World Medical Relief, Inc.

In 1953, Irene M. Auberlin, a Detroit housewife, embarked upon a remarkable mission. Inspired by the plight of a single war orphan during the height of the Korean War, Mrs. Auberlin mobilized her friends and family to collect food, baby clothing, cribs, and medicines to ship overseas. Her original goal of helping one small boy turned into a much larger mission: relieving the pain and suffering of an entire orphanage filled with 400 hurting children. Under her careful watch, and with the assistance of her husband, the mission expanded. World Medical Relief began collecting and distributing recycled medical and dental equipment, medical supplies, and medicines to aid thousands of sick and poor people around the globe. They were doing "God's work," as Mrs. A. would say, by turning the sins of waste into the miracles of mercy. For many years, World Medical Relief continued its international goal of helping people with medical and pharmaceutical needs in developing countries. However, in 1966, the organization identified a local focus. United Foundation (now United Way Community Services) approached Mrs. Auberlin to develop the Prescription Program for Seniors, a prescription medication assistance program for low-income senior citizens who had no health insurance, were ineligible for Medicaid, and had little or no means to obtain their prescription drugs. With United Foundation's help, World Medical Relief was granted a State of Michigan pharmacy license. Mrs. A. opened a pharmacy, hired a pharmacist, and began distributing medications with the help of hundreds of volunteers. As World Medical Relief celebrates each year of serving God's sick poor, Mrs. Auberlin's vision lives on in each of us who have committed time, talents, and resources over the decades. Although Mrs. Auberlin passed away in 1999, we continue to follow the path of a "world class beggar." We will perpetuate the mission she so valiantly began--and in keeping with Mrs. A.'s extraordinary sense of humor, we quote her: "Money is dirty. Don't keep it. Give it to us."