Project C.U.R.E. delivers hope and health with Dynamics 365 and Power Platform

Delivering health and hope 

More than half of the global population, approximately 4.5 billion people, lack access to essential health services.¹ This crisis is even more severe in low-income countries, where only 12% to 27% of people have access to basic healthcare. In these regions, hospitals often operate without basic supplies, and entire communities are at risk of preventable deaths. Project C.U.R.E. (which stands for Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment) is tackling this challenge head-on, becoming the world’s largest distributor of donated medical supplies. With seven US-based distribution warehouses and over 35,000 volunteers annually, the organization serves in more than 135 countries.

Making a real, life-saving difference

When Haji Abdula was a teenager in Ethiopia, he watched his aunt die from a misdiagnosed illness—an outcome that might have been avoided with access to something as simple as an X-ray machine. That moment changed his life. Determined to make a difference, Abdula moved to the United States, worked long hours, and pursued a degree in radiology. His dream was to build clinics in Ethiopia that could provide the care his aunt never received.

A professor, moved by his story, introduced him to Project C.U.R.E., a connection that would transform not only Abdula’s life, but the lives of thousands. “Before working with Project C.U.R.E., we had no ultrasound, no X-ray, no supplies, no beds. We treated maybe three or four patients a day,” Abdula recalls. After receiving his first container of donated medical supplies, he opened his first clinic. “Now, we have around 45 to 50 patients a day. It’s a big difference.”

Today, Abdula’s clinics offer free service days, mobile health units, and employ 27 doctors. “The community trusts us because we received the equipment,” he says. “This is because of Project C.U.R.E.”

Scaling compassion with technology

Founded nearly 40 years ago by Dr. James Jackson and his wife AnnaMarie, Project C.U.R.E. began humbly in a garage. But scaling compassion on a global scale is a formidable challenge. By 2014, Project C.U.R.E. was serving 135 countries with just 33 staff members—a remarkable feat, but one fraught with obstacles. Manual processes and disconnected systems started to threaten the organization’s ability to deliver hope efficiently.

“We got to a pain point,” reflects Dr. Douglas Jackson, President and CEO. “And then we figured out there’s a solution—with Microsoft.”

Through innovation and relentless commitment, Project C.U.R.E. has harnessed technology not just to streamline logistics and operations, but to amplify the reach of every donation and the impact of every volunteer hour. In the face of overwhelming need, scaling compassion would not be possible without the power of technology behind the mission.

The solution: Mission-driven innovation and technology at work

Project C.U.R.E. now uses the full Microsoft technology stack to unify operations and scale impact. Leveraging platforms such as Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Power BI, and Microsoft Teams, the organization has transformed internal workflows, automated critical operations, and expanded its global reach while fostering healthcare collaboration.

“As you can imagine, with the responsiveness that we have, and sending cargo containers globally, we need to be on our best game, and we need to have data available to us,” says Julie Topka, Chief of Staff. “When I first started, about 80% of our work was manual. Now, since we use Dynamics 365, we’ve been able to decrease that to around 15%.” Dynamics 365 brings together assessment planning, financial tracking, supply chain management, volunteer scheduling, donor outreach, and project coordination in one connected system. Power Platform drives data-informed decisions and automates repetitive tasks. “Real-time updates now happen instantly with Power Platform—receipts, shipments, invoices, website leads. That used to take days." 

Real-time Power BI dashboards make Project C.U.R.E.’s impact tangible, visualizing data by country, container value, volunteer engagement, delivery timelines, donor activity, and cost analysis—information that can be shared with donors and volunteers alike. Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone serve as the collaboration hub, connecting 35,000+ volunteers, staff, medical professionals, and field teams, and ensuring seamless document management, secure storage, and global coordination.

“It really took us taking a step back to become scalable and build that foundation and ensure that we were committing to the technology and the processes with Microsoft to be able to grow,” reflects Kris Anderson, Vice President of Operations. The adoption of these tools has streamlined data sharing and project management, empowering the small full-time staff and vast volunteer network to have even greater impact. As Anderson notes, “It can literally mean the difference between life and death for people that are patients in the hospitals we serve around the world.”

Managing complex projects with many moving parts requires full visibility, and Project C.U.R.E. leverages every element of Dynamics 365 to track financial, inventory, and shipping data seamlessly. 

Dr. Jackson shares his pride in the team’s renewed energy, noting that “I’m watching my team be less frustrated. They’re more creative, more energetic. Our donors also get excited, because they know better what we did with the resources they gave us. We’re looking forward to what’s next with this AI revolution.” 

The organization aims to use AI to make its operations more efficient and move its mission forward faster. Project C.U.R.E. plans to upgrade its processes by introducing tools like AI assistants for better productivity and teamwork, custom GPT agents for instant interaction, and AI-powered researchers and writers to improve grant writing and communication. Human resources will also benefit from AI assistants to help manage staff, while contract agents using AI will speed up legal and compliance checks. Altogether, these intelligent solutions built with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio are designed to enhance every area of the organization's work.

Powered by people, driven by purpose

Over 35,000 people contribute time and expertise to Project C.U.R.E., and 98% of the work is completed by volunteers. “Everything we do—whether it’s picking up one piece of supply that gets into a box—eventually makes it into a container and out into the real world,” says Brian Eberle, a volunteer. “The equipment and supplies we provide make a material difference in people’s lives.”

In fiscal year 2024, Project C.U.R.E. shipped a record-breaking 217 containers. “On average, we touch about 35,000 people for every one of those containers,” says Dr. Jackson. “That’s millions of lives in a single year.”

To date, Project C.U.R.E. has shipped over $1 billion worth of medical supplies and runs six global health support programs. The organization that began in a garage, now operates 50,000-square-foot warehouses in seven U.S. cities. “Basic healthcare, no matter where you live, should be there for you,” says Topka. “Delivering health and hope means giving people the foundation to dream of a better tomorrow.”

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_{¹ Underinvestment threatens universal health coverage goals. UN News. December 12, 2024.}