The CDC Foundation's Emergency Response Fund enables CDC to respond immediately to changing and unpredictable circumstances and needs. This fund allows CDC to better prepare for and respond to crisis situations in the United States and globally by providing flexibility to meet both immediate and planned needs that would not otherwise be readily available through federally appropriated funds. In the past, support for the CDC Foundation's emergency response efforts has provided essential funding for CDC in response to many crisis situations, including the West Africa Ebola response, the Zika outbreak, Haiti earthquake, Southern Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The speed and flexibility provided through this funding saves lives.