Pittsburgh-area non-profit organization collects supplies to distribute to those in need
GREEN TREE, Pa. (KDKA) — A non-profit organization in Green Tree is helping the environment.
When stepping into Global Links, you're met with thousands of donated chairs, beds, tables and other supplies that fill shelf after shelf.
"Walkers and wheelchairs, sutures, anything you can think of that you might use in a hospital, we have it here," Stacy Bodow, outreach and engagement manager at Global Links.
All of the medical supplies are new.
"We have about 400 different soft supply items, medical supplies that you would see in any hospital that are regularly coming through," Bodow said.
One morning, KDKA-TV saw workers loading up furniture that will travel by land and then sea to Honduras, where a hospital recently burned down and lost everything.
"Everybody got out safely, but the whole hospital is gone. They need to replace the entire thing," Bodow said.
Much of the items the non-profit organization sends were donated from local universities and hospitals like UPMC. It also partners with 1,200 local groups.
"What can we do to help the communities and the environment overall?" said Michael Carlson, director of environmental services at UPMC Mercy.
The partnership between Global Links and UPMC has even helped keep unwanted items out of the landfill.
"Waiting room furniture that we didn't need in the hospital anymore," Carlson said. "Things like that, that we were just storing. Instead of throwing it out in the dumpster, we're donating it."
But it's the volunteers who are keeping things moving at Global Links. Many are from local universities, church groups or are retired.
"This is fun," one volunteer said. "It's one of the best parts of the week."
