, and medical assistance to earthquake survivors.

And after a conflict displaced half of Lebanon's population in 2006, we helped rebuild homes and schools, but also undertook the four-year Partnership for Lebanon to create jobs and fuel economic growth in the Middle Eastern nation.

See our community partners in the area of critical human needs.