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Kidneys for
First Responders™

If you are a First Responder in need of a kidney, or someone who wishes to save the life of a first responder by donating a kidney, you have come to the right place.

What We Do

Kidneys for Communities was built upon the power of community.

Our unique community-directed kidney donation model amplifies affinity, identification and connections within a community to increase the number of living kidney donors, thus saving lives within a community.

Kidneys for First Responders™
We work with first responders and supporting communities to raise awareness of kidney disease, promote stories of kidney patients and the need for organ donation to save lives within the first responder community.

First Responder Patient Support
We help first responder patients share their stories through a best-in-class online platform and social media with their communities and provide them with resources, best practices, and donor campaign support to find a kidney donor.

Provide Assistance to Donors
Our world’s first altruistic kidney donor forum, Living Donor Connections, provides support and inspiration to people who are considering donating a kidney to a first responder. We also extend a pledge of a future kidney and financial benefits to support various costs that donors may incur.

All at no cost.
Our program is FREE to all participants.

SEE WHO NEEDS A KIDNEY

Receive Support from Our First Responder and Healthcare Altruistic Kidney Donors

Gregg Tetro

Firefighter for 35 years

Saved six people through a chain created by his donation.

Matt Jones

Volunteer Firefighter

World’s first ‘pay it forward’ kidney donor saved 10 people through a chain created by his donation.

Harvey Popovich, MD

Physician, Army Reserve Veteran

Living Kidney Donor at 68 years old

Kidneys for Communities is pleased to partner with our newest first responder community, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association.

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) is partnering with Kidneys for Communities to empower their members by facilitating living kidney donations to help law enforcement officers, their families and others in the community who are battling end-stage kidney disease. In addition, we will continue to tap into this altruistic membership to find PLEA members that want to save the lives of a fellow officer or first responder by becoming a living kidney donor.

Kidneys for Communities will continue to harness the power of first responder organizations and its partners through its Kidneys for First Responders initiative. Our ongoing mission is to connect those who want to support firefighters, emergency medical service providers, and law enforcement officers by facilitating a living kidney donation.

Expand Your Legacy – Become a Living Kidney Donor

Kidneys for Communities is proud to announce our collaboration with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and The Knox Company to support our firefighting heroes and their families in need of a living kidney transplant. Through the NFFF and the Knox Company’s “Expand Your Legacy” campaign and our “Kidneys for First Responders” initiative we will provide a clear pathway for both those in need of a kidney and individuals wanting to support someone within the firefighter community.

Officer Quinones' Story

Kidneys for First Responders™
teams up with the Police
Benevolent Association of the City of New York to save the life of a New York City police officer

After more than four years of waiting, the kindness of a stranger who wanted to donate to a police officer led to New York City Police Officer Melissa Quinones’ successful kidney transplant. Today, Officer Quinones is back to serving her New York City community.

Officer Quinones is the first police officer to receive a living kidney donation through the Kidneys for First Responders program. Working with an altruistic donor who wanted to commit their kidney donation to support a police officer in the United States, Kidneys for Communities initiated its community-directed model and teamed up with the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York and the New York City Police Department to coordinate Officer Quinones’ living kidney transplant.

“I might never know the donor, but their appreciation of my commitment to serve is a beacon of hope empowering me to do even more to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Officer Quinones. 

Watch this CBS News/New York interview with Officer Quinones and Kidneys for Communities’ CEO Atul Agnihotri.

Learn More

Kidneys for Communities® Donor Benefits

Donating a kidney is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling acts someone can do.

Based on statistics from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, approximately 11,000 first responders suffer from End Stage Kidney Disease with many of them in need of a kidney transplant. Please consider becoming a living kidney donor to save the life of a first responder.

Kidneys for Communities can help you through the process to help save a life, but we know there are many obstacles that can be prohibitive to the donor. At Kidneys for Communities, we take care of our donors with the industry’s most complete donor benefits package:

Onboarding and education

Personalized guidance through the donation process

Anonymity

Cost reimbursements:

Travel, food & lodging, lost wages, child, pet and adult care

Future Kidney Pledge for donor and family

No cost

Commitment of a kidney for a patient in the community

Join us in saving countless lives - even if that life is your own.

FIRST RESPONDERS SEEKING A KIDNEY

Please complete our form and someone will be in touch promptly.

Find A Kidney

FIRST RESPONDERS INTERESTED IN DONATING A KIDNEY

Let's Get Started

FINANCIAL DONATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Help support education & advocacy to generate awareness about living kidney donations to save more lives.

Please Consider Donating

KIDNEY DONATION

One Donation Can Save Many Lives

By leveraging the exponential power of paired kidney exchanges we help the patient receive a matching kidney while saving the lives of more people.

Help connect more communities

Help spread the word about living kidney donation and Kidneys for Communities.
We even provide some tools to help.
Find Out More

Thank you to our partners