These grants bring the total of grant dollars provided through The Baxter International Foundation Health Recovery Fund to $1,083,813. The first round of health recovery grants--totaling $250,000--was awarded in May to 13 health service organizations throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. The funds helped healthcare professionals to re-establish their health clinics, purchase or replace mobile medical units, and provide health services to communities and families in need after the hurricanes.

"These are important first steps for both regional and national foundations and nonprofits investing in improving the health and well being of the residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi," said Celene Peurye, executive director, The Baxter International Foundation. "We are moving forward and making progress with our partners in the Mid South, but we need others to join us to ensure that our efforts gain the momentum they need to truly make an impact."

"We are excited about partnering with The Baxter International Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bring over a million dollars to the Mid South to address the urgent health needs following the hurricanes, but also to begin to address the core health disparities that have plagued our region," said Ivye L. Allen, Foundation for the Mid South president. "Our region is ranked at the bottom in our country in too many health indicators. And although the hurricanes had a devastating impact on health services from the Texas to the Mississippi Gulf Coasts, we must be concerned and committed to improving the entire health sector in the Mid South to better serve our residents."

About The Baxter International Foundation

The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., helps organizations increase access to healthcare in the United States and around the world. The Foundation, established in 1981, began to focus exclusively on increasing access to healthcare in 2002--particularly for the disadvantaged and underserved--in and near communities where Baxter employees live and work.

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists healthcare professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions, including hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other conditions. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives. For more information, please visit www.baxter.com.

About the Foundation for the Mid South

The Foundation for the Mid South is a nonprofit organization that invests in people and strategies that build philanthropy and promote racial, social, and economic equity in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Foundation has both acquired and leveraged millions of dollars from inside the Mid South and nationally to support and expand nonprofits and leadership in the region.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful, and timely change. For more than 30 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.