The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is expanding its response to the current COVID-19 outbreak in India thanks to the generous support of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, a Missouri-based business, that donated more than $430,000 to help bolster ADRA’s emergency operations in India. For weeks, the South Asian nation has been struggling with an unprecedented second outbreak that has overwhelmed hospitals and health facilities killing more than 254,000 people and causing daily cases to surpass 400,000 (*Numbers subject to change daily).

Seeing the headlines coming out of India with increasing concern, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds founder Jere Gettle felt compelled to respond to the growing crisis by donating all the proceeds of a recent four-day sale to help ADRA supply life-saving oxygen generation systems and essential medical equipment to Adventist hospitals caring for critical COVID-19 patients in India. 

“There’s a lot of people out there in desperate situations and I want to encourage other companies to do what they can because there are so many creative ways not only to give but, in this situation, to build awareness of what’s going on in India. If we all pool our resources and skills, we can reach so many people,” says Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Founder Jere Gettle. “Charitable giving is the foundation of our business. I think all the work and the projects ADRA does are amazing. ADRA is one of the organizations that we try to raise money for whenever we can.”

Gettle has contributed to ADRA’s humanitarian work throughout the years. He has donated to ADRA emergency disaster responses in the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as hunger relief programs in Africa. 

“We are overwhelmed by Jere Gettle’s generosity, for the invaluable work of his team, and the support of so many Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds customers. Words cannot express our appreciation for this sizable donation that will help ADRA expand relief efforts and continue supporting our brothers and sisters during this tragic COVID-19 health crisis,” says Michael Kruger, ADRA’s president. “This valuable contribution is a tremendous blessing to our work in the field. We are so grateful to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for believing in and supporting ADRA.”

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds donates a significant portion of its annual profits to provide food, emergency aid, sustainable development, and education to people in the U.S. and abroad. Jere Gettle started the Missouri-based company as a teenager out of his bedroom in 1998 with $100 and a makeshift catalog selling seeds to a few family members. Today his business is one of North America’s largest heirloom seed companies, selling to more than 166 countries around the world. For more information about Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds visit www.rareseeds.com. 

To learn more about ADRA’s response or make donations to assist with relief efforts in India and other countries, visit ADRA.org.