Map International History

MAP International was formed by J. Raymond Knighton in 1954 who received the first donation of $25,000 worth medicines from a major pharmaceutical company. Knighton laid the foundations of the organization in Chicago.

Knighton received the request for donation of medicines from The Schering Corporation, a major pharmaceutical company. Knighton was a director at the Christian Medical Society in Chicago, a non-profit organization that co-ordinated fellowships for Christian medical doctors and students. Knighton had a reputation in Chicago of knowing every possible medical missionary anywhere in the world. This led to the pharmaceutical firms approaching him to ask for information about surplus medicines donations. He accepted the medicines and for the next three months he and his secretary were distributing medicines worth 11 tons to locations around the world that required it the most. This led to the formation of the MAP International, a Christian nonprofit organization that provided essential drugs to mission hospitals and clinics in third world countries and places that require these medicines.

In 1985 MAP moved to Georgia's Atlantic coast from Chicago area. In 1984 MAP also opened its first international office in Kenya, Africa. The move was done to position the medical distribution operations of MAP closer to the warm ocean ports of Brunswick, Savannah and Jacksonville. MAP in 2008 moved to a move energy efficient facility in order to expand its facilities and distribution capabilities.

Since its humble beginnings in 1954, MAP international has successfully delivered more than $4 billion worth of medicines along with other essential goods and supplies to its nonprofit partners, hospitals, mission hospitals and medical mission teams in disaster stricken areas. The organization has serves in more than 135 countries and also annually serves more than 115 countries around the world. It sfirst successful emergency relief effort was in Taiwan, which was struck by the devastating Typhoon Gloria in 1963.

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