International Medical Relief

What International Medical Relief does

International Medical Relief (IMR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by Shauna Vollmer King and headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. IMR provides short-term medical and dental mission trips, disaster relief, and sustainable community health education to underserved and vulnerable populations across 90+ countries spanning the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Caribbean. The organization recruits credentialed medical, dental, and surgical volunteers — over 26,938 deployed since founding — and deploys them alongside local healthcare providers through its Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) under a First In-Last Out philosophy. Service offerings include acute and chronic care clinics, dental services enhanced by teledentistry and 3D-printed prosthetics, surgical missions, pediatric and maternal health programs, water and sanitation projects using Sawyer filtration, and vaccination, nutrition, and HIV/malaria testing initiatives.

IMR's revenue model is diversified across four streams: tax-deductible donations (individual, corporate, and foundation), mission trip fees ranging from under $500 to over $4,000 depending on duration and destination, designated disaster-relief giving (e.g., Hurricane Melissa, Ukraine, Myanmar), and merchandise sales. The organization reports FY2023 total income of approximately $114M with less than 3% administrative overhead, allocating 97%+ of donations directly to programs. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: volunteer recruitment flows through the IMR website and social channels, while disaster response is triggered by formal invitations from host-country ministries of health. Distribution occurs through direct mission deployment, a self-service volunteer portal, and strategic corporate partnerships (including a Barco Partnership and CSR program). Customer segments are horizontal — primarily underserved communities, disaster-affected populations, refugees, and women and children — with secondary business-unit segments of medical volunteers and corporate partners. IMR has Charity Navigator Four-Star and Candid Platinum Transparency certifications, is an IDRN member, and reports 1,023,225+ patients treated and 8,234 community collaborators trained.

Name

International Medical Relief

Legal name

International Medical Relief

Website

https://internationalmedicalrelief.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Medical Relief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that deploys volunteer medical teams across 90+ countries to deliver short-term medical and dental care, disaster relief, and community health education to underserved populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Humanitarian Medical Relief Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK), Public Health & Medical Volunteering Programs (EDAIAGAC)

Keywords

• Medical mission trips
• Dental volunteer clinics
• International disaster relief
• Community health education
• Global public health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Loveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: IMR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations fund sustainable community education, training for local collaborators, and treatment for patients in need. Monthly giving program available. EIN: 46-0494595.
2. Disaster Relief Donations: Designated donations for specific disaster relief efforts including Hurricane Melissa Jamaica response, Myanmar support, and Ukraine relief. Donors can contribute funds or supplies through Amazon wishlists.
3. IMR Gear Merchandise: IMR branded merchandise including t-shirts, quarter zips, hoodies, and accessories. Proceeds from all sales go to support IMR operations. Sold through online checkout platform.
4. Mission Trip Fees: Volunteers pay mission trip fees which cover trip logistics, accommodations, and operational costs. Pricing ranges from under $500 to over $4,000 depending on destination, duration, and trip type. For every $1 donated, more than $52 in medicines, medical supplies and medical services are donated.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

International Medical Relief organizes and deploys short-term (3-day to multi-week) volunteer medical and dental mission trips to underserved communities in 90+ countries, providing acute care, dental services, health education, medicines, and referrals. The organization also operates Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) for emergency relief within the first week of disasters, alongside sustainable community health education, water and sanitation projects, surgical and wilderness medicine specialty missions. Volunteers pay mission fees while the organization is funded primarily by charitable donations to deliver services free of charge to end beneficiaries.

Product overview

International Medical Relief operates as a nonprofit humanitarian health organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of medical mission services. The core offerings include Medical & Dental Mission Trips and Disaster Area Response Teams (DART), supported by Sustainable Community Health Education, Partnerships & Training Initiatives, Community Public Health Services, Water & Sanitation Programs, Women's & Children's Health Services, and Mental Health Support. Specialty services include Surgical Mission Teams and Wilderness Medicine Missions. The organization manages an internal Volunteer Portal for mission coordination and an IMR Shop for merchandise sales. IMR deploys volunteer medical professionals across 90+ countries to provide direct care, disaster relief, and sustainable health education, functioning primarily as a service organization rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical & Dental Mission Trips Short-term international medical and dental care missions deployed to underserved and vulnerable communities. Volunteer medical and dental professionals conduct clinics providing acute care, dental services, wound care, maternal and child health support, essential medicines, and referrals. Trips range from 3-6 day mini missions to 10+ day extended missions across Africa, Americas, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania.
• Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) First responder disaster relief teams that deploy within the first week of natural disasters and humanitarian crises to deliver emergency medical care under a "First In – Last Out" philosophy. Teams include surgical, orthopedic, urgent care, mental health, and general medicine providers operating hospitals and outpatient clinics for trauma care, wound care, maternal and child health support, and essential medicines. Recent deployments include Hurricane Melissa Jamaica response (October 2025), Ukraine relief operations, and Myanmar support.
• Sustainable Community Health Education Health education programs and classes conducted in partnership with local health officials and community leaders to build lasting knowledge. Curricula cover hygiene, nutrition, disease prevention, family planning, chronic disease management, and other topics aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Includes a community health education modules library covering 15+ health topics.
• Partnerships & Training Initiatives Training programs including Helping Babies Breathe, Cervical Cancer Identification and Treatment, Basic Health, and Disaster Response Initiatives delivered alongside local medical professionals, community health workers, and community leaders to build healthcare capacity in partner communities.
• Community Public Health Services Chronic and non-communicable disease identification, treatment, and education; vaccination programs (in 8 countries); nutrition programs including livestock donations and Moringa tree planting (in 12 countries); and infectious disease testing including malaria testing (in 33 countries) and HIV testing (in 9 countries).
• Water & Sanitation Programs Clean water filter distribution using Sawyer hollow fiber membrane filtration technology (0.1 micron pores, gravity driven) and community education on water safety, sanitation, and hygiene. Implemented in 13+ countries with documented outcomes including a 75% reduction in water-borne illnesses in Ecuador villages.
• International Medical Relief of Children Pediatric healthcare services including pediatric clinics, vaccinations, deworming programs, and health education for children, with specialty care coordination for children with rare conditions. Includes partnerships with the American Academy of Pediatrics Minnesota Chapter for refugee pediatric care and individual case management such as complex pediatric cancer treatment coordination.
• Women's & Children's Health Services Maternal health services, prenatal care, family planning education, sexual health programs, and infant care delivered to reduce maternal and newborn illnesses in underserved communities. Includes OB-GYN clinical tracks, cervical cancer screening and treatment training, and dedicated women's health mission trips.
• Mental Health & Social Work Support Psychiatric care and mental health support services, particularly during disaster response operations. Includes PTSD treatment and trauma counseling for disaster survivors and displaced populations.
• Surgical Mission Teams Specialized surgical teams that provide surgical procedures in areas where surgical care is unavailable, coordinating with local specialists for follow-up care and complex case management. Surgical capabilities complement general and disaster response medical services.
• Wilderness Medicine Missions Medical missions in remote and challenging environments including Himalayan expeditions, requiring specialized wilderness medical training and equipment to provide care in austere settings.
• IMR Gear Merchandise Online store selling branded merchandise including t-shirts, quarter zips, hoodies, and accessories. Proceeds from all sales go to support IMR medical and disaster relief operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million patients treated since 2002
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Minnesota ChapterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2022Partnership to provide critical pediatric care to over 400,000 Ukrainian refugee children in Poland. AAP Minnesota Chapter provided 12 volunteers including pediatric specialists, working alongside IMR staff. Focused on addressing healthcare needs of displaced women and children during the Ukraine conflict.
• Ministry of Health & Wellness of JamaicacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IMR deployed DART teams to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, working with the Ministry to provide urgent health services in hardest-hit regions. Teams operating hospitals and outpatient clinics delivering emergency treatment, wound care, maternal and child health support, and essential medicines.
• Local Healthcare Providers and SpecialistscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnerships with local doctors, surgeons, hospitals, and healthcare networks to ensure continuity of care. Examples include Oltrument Hospital in Arusha District for Liam's cancer treatment, local specialists like Dr. Ochoa for pediatric surgeries, and traditional birth assistants in remote villages.
• International Disaster Response Network (IDRN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IMR is a member of IDRN, a collection of organizations and individuals committed to working together in preparation, training and response when significant international disaster events occur.
• Denver State Operations Center / Colorado Emergency ResponseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership with SEOC to provide medical support for Congregate Living Shelter residents at the Denver Coliseum during COVID-19 response. IMR staff and volunteers organized and operated 24/7 shelter for women in housing transition.
• YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Gogo Pediatric FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnerships with organizations in Puerto Rico for youth healthcare missions. IMR carried out 33 global brigades bringing critical healthcare and preventative education to thousands of young people across Puerto Rico. Supported by university collaborations with NOVA Southeastern University and FAU Florida Atlantic University.
• Song Saa FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership with Song Saa Foundation to bring clean water to the Koh Rong archipelago communities in Cambodia. Organizations collaborated on boat evaluation of water sources, finding all well water contaminated. Since 2013, collaborative organizations have been implementing sustainable clean water solutions for these communities.

Scale indicators24 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Largest humanitarian medical NGO providing emergency medical care in conflict zones, disasters, and underserved areas globally. Directly comparable to IMR in mission, target populations, and volunteer/professional deployment model, though materially larger in scale and budget.
• International Medical Corps: Global humanitarian nonprofit delivering emergency medical services, health care training, and relief supplies. Highly comparable to IMR across disaster response, volunteer mobilization, and clinic-based service delivery in underserved communities.
• Direct Relief: Medical aid nonprofit providing medicines, supplies, and equipment to underserved communities and disaster-affected areas. Comparable to IMR's disaster response and primary care mission, though Direct Relief is more supply-chain focused than clinic-deployment focused.
• Partners In Health: Global health nonprofit delivering medical care in resource-limited settings, particularly Haiti, Rwanda, and Peru. Comparable to IMR in serving vulnerable populations with clinician-led care, though PIH operates long-term facilities rather than short-term mission trips.
• Americares: Health-focused humanitarian aid organization providing medicines, medical supplies, and emergency response. Comparable to IMR in disaster response, primary care delivery, and donor-supported global health footprint.
• Project HOPE: Global health and humanitarian organization operating health programs, disaster response, and medical volunteer deployments. Directly comparable to IMR across volunteer-led health missions and disaster response services.

Emerging players

• Global Brigades: Student- and volunteer-led organization deploying medical, dental, and public health brigades to underserved communities. Highly comparable to IMR's volunteer mission trip model and fee-based participation structure, with a stronger student/young-professional focus.
• Health Volunteers Overseas: Nonprofit that trains and sends volunteer health professionals to provide education and care in low-resource settings. Comparable to IMR's professional-volunteer deployment model, with a stronger emphasis on training and capacity-building than direct care.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: Major humanitarian NGO responding to the world's worst humanitarian crises with health, education, and economic programs. Comparable to IMR's disaster response and refugee services, but operates at significantly larger scale across a broader portfolio.
• MAP International: Global health nonprofit distributing medicines and supplies and supporting health programs in underserved communities. Comparable to IMR in mission and donor-supported health access, with stronger supply-chain orientation rather than clinical deployment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/medical_relief
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGeQl9nKq2IdNLJAM43iujg
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalMedicalRelief
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationalmedicalrelief
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalmedicalrelief

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Medical Relief