CaribPR Wire

Company establishes matching relief fund through Henry Schein Cares Foundation

 MELVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners, and its supplier partners have earmarked $1 million in life-saving medical supplies to partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are providing relief.

 Within hours of the reports of the earthquake, pallets of much needed supplies were prepared for shipment to partner NGOs, including AmeriCares, Direct Relief International, Heart to Heart International, International Medical Corps, LDS Charities and Medshare through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global social responsibility program.  As part of Henry Schein Cares disaster preparedness efforts, the Company already had pallets of essential supplies packed and on site at the warehouses of several partner NGOs to ensure immediate response to humanitarian emergencies.  These products are already on their way to Haiti. 

 ”As Haitian officials continue to assess the damage caused by this tragic earthquake, Henry Schein Cares is working closely with our partner NGOs to seek opportunities to support humanitarian relief efforts,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Henry Schein.  “We stand ready to do our part to support our NGO partners and are committed to quickly getting these essential medical relief supplies on the ground to those who need them.” 

In the past, Henry Schein Cares has responded to other disasters including the cyclone in Myanmar and earthquake in China in 2008, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the U.S. Gulf Coast; the 2004 Asian tsunami; the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan; the conflict in Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine; and September 11.

To enable Team Schein Members and others outside of the Company to support relief efforts in a coordinated way, the Company also has established a Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund through the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.  Henry Schein will match all donations contributed to this fund by Team Schein Members, and the proceeds will be applied directly and completely to relief efforts.  Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund should make the check payable to “Henry Schein Cares Foundation” with “Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund” noted in the memo of the check, and send it to Dewi Wijaya at Henry Schein, Inc., 135 Duryea Road, Melville, NY  11747.  Donations to the Henry Schein Cares Foundation are tax deductible in the United States.

 About Henry Schein

Henry Schein, a Fortune 500® company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® Index, is recognized for its excellent customer service and highly competitive prices.  The Company’s four business groups – Dental, Medical, International and Technology – serve more than 590,000 customers worldwide, including dental practitioners and laboratories, physician practices and animal health clinics, as well as government and other institutions.  The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 200 countries with a comprehensive selection of more than 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items.  Henry Schein also provides exclusive, innovative technology offerings for dental, medical and veterinary professionals, including value-added practice management software and electronic health record solutions.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs more than 13,500 people and has operations or affiliates in 23 countries.  The Company’s net sales reached a record $6.4 billion in 2008.  Henry Schein has been ranked first in its industry for social responsibility for five consecutive years in Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.  For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.