Global Links

I interned at Global Links in 2012 and had an amazing experience! Global Links motivated me to pursue nonprofit management in Latin America. In the years after my internship, I have remained connected to the mission of Global Links through their strong social media presence. As an Executive Director of a nonprofit serving vulnerable communities in Latin America, I strongly recommend Global Links to grant-making organizations, donors, prospective employees, interns, and volunteers. You will be positively impacted by Global Links in whatever capacity you serve.

We came from Washington&Jefferson College and had an amazing experience at Global LInks on Friday. My students come from foreign countries and this volunteer opportunity shed light into some of the great things local non-profits do in our area. It also gave them a great point of reference to compare how things are done in their own countries. Thanks Global LInks!

I loved volunteering at Global Links this past Saturday! It was an amazing opportunity that I am extremely glad I took up. Not only was it wonderful to contribute and help those who are less fortunate, I was able to meet new people from different school districts with similar interests in medicine meanwhile sorting medical supplies. Although we were standing and sorting supplies for two hours, I barely noticed it was time to leave until someone mentioned it! I would love to volunteer again with Global Links or any other organizations similar to them with the medical supplies. I had an amazing time there and am looking forward to experiences similar to this in the future.

I want to thank Global Links first for the opportunity to finish my school requirements and then for welcoming us back for a few weeks beyond that, it was fun to volunteer for a good cause, and be part of the great atmosphere they have! I will be trying to resume volunteering with them if I am ever in the area again. If that can't happen, then I just want to make sure they know how enjoyable this was for me and how much I appreciate what they do!

The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP) Student Group cleaned and assembled wheelchairs at Global Links. It was such a great learning experience, both about Global Links and the needs of the international community. We had a great time and would love to come back soon!

Just a quick note about this great organization. It is sobering to realize when small things we take for granted to be there are missing, how they adversely affect people’s lives. Global Links takes surplus medical supplies and gets them to people in need, saving lives. Spending a few hours there every month or so makes a difference! Depending of what you do, it may be the hardest couple of volunteer hours you spend, but will make you feel better about yourself. I’d look into this great organization if you want to help and make a difference!

My company provides volunteer opportunities in the community and I have always enjoyed working at Global Links. It's a great chance to help people with what is considered waste in our world. They have a great team out there and I always feel that what we are doing makes a difference in people's lives. Thanks, Global Links! See you soon!
Trudy Berger

My husband and I started volunteering this year at Global Links, and we are so impressed with this operation. It's well run, and the staff is great. They make use of everything that is donated.

I am both a volunteer and donor to this organization. As a volunteer coordinator for my congregation, Global Links has accommodated our request for bringing children in to learn about Global Links work but also to contribute to making a difference all the way to bringing in my adult team. We are a small congregation and have found that Global Links has also been a good fit for our on-going donations. We have women who sew and those who are on the look out for even 1 pr. of crutches to unused medical home health supplies. We are learning to be good stewards and reach around the globe to our brothers and sisters. Whether it is inquiring or arranging for a donation to scheduling a volunteer activity, they are always courteous and a real joy to connect with.

I can't say enough about Global Links. This organization not only saves lives but also the environment while doing so. They carefully assess the medical needs of people in developing or disadvantaged countries or disaster areas and then work closely with local hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities to gather excess medical supplies that would otherwise end up in our landfill. Through the help of volunteers like me, they sort, separate, pack, and ship the appropriate materials where they are needed the most, such as small clinics or areas hit by natural disasters.

One of the things I love the most about Global Links is that they post pictures, videos and newsletters that show the people we help using the materials we've sent them. The things we take for granted here, such as an IV pole or crutches, can mean the difference between disability or self-sufficiency, life or death. We can see the benefit of our work and we know that every little thing we do and item we send is truly making a positive impact on people.

In my eyes, there is no more worthy cause or feeling of gratification than that of volunteering with this amazing organization!

I've been volunteering at Global Links for almost ten years, after going to volunteer with a group of friends. I now go twice a week, and help sort donated supplies and organize and pack outgoing boxes of supplies. It is very rewarding because you know you are both helping people in the developing world--and in a real way, with deliveries to actual small hospitals visited by Global Links staff. Nothing sits on a dock where it is stolen. Also, you are helping to keep medical supplies out of Pittsburgh landfills, where all these supplies were going to end up until Global Links founder Kathleen Hower thought of this ingenious idea. I have met wonderful people volunteering there, and have formed friendships with other volunteers who go when I do and staff.

I've been volunteering at Global Links for a while now, and I can't believe the enormous amount of medical supplies Global Links processes.

It's my very favorite place to volunteer: the joyfulness of the people who work there, the gratitude and sweetness of everyone who works there, the efficient way things are organized, and fun that it all turns out to be.

Amazing!!!

Wonderful homegrown nonprofit which combines hands-on service work with important donations of medical supplies to health programs in developing countries

Global Links is AWESOME!!!! They worked very closely with us in trying to get a dental clinic set up and stocked in Honduras. They even had a local dentist come in and help us decide what we needed since we are medical, not dental. They are a wonderful source of supplies and assistance for our medical work in Honduras!

I initially volunteered with Global Links for its healthcare efforts in developing countries. Since then I have found a whole other side to its mission; i.e. environmental stewardship/sustainability. I have also discovered that the staff are essentially committed to this mission (Sharing Surplus/Saving Lives) and live it. The result? A very well run organization that keeps trying to make itself better (less wasteful, more efficient, more collaborative to name just a few traits). Having spent the better part of my 40 year career in either non-profits or government, I recognize the extreme difficulty of paying attention to and developing such things as governance (structure, risk-management, legality, etc) while also pursing a mission. Global Links does this extremely well from what I can see. Example: Over the last year or so, they have consolidated three facilities into one new location -- with their own staff and volunteers -- while also maintaining the work of the organization. They have their values , as well as their heads and hearts and efforts, in the right place.

I was required to do volunteer hours after an alternative spring break trip with my university. We had initially visited global links for educational purposes, but then I decided I wanted to volunteer there as well. I had a fantastic experience learning about the amazing projects Global Links did across the world and talking with other volunteers. I felt so comfortable around all the volunteers and enjoyed talking and working together. I recommend this to all college students who need volunteer hours because it doesn't even feel like work.

Global links is a great non-profit! All of the staff really care about what they're doing and making a difference to the hospitals and communities they work with. As a regular volunteer, I really feel like I'm making a difference too!

Before I retired from the University of Pittsburgh twelve years ago, I helped recruited staff members to join a small group of volunteers on a regular basis to sort medicals supplies. I moved to NC and have kept in touch via newsletters and emails and watched the growth of this remarkable organization. I regularly make a contribution whenever I can to support their continued success. It is amazing how other states have asked for their assistance and advice in setting up such an organization. I have fond memories of my physical support while living in Pittsburgh. L. Butera

Every year for the past 30 years I have taken a group of undergraduate students from Notre Dame of Maryland University to learn about socio-economic development and to volunteer their services in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. This year, I heard about Global Links and their ability to supply medicines and medical equipment to people on medical and other missions in the developing world. I contacted them, provided them with information about the 65 bed clinic in San Lucas, which is a part of an integral development project started by Father Greg Schaeffer from the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnessota, and within weeks I had the supplies. I really appreciated the immediate response and the lack of bureaucracy of Global Links. Dr. Tum, the cakchiquel doctor, who was trained in Minnessota, couldn't believe that we, as non-medical volunteers had brought sutures, syringes, needles, gloves to his clinic. Payment for services and medications at the San Lucas Clinic is based on need. Since the average income of patients is between $1,000 and $2,000 a year, most services are provided free of charge. It was particularly significant for our group to have brought the medical donations this year, as Father Greg, the creator of the project, had died only a few months earlier.

My relationship with Global Links started when I attended a fund raising event in December, 2009. I was impressed with the work of this charity in donating medical supplies to developing countries in the Caribbean and Africa. I became a volunteer and donate my time about once a month.
Due to my volunteer work, I was surprised to see the mount of medical supplies discarded in the US that still can be used. Global Links saw the need and collects the excess medical supplies and distribute the materials to under serviced countries. If Global Links didn’t collect these materials, it would end up in landfills. Therefore, I commend Global Links for its charity work in assisting Caribbean and African countries with their medical needs.
I was able to secure a generous donation of medical supplies to Grenada (my homeland) of $111,000 in December of 2011. The donation was based on their needs and included furnishings, equipment, medical supplies and instruments. Global Links did an excellent job and the donated supplies have helped the citizens of Grenada.

I have a long standing partnership with the medical department at Kamuzu Central Cemtral Hospital in Malawi, and I coordinate service-learning rotations for medical students and residents in Pittsburgh. We get requests from KCH for medical supply, anything from microscopes, centrifuges, syringes, glucometers and various catheters. Global Links has always been very helpful and responsive to KCH and our needs often clarifying its specific use and making suggestions for alternatives to fit the low resource environment and adapting to users that are also learning the tools. GL always asks for feedback and ready for future trips and challenges. I'm grateful that we have them in our city but I know that distance is NOT a problem for GL! Our group of learners volunteer with GL to sort medical supplies and to transport sutures to other hospitals in Malawi.

I was in awe at the amount of medical surplus that we discard in America, that could still be used. I was happy to hear that this charity helps to redistribute these medical supplies to under-serviced communities, so that they do not get dumped in landfills. I really enjoyed learning about all the amazing work this organization has done, and it was an honor to be able to help sort medical supplies that might one day save someone's life! And on top of that, we had a lot of fun too!

I became involved with Global Links when I moved to Pittsburgh about a year ago. I have been extremely pleased with volunteering at this organization! I have had great experiences with all of the staff and fellow volunteers. I love how you can actually see the difference being made each shift. Various items are sorted and packed and by the time you leave you've finished tons of boxes that are all set, just waiting to be shipped to hospitals in need. I also really appreciate their scheduling flexibility! My schedule is constantly changing, never the same each week. When I moved here there were other places I had looked into that required a very set schedule. Global Links has been amazing to accommodate me, which I was very happy with as I really enjoy helping out. It was also great to work with the staff to help set up donations through the hospital I work at. I'm excited that now my unit can help contribute our unused supplies as well!

I first got involved with Global Links as a member of a graduate student group that wanted to do something for the local community. Global Links has been able to accommodate our busy schedules, staying open late so that we can still volunteer and help their cause. They make every effort to reduce waste and save energy, and have really pushed us to be aware of excess of resources in our community. There is a lot of "waste" in medical research that can be put to a better cause, so they have made us students much more conscientious in our work life as well.

This organization is an exceptional example of reaching out to those who have so little in material things but so much appreciation to offer. The needs of undeveloped nations is great and Global Links puts us in contact with those who face unbelievable hardships in terms of their health and their every day struggles to survive. What our hospitals call trash becomes a lifeline to those in need.

The people at Global Links are very thoughtful. Before becoming a volunteer, they give a nice tour of the place and explain their "business." Only good things to say about them!

I have volunteered and also am a consuder of the medical equipment sent to a project overseas that I work with in Central America. GL has people in the field and an approach that is not about influence or simply contacts in country. They aim for sustainable support to entities that are working hard in that direction. Bridging the gap between public/governmental agencies and NGO's, they aim to strengthen health systems. Generally, I think they do just that. All the while, we are saving waste and using appropriate equipment until it's time is done.

Global Links is a wonderful non-profit organization that is very conscious of the environment. Nothing goes to waste there including the medical supplies that are packed for the third world countries. I have been volunteering there for several years and it is such a wonderful, successful, and extremely well-organized organization. I give it a 5 star recommendation. I come every two months on a Sat. with my church group and the second Tuesday of every month with friends. Everyone who volunteers here is so impressed with the mission of this group. It is amazing how much we accomplish when we are there.

I was introduced to Global Links through my son and a friend ( Global Links employee) who had served together in the Peace Corps in El Salvador. As a newly retired nurse/hospital administrator, they wanted me to serve in the Peace Corps, but I was not ready yet to venture that far in focus or foreign lands! Through Global Links, I was able to get involved in redirecting unused, but still good resources to improve the quality of healthcare in other countries, all while reducing waste in my own country, values/goals important to me. I have now become regularly involved in case packing supplies, recruiting new volunteers on college campuses and encouraging the nurses in home care organizations to donate unused supplies. The appreciation they consistently demonstrate for their volunteers is exceptional and the effort to redirect, repurpose or reuse every donated item that comes their way is phenomenal. Global Links is my "commitment to caring" in retirement and I love it and the people I have met since joining this effort!

I think Global Links is a wonderful place. The work they do is amazing. Their warehouse is full of perfectly good hospital equipment which would end up in a landfill somewhere if global Links didn't recycle , package and ship to clinics and hospitals in South America. It's a shame what we waste and Global Links is doing a terrific job of making use of perfectly good merchindise that would otherwise be discarded. I love volunteering for them , helping to sort and package items. The people are friendly and very compitent.

The dedicated staff and volunteers at Global Links do life-saving work. By collecting and sending perfectly usable but unneeded medical equipment, supplies, and furnishings from U.S. hospitals to under-resourced hospitals and clinics in developing countries, Global Links puts to good use what would otherwise be discarded.

When I turned 13, I decided to raise money for a non-profit. I choose Global LInks because I had heard it was a great organization and I thought that what they were doing was critical to the world. I ended up raising 1,600 dollars for the organization, and I am so glad i did. During the whole process, the Global Links people helped me, included me, and over all made me feel very welcome and appreciated. I would do it again in a heart beat. It's a great organization with great people in it.

Global Links recycles everything that is possible to recycle and has it clearly marked so we volunteers know where to put what!

Global Links is an excellent organization with whom I've personally volunteered and, whenever available, professionally donated surplus medical products. There is ridiculous waste and surplus in the United States, yet dire need in most other parts of the world. Global Links is an extremely well-run, efficient, non-profit, humanitarian organization that truly recognizes this and continues to make a serious difference to best use and re-use for the good of less fortunate others. They also promote a consciousness to recycle and reuse in many other aspects. Anyone spending just one day with them in their very humble building would immediately see, feel and appreciate the spanse of their work! They are "life savers!"

Started out just knowing they distributed surplus medical supplies. Found out about the flip-side (environmental stewardship) later. It only reinforced my respect for a well-run agency. They have staying power as evidenced by the quality of young people they attract -- as staff, volunteers. Will continue to give my support as long into my retirement as I am able. Go Global Links. You Rock!

I first found out about Global Links approximately a year ago. The hospital I work for participates in supply items and supplies to your organization. They also had an inservice for staff and found out that I was able to volunteer. So, I signed up and asked a few friends to join and we gave ourselves a name and started getting involved. What a wonderful idea to collect unwanted hospital items and supplies and gifting them to others in order to live. What a sharing, caring heart to be shared throughtout the world. I hope you can expand to other countries as time goes on. Keep up the good work and God Bless you with continued success.

In volunteering with Global Links you really do feel like you're are directly affecting peoples lives all over the world. The organization goes above and beyond to try and suit the experience of the volunteer to match their experience and ability. Most one time volunteers go in and pack medical supplies, which is a remarkable experience because you literally are providing essential goods for medical clinics abroad. Everything that is packed is typically shipped out quickly, the equipment that is sent could be used by needy medical personnel only a few days later. Personally, I normally work fixing medical devices and wheelchairs. When a device is finished, the feeling of success lingers, as I know that the product I was working on will be in the hands of someone in need within a couple days. Global Links is also one of the most sustainable organizations I have ever worked with. Everything we use is recycled, or re purposed. It is rare when anything goes to waste. Wheel chairs are fixed by ripping apart severely broken wheel chairs and integrating parts into less damaged chairs. We literally are taking products which easily could be in a landfill and redirect their purpose. Most supplies that come into Global Links would have been thrown in the trash if global links had not stepped in and taken them. This is easily the best non-profit humanitarian group I have ever worked with, in terms of sustainability, effort in recycling, overall competency, and importance of volunteering. Global Links should be considered as a model for other non-profits around the world.

I gather with a few friends for a few hours once a month to sort medical supplies and pack them into cartons for mailing to countries where they are desperately needed. I imagine someone opening the box and finding exactly what was needed at that particular moment, and it is as if I had actually put that item directly into an outstretched hand.

Global Links provides volunteers with the opportunity to help sort and package medical supplies to send to developing countries. One of the nice things about Global Links is that they have built a strong rapport with area hospitals and they are able to recycle a lot of material that would otherwise be discarded. It feels really good to know that the waste material is limited and is able to be recirculated to those who would otherwise not have these supplies. Global Links provides their volunteers with publications that show actual relief that is gained by their work.

An excellent organization with a dual impact both locally and globally. Efficient use of volunteer time and educational. Quantitative successes that truly change lives.

Volunteering at Global Links is a great experience for me and my whole family. We feel like we're doing somehting really important and that even our teenagers can help with. Volunteers are instrumental in achieveing the mission of the organization but also learn a great deal, for example, about health care in the developing world, and the abundance of waste that is not recycled on our own healthcare system.

I have volunteered for many organizations, but Global Links is my favorite because of the great, necessary and far-reaching work that they do. Every day they take medical supplies that otherwise would be tossed away and send them to countries where they are desperately needed. Before Global Links existed, millions of dollars worth of supplies were thrown into the trash. Now these resources are being used to save lives! The staff at Global LInks always has an eye toward utilizing volunteers efficiently. A project is ready to go, a staff member will explain how everything is to be sorted and packed, and we all enjoy seeing how much work we can accomplish in just a few hours. I recommend this organization to anyone looking for meaningful volunteer work.

I came to volunteer at Global Links with interest in their mission. I spent a few months working there and helping to sort medical equipment and supplies that were being sent to those in need. One of the great realizations for me was how much of an effort Global Links puts into their mission to rescue this equipment that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. The millions of pounds of medical supplies and equipment that is rescued and redistributed is life changing to those who are receiving as well as the global impact that is thwarted from the poundage being kept from landfills. Amazing work on so many levels!

For about six years, I have volunteered with Global Links and have found their organization and mission to be something I appreciate and support wholeheartedly. Last summer, I continued my relationship with them through an internship. Global LInks provides their donors and volunteers with the opportunity to feel as though they are making a significant contribution through hands-on volunteer work and regular email updates. I am continually impressed with their ability to integrate issues like global health and environmental responsibility and not look at any one issue independently. Furthermore, their success as a organization for over 20 years is based on their ability to adapt their operations to utilize new technologies and strategies, which is an effort I have been directly involved with.

The people are very friendly and welcoming to volunteers as they come in the door. When we get in, we start almost immediately. It is nice to see the little review video explaining more in depth what it is Global Links does. It really shows the impact we make as volunteers and makes it apparent how important it is for us to pack and organize supplies.

As volunteers with Global Links my wife and I have had nothing but a positive experience each time we are able be there. They stay true to their mission of " Sharing Surplus,Saving Lives" We are always treated well at each of our sessions and made to feel like we are appreciated. The organization is well managed from the top down and they never forget where they came from. We have seen them grow over the years but have done this with a measured expansion with a nod to doing this in a manner where they carefully calculate the true needs of how they help each request. We are proud to be a very small part of this great organization.

I am a sophomore engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh and am vice president of a club called Engineers for Sustainable Medical Development. Our club has similar ideologies as Global Links does so we have teamed up with them. Both of our main goals are to provide sustainable and appropriate medical equipment to developing countries. Global Links has given us weekly volunteer opportunities in their warehouse fixing wheelchairs and other medical equipment. This has allowed us to get some hands on engineering experience. Also, Global Links has teamed up with our club to set up a service study abroad program for students. We will be able to send a couple engineering students to developing countries to help repair medical equipment and also, bring valuable equipment with us. The relationship my club and Global Links has built is invaluable. They have given Pitt students so many opportunities while still helping people in the developing world. I think Global Links should win this award because they help the medical conditions in the developing world in a responsible, green way but also, they help their community in Pittsburgh like giving a college club a chance to make a difference as well.

As a critical care nurse working in Pittsburgh i have been able to organize, as part of our community service commitment, a number of volunteer efforts wherein critical care nurses work with the GL Team packing medical supplies to send throughout the world to countries where they are needed. These GL folks are focused, well informed and dedicated. doing an extraordinary job unselfishly. My unit and my hospital also contribute medical supplies to this effort.

I volunteered with them to clean off IV poles and once again to organize equipment to be shipped. Both times were pleasant, the staff was helpful, the other volunteers were interesting and nice.

GL is amazing! The volunteer routine of sorting and packing supplies is organized so that no time is wasted. At the end of your 2 hour shift, it is very satisfying to see all the sealed boxes of supplies ready to ship. I also volunteer for Shoulder-to-Shoulder Pittsburgh and GL provides medical supplies for our twice yearly mission trips to Honduras. We count on GL to provide us with supplies we couldn't afford to regularly purchase.

We did a mission trip in March 2012 to the LaCroix Mission in Haiti . A big part of our mission was medical care. Global Links was a great partner in our mission, supplying medical supplies that were greatly needed. Our medical staff saw many patients. Another important element of the mission was teaching and encouraging the Haitian medical staff, and providing supplies for them to work with.

Global Links is an outstanding organization! I volunteer regularly (about once a month, for several years now) with a group from my church. We sort and package surplus medical supplies to be sent to needy areas. They collect used or surplus medical supplies and ship them to hospitals all over the world that lack a lot of basic equipment and common medical and surgical supplies. Most of the work of sorting and packing is done by volunteers. They save things that would normally be discarded and help out doctors and patients with necessary medical equipment and basic supplies. We've sorted suture, gauze bandages, surgical drapes, catheters of all sorts, all kinds of things (it's different each time!) There are even people who refurbish old hospital beds, wheelchairs, etc. I've collected crutches from people on freecycle and taken them in for Global Links, too. It's very moving to see photos and read letters from people who've been helped by these donations.

I have been working with Global Links for over 10 years and I am extremely impressed with their commitment to help those in need here in our community as well as overseas. My office is the hub for donations from fellow colleagues, patients and friends. We are not only helping the planet by responsibly getting rid of unused equipment and devices, but we are donating these things to an organization whose sole mission is to help those in need. Global Links is structured and organized, dedicated and sincere in reaching the poorest of poor to give them a more meaningful life. As a donor organization, it fills us with pride that we are doing the right thing. Thank you Global Links!

I have witnessed the passion that drives Global Links first hand during my time as a volunteer. It can be heard in the enthusiastic voices of the staff and seen in the dedicated longtime volunteers. It's truly an amazing group of people furthering an amazing cause.

I love being able to not only take usable medical supplies out of the wastestream, but make sure they are well sorted and able to be readily used/re-used by partner clients in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is truly conservation at work. Volunteering at Global Links is always rewarding!

I volunteered at Global Links for some time until 2006 and I have been amazed by it since the beginning.
I liked the seriousness of the working staff and that of my fellow volunteers, I respected the knowledge of the medical consultants and I admired the precision of the job done there.
It is amazing how we can collect life-saving equipments and medicines that we would OTHERWISE THROW AWAY and just redirect them to whom is in need.
But not just somewhere in the world, that it would be good enough already, but to specific and carefully chosen hospital structures where Global Links has trusted people ready to distribute them fairly.
I am looking forward to find the time to go back to volunteer.
The most emotional moment was when I had to pack infants oxygen masks, I couldn't believe that I was so lucky to be the one touching something that would be able to save a little life.
I believe so much in it that even when I stopped volunteering, just for personal reasons, I tried to help in every other way , with donations or just informing people.

I enjoyed sorting medical supplies while talking with the other volunteers. In the case of the supplies that Global Links sends abroad, one person's trash really is another person's treasure. I did not realize that some hospitals abroad have so few supplies.

i loved volunteering with global links. The staff is very friendly and the work is fun. The fact that all of the supplies that they recover would have been thrown away and placed in a US landfill is sad, but it's great that they have found a system to retrieve the supplies and get them to people that need them!!

As a health care professional it is my pleasure to share with you what an outstanding job Global Links does in providing medical supplies, and equipment needs to the less fortunate. This organization reduces waste by re-cyling gently used medical furniture, equipment and supplies. Hospital nursing unit donate supplies that could possibly discarded into Global Links collection bins and funnel them to those in need. They are dedicated individuals that lead volunteers such as myself by overseeing our work as we sort and pack badly needed supplies. Global Links supports sustainability in all aspects of their work.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak up for the excellent work of this fine organization.

Janette R. Curran RN BSHCA

Global links works on both sides of the problem: taking surplus equipment off the hands of the hospital systems and finding a need for it in the developing world. It does this on a shoestring budget with a dedicated and highly competent staff. I have worked with them as a donor, volunteer and beneficiary for my surgical international work in Haiti, Guyana, and Honduras. We have been able to provide care with their help.

The most important reason Global Links deserves this award is that they do an on-site analysis of needs and capabilities. For example, in Haiti they donate beds and chairs, rather than the high tech equipment which requires reliable electricity and service. They know the hospitals and personnel they are donating to. In Cuba, they can donate a mammography center because the clinical resources including personnel can support it.

When I was in Honduras, I saw the opposite too many times. A CT scanner left outside in the courtyard because the donor did not understand that it could not be used. Global Links works from a careful needs assessment to avoid these problems.

Global links collects technically expired, but not obsolete, medical supplies from hospitals and medical providers, and redistributes/donates them to global recipients in need. It is a crucial service that not only provides vital and life-saving supplies to countries and medical providers worldwide, but it also prevents the unnecessary filling of landfills with products which are still usable. The organizers are passionate and dedicated to the purpose and welcome volunteers in an organized and meaningful way.

Great place to volunteer. It's a green way to help the environment and also to help struggling 3rd World hospitals.

This charity does fantastic work in terms of recycling surplus medical supplies that would otherwise go into landfills. But it does SO MUCH MORE! Using volunteers, it sorts and organizes these materials and matches them with the needs of specific hospitals in the world's poorest countries, shipping them off to save lives there.

I am proud to be a volunteer and donor of Global Links.

Gathering medical supplies and packing them in to boxes; how mundane. But every box I helped to pack served in two significant ways:
First, these were items that were discarded. They would have gone to a landfill further scarring our landscape.
Second, these supplies would SAVE LIVES of patients in desperate need in the very poorest countries in the world. Instead of being stitched up with fishing line or even cotton thread, patients would receive appropriate suture, considerably improving their chances of a good outcome. And studies show clearly that when family members survive there is less inclination to have larger families.

I have worked with Global Links to assist them with relief efforts for Haiti. They are very professional and responsive and the experience with them has shown them to be attentive stewards of the financial and product support they receive.
Jock Menzies, president, The American Logistics Aid Network

I have been volunteering at Global Links for several years. The staff has consistently been friendly, organized and enthusiastic about their wrok. The volunteer contributions are appreciated and necessary for this program to succeed. I will continue to support GLobal Links with my time and work.

I can't say enough great things about this organization. They really touch on something that is SO hard to do-- hold tight to strict ecological values while simultaneously ensuring proper healthcare to the underserved. This organization is all about sharing, reusing, conserving and goodwill. I've NEVER had a bad experience with Global Links.

Each year, healthcare facilities in the U.S. discard 2,000 tons of usable medical supplies. Global Links recognized the value of this material for developing countries that are struggling with the problem of providing healthcare for its citizens. Too often, clinics in developing countries simply do not have the necessary medical supplies to respond to the needs of their patients. Global Links salvages medical supplies and equipment that normally would be discarded in landfills. These materials are sorted, packaged and shipped to developing countries primarily in Central and South America. I am impressed by the dedication of the staff and volunteers connected with Global Links in carrying out the mission of the organization. It's a non-profit that should be recognized not only for its environmental stewardship, but also for its impact on the quality of life for people in developing countries.

I've both volunteered and been a donor to Global Links for many years. The organization's mission is to recycle medical equipment and supplies that would otherwise be discarded by US hospitals, but which provide life saving supplies to clinics and hospitals in some of the poorest regions of Central and South America. And they do all this with a skeleton staff, of incredibly dedicated, hardworking, and knowlegeable people, and many volunteers like me who sort and pack the donated material.

since I am a Franciscan associate, with an option for the poor, I was very happy to work at Global Links helping the poor worldwide

Global Links has been impressive by their vigorous attempts to recycle many of the hospital materials that have been, traditionally, thrown away. The main emphasis has been in the use or sutures from the OR. In the past, once the initial outer wrapping is removed on suture material, if it has not been used, it was thrown away. However the 2nd cover keeps the suture still sterile. Consequenty, it can be used easily in the third world medical community where sterile suture material can be hard to obtain. Global Links now has several of the hospitals in the Pittsburgh area well attuned to the need to recycle their materials. They are even encouraging donations of more durable OR materials that are no longer being used. Consequently several ORs in centra American countries and in Cuba have helped immeasurably by the donations provided by Global Links. I personally have been able to make use of the sutures and surgical equipment on mission trips to Niger.

I was visiting Pittsburgh for a week and wanted to find a way to get involved in some volunteer work that makes the city so great. I found Global Links, and ended up spending a large amount of time there. It was easy to see the amazing vision that has resulted in a truly world-changing nonprofit, and my passion for it has not lessened since returning home. It was easy to jump in and help, which I loved, and I think that's one reason it's such a strong organization.

I enjoy volunteering with Global Links so much that I have bugged them about what all of their volunteer opportunities are. They have openings all the time for anyone to volunteer. I tend to volunteer twice a month. They do evenings and weekends to fit in people who work day jobs. The staff is wonderful; always open to suggestions and ideas on how to make things work better. Everyone is super nice and very comfortable and friendly to be around. They are also environmentally friendly, there are a plethora of recycling options at the office and the whole organization is a recycling shop. They take medical supplies that local hospitals/medical providers were going to throw away and send them to people in need.

All of my experiences at Global Links have been fantastic. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. Before volunteering they gave my group an introduction to their nonprofit and the populations they serve. They were tireless answering all of our questions and were so forthcoming with information that I felt very exited to be helping out. Global Links gave me the best experience I have ever had cleaning crutches for children!

I volunteered with Global Links a few months ago and it has forever left a lasting impression on me... Their goal is to collect and distribute surplus medical supplies to countries in need. Just walking into their facility and seeing the amount of some of the simplest materials was overwhelming... how much we waste!

Before starting our work, we were shown a wonderful video presentation on the purpose of their mission, how the supplies are collected, where they are distributed, and how and by whom they are used. This was fantastic because it really drove it home for me and made me feel like this volunteer work really had a purpose... and I knew because I could "see" the benefits. We then worked to sort through bins of the items and determine what was still usable, etc.

Quite simply, this organization SAVES LIVES.... it deserves national attention and support from around the globe. If everyone took the initiative to follow in Global Links footsteps and conserve their surplus supplies and put them to a good use, imagine the possibilities!!!! :-)

Untold numbers of people die, every year, for lack of sanitary supplies that clog American landfills! Global Links takes those things (that would otherwise be thrown away) and matches them with health centers in other countries that desperately need them. It's a DOUBLE benefit!

I've volunteered for a few years now as a member of PAPCA (Pittsburgh Area Peace Corps Association). We are a group of returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

Global Links is great! They solicit donations of medical equipment that is otherwise going to waste and send it to folks who need it. Much of the equipment goes to the Caribbean and Latin American area. This is particularly fitting for me as I served with PC in Costa Rica and was a trainer there and in Ecuador. It is a way to remain connected to the people in that area.

Global Links reduces, reuses and recycles. Reduces the waste by putting to use unused hospital supplies that would otherwise go to landfills. Reuses by collecting from the community at large items such as crutches, wheelchairs and home care supplies. Recycles--well, we are recycled Peace Corps Volunteers.

Additionally, in their parking lot Global Links maintains a dumpster for their own paper products. It is available to the entire community. They also made use of AmeriCorps volunteers and countless community volunteer groups like ours. They are so conscious of the value of volunteers that they designate times for individuals who not a part of any organized group to volunteer.

Global Links has a very simple plan. They gather unused hospital equipment and supplies that would normally be discarded in America and send them to needy hospitals in Haiti and other countries. They do this at little cost. We volunteered with this group and the process was so simple. They utilized our time immediately and effectively. We left with a feeling of accomplishment and it was easy to see how much we helped. Their mission serves a double purpose. First, they help out these poor countries and in turn, help out the most needy patients. Secondly, they prevent the excess of our hospitals from ending up in our landfills. It was a very enjoyable experience and I would recommend this charity to anyone wanting to make a difference in our environment.

This program recycles medical supplies that would normally be discarded.
It helps 3rd world countries immensely.

A medical student friend was going to Malawi with her husband, and she was volunteering in a maternity hospital. She saw a huge need for very basic items. A group of us helped sort donated medical supplies at Global Links and Global Links sent life saving monitors and other supplies to the maternity hospital.

I have been volunteering at Global Links for four years packaging medical supplies for Third World countries. I volunteer with a group of women from the Junior League of Pittsburgh and we chose Global Links as the focal point for a group volunteer effort. The staff is extremely professional, organized and friendly effectively utilizing our time to benefit their organization as well as providing us with deep satisfaction for our efforts. Super Organization that does important work!!!

I am pleased that Global Links is able to use refurbished materials and equipment in order to help others around the world. Their mission is inspiring.

Sharing Surplus. Saving Lives. No one should die for lack of what we throw away ! Their motto says a lot, but not all of it. Global Links does more than conserve the environment -- they save lives and sustain the environment as a by-product of what they do. This is because they do it intelligently; i.e., they collect the huge amounts of medical supplies and equipment that would otherwise end up in landfills and target these to specific programs that need and will use them, Therefore they will not end up in landfills in the recipient nations.

A thoughtful, humanitarian Mission, carried out by committed, dedicated staff applying their principles in intelligent and consistent ways to do the most good. They fill a need and deserve recognition and support.

It is a real privilege for me to volunteer at Global Links and be a small part of such a great organization. Following are just a few reasons why I think Global Links is so special: It has a small core of very dedicated staff members. All aspects of its work are extremely well organized and efficient without any waste with an absolute minimum outlay for administrative costs. The office and warehouse are housed in no-frills, bare bone buildings. Executive Director, Kathleen Hower, who co-founded the organization more than 20 years age was a visionary, and, with her quiet strength, still guides and sets the tone for Global Links today.

Each Wednesday afternoon, as I leave the Global Links office, I can hardly wait to return the next week.

Global Links is absolutely amazing. When you volunteer your time with this organization, you know that you are truly making an impact. Any item that can be helpful to another individual is sent, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant. Looking at the specific needs of medical institutions in other countries, Global Links makes sure that no supplies go to waste. This is the most wonderful place that any individual could hope to volunteer their time and efforts!

I am a volunteer on Friday mornings, a regular non afiliated, not associated group of individuals who sort and batch several medical supplies together.
I simply love Global Links concept: the fact that it was created in Pittsburgh by three women makes it even more real and inspiring.
The whole waste in medical supplies for reasons hidden behind safety or otherwise wasteful quality consumer standards, and its channeling through Global Links to South America and other at risk or short supplied areas is simply efficient and ethical.
We are under supervision of highly trained staff, who are very efficient, personable and excel in time efficiency for our efforts and energy. Every Friday I leave my volunteer assignment at 12pm, feeling richer and emerged in a sense of great self-accomplishment. I highly recommend this Organization for any award that might increase its visibility and expand its work. Also, they are very careful in recruiting volunteers, they are extremely ethical, giving a tour to all and presenting the founders and staff, who are are always friendly, although very focused.

I feel very happy when I realize that the smallest of effort I put in volunteering at Global Links helps to save Lives of people in underdeveloped nations. It's a truly amazing organization!

I find Globallinks to be the perfect organization to give my time to. When people get stressed at work about getting a job done, I like to remind them that "we're not savin' babies here." Volunteering at Globallinks, we really ARE. And the waste of perfectly good things makes me bonkers--Globallinks saves babies with stuff that would otherwise go to waste. It doesn't get any more perfect than that.

The organization is experienced at handling volunteers efficiently. When we arrive, there is already a task set up for us, the supplies are ready, the signage is up-to-date, and the staff person working that night understands what needs to be done and can explain it well (and patiently). This helps me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something, not just standing around waiting.

My husband, son and I were looking for a way to participate in the Haiti earthquake relief efforts, and we found our way to Global Links, where we spent an afternoon packing medical supplies. This organization has the most wonderful mission...providing aid to those in need while caring for the environment by recycling supplies that would have been otherwise thrown in landfills. They do a fantastic job!

Global Links can best be described as a no-frills, extremely well organized non-profit that is run by a small core of very dedicated staff. It successfully achieves its commitment to collect and distribute surplus medical material to less developed countries without any waste and with an absolute minimum outlay for administrative costs. The Executive Director, Kathleen Hower, who co-founded the organization 20 years ago was a visionary, and with her quiet strength, still guides and sets the tone for Global Links today. It is a real privilege for me, through my volunteer sorting and packing, to be a very small part of such a great organization.

I like the idea of not wasting the excess supplies and equipment produced by the medical industry. Global Links is a great idea.

Volunteering for Global Links is one of the most important items on my weekly to-do list. I very much enjoy the company of the other volunteers, the knowledgeable and friendly team and most importantly the mission we are on and supporting.

Volunteers are given opportunity to own the process of re-packing medical supplies, making decisions about how to pack, with supervision, working in small teams or on your own. Volunteer feels he has really made a difference in the world.

Global Links is an organization that fulfills many functions. First as a green organization, it keeps medical supplies out of land-fills. Secondly it supplies much needed medical equipment to countries where the need is so great and most importantly makes sure the materials are both useful and will be used by the peoples Global Links has targeted as most needy. In my menial role as a sorter, counter and packer of supplies; I feel the profound impact my volunteering is having on peoples in remote areas of developing countries of this hemisphere.

I chose this organization with care because of their specific work and because of their reputation. I fulfilled my orientation, which I find very necessary, and was very impressed with my first day of volunteering. I now just look forward to my next day to volunteer.

Global Links could be one of the finest examples of how a nonprofit should operate. Everything -materials,manpower,and money is utilized to its fullest extent. Global Links reduces the environmental impact of our U.S. hospitals and provides much needed and site-specific medical supplies to their partner countries. The director of Global Links,Kathleen Hower, is intelligent,diligent, and forward thinking. The same can be said of her energetic staff and board. All the volunteers are kept quite busy and are valued for the role they play in sorting and packing medical supplies. The budget is carefully considered and all money is spent wisely and never frivolously. Although I have volunteered at Global Links for many years, I have to say that I continue to be amazed and feel great joy when I step into the Penn Ave. office or the warehouse. It is heartwarming to be part of this well run organization knowing that the Global Links mission is succeeding and impacting so many lives. Please come and be a part of what Global Links is doing! If you can, please donate your time, your talents, an/or your money. You'll be glad you did.

When the Haiti earthquake struck, I heard about a need for volunteers for Global Links. I was told they recycle medical equipment to the Caribbean. I thought this would be a way I could immediately respond to the Haitian crisis. I was overwhelmed by the type of work and recycling they do. For Haiti, I have cleaned and restored crutches (lots of crutches) and wheelchairs. I have packed orthopedic braces, syringes and other items that typically would have been wasted by American hospitals. Global Links connects to area hospitals and gleans unwanted medical equipment for use in another part of the globe. Work still continues for Haiti and will for some time. I have become a regular volunteer along with my husband. We are amazed at what we will pack each time we show up. From sharps containers to biohazard bags, Global Links is reusing and providing needed medical supplies and equipment to countries in need.

I have volunteered with Global Links about eight times now. I continue to be impressed with their mission to recycle hospital materials (from unused syringes to used hospital beds, from sterile unused needles to ultrasound machines...). We spend our time sorting everything by date, by size, or by whatever parameters the coordinators offer us. We work solidly for two hours, until we have sorted, counted, grouped and boxed thousands upon thousands of instruments, tubing, etc. This non-profit organization is helping third world countries have the medical equipment and supplies that they need to work under horrendous conditions. I am proud to work with them.

Global Links.is extremely well organized and safety minded. My job has been to separate and pack. The volunteers there are very explicit in what they want done, and very helpful. This is a wonderful organation.

I had no idea how many usable medical supplies and equipment are discarded every day by health providers. Bravo to Global Links who recycles supplies that do not bear an expiration date to hospitals and clinics in South and Central America. I believe Global Links provides the volunteer with an opportunity to act locally and think globally. This non-profit contributes in a significant way towards greater environmental sensitivity while providing a viable way to act responsibly.

As an occassional volunteer with this organization, I am constantly amazed at their methods to keep their work relevent, up-to-date and responsive to their recipients needs. The last thing anyone in need needs is something they don't need. I've always been impressed with how global links listens and meets REAL needs in an efficient and timely manner. Their network with donors around our city is unprecedented and groundbreaking.

Although many organizations often state how much they need volunteers, my experience in answering the call is often that they are so disorganized that the time I spent trying to volunteer was not at all effective. Not so at Global Links! This is one efficient, organized group of folks that makes great use of every volunteer for every minute that they are there. Their packing system is so streamlined that as an individual or small group we were consistently able to prepare a significant volume of medical supplies in a short time. It was really a good feeling to know we made a difference in the health care of many people and promoted international good will as well as diverted perfectly good equipment from a landfill. And it's fun! What a great bunch of people to work with.

I enjoy volunteering in my community quite a bit, so I have some experience being a volunteer. My experience with Global Links has been nothing short of wonderful. The staff is always very well organized, clear and concise with their directions, and welcoming. The tasks are never very difficult, but you still feel as if you are making a huge impact. The Global Links family is very inclusive - always keeping volunteers in the loop with newsletters, special bulletins, emails, and invitations to functions and parties. It is by far my favorite organization with which to volunteer.

This organization was outstanding in terms of recognizing our need and fulfilling our request for supplies for relief medical work in Haiti. I called them threee days before my departure and they had packaged supplies ready to go the day before I left! Very valuable service!

Quic sevice as I headed out the door to Haiti - helpful and friendly. Well stocked with useful supplies. Wish I would have had enough time to get medicines which takes a bit longer or that could have been as quick as the supplies.

I actually heard about Global Links years ago, but it wasn't until this past September that I finally got around to contacting them. Since then I've been volunteering 8-10 hours per month, on average, and I've come to look forward to the hours I get to spend working with them. They're wonderful people to work with, and they have great taste in music. Much more important, of course, is what they do. It's so clearly a benefit to everyone on the planet, from the hospital personnel and businesspeople who would rather not have to dump something still useful into a landfill, to the people like me who get to (carefully) handle fancy medical gadgetry we've not even imagined before, to those people whom I will never meet but whose lives I have in this way touched as a result of what the Global Links staff has made possible. It's like sending a post card to a friend you don't know. My thanks to Global Links, who have truly made this a better world.

Ever since I was a gradute student at the University of Pittsburgh in a program called, "International Development Education Program, or IDEP" in the 1980's, I have wanted to go to the underdeveloped countried I was studying, but I never go to go. So when my daughter told me about Global Links and how they help to send medical and hospital supplies to those same countries that I had wished to travel to, I jumped at the chance to volunteer to sort, pack, and send these supplies to people who need them. I am a retired woman who finds great satisfaction in volunteering for Global Links and who enjoys the company of a band of committed women and men who like doing things for others.

I've been volunteering weekly at Global Links for about a year and knew from my first visit that it was something I was really interested in. It's a win-win situation. We collect, sort and pack surplus medical supplies that would have been discarded by hospitals in the U.S. to send to hospitals in underdeveloped countries.

I heard about Global Links through a friend of mine...and was mesmerized by the story of how the organization began and what it has become through the years! The idea of reconditioning and donating medical supplies that would have ended up in a landfill and send these supplies to developing countires was a not only a strike of genious--but taking that idea and making it a reality is nothing short of a miracle!! How many of us see things everyday tossed aside-and say--what a waste--there are people that would love to have this or that...and then to actually have that thought --and work out a plan to have this idea take effect and actually work to help other nations--is an awesome story in itself. It gives you hope that the smallest deed is better than the grandest intention! For a long time I contributed to this organization through United Way--I liked that they didn't have much over head and that my donation went to real help. This year I decided to volunteer --and I got to see what hard work and workers are out there everyday making this non profit a success. I cleaned and painted IV poles --and when you scrub in an empty dusty warehouse for 7 hours --you leave sore--but happy! It kind of gave me a glimpse of the satisfaction these workers have everyday. Knowing that what they do has such a profound effect on so many. The story of this organization and the tour of the facility--made me cry. I was so proud to be a part of this effort for that day! And to think --this effort doesn't just help those that need it most--but also helps the environment in the process--just an awesome ---AWESOME venture!!!! God Bless this organization -- the effort the workers put into this and the love--was so obvious. Never met a group so committed!

I was so impressed at the efficiency of Global Links when I came to volunteer for the first time. Their film tells a worthwhile story and their employee, Lindsey, was dedicated, informative ,organized and responded well to every question. Their mission is an easy goal for all of us to embrace: making the world a more healthy place to live and survive. We owe that to the under privileged citizens in so many countries. We have so much to give.

Global Links is doing amazing work both for the environment and for people in need around the world. I was astounded at the statistics that were shared with me- 9 billion dollars of unused medical supplies are thrown away every year! This organization is meeting needs and saving lives.

It is fifteen years now that I have been experiencing the relief that Global Links brings to countries across the world who need help in the health sector. I have been particularly impressed by the care they take in donating equipment and supplies that will work in the receiving countries. Their focus and concern is for the health and well being of the people of the country they assist. They take the time to find out the needs of the receiving country and what works best there. Their donations are of the highest quality and durability. It is not so much what they do at Global Links, but how they do it …with respect, dignity and compassion. Blossom Laidlaw Volunteer – Health Sector -Jamaica

Global Links provides desperately needed medical supplies while also serving an environmental service. The staff is dedicated and the volunteers are wonderful, interesting and diverse people to meet and work with. I've volunteered there for over 4 years and always leave there feeling that I've contributed in a worthwhile way.

I think that volunteering at global links has been an amazingly eye opening experience. I never knew so many things would wind up in landfills if it were not for global links salvaging these items and sending them to others who could put them to good use, people who are so appreciative to receive them. To play a small part in this endeavor, has been very rewarding to me. The staff has been very imformative, answering all of my questions and keeping me informed on healthcare in the countries they service. They showed me that I could help them to acquire even more donations. These donations have helped improve and expand heathcare treatment for those who receive them by allowing them to provide care for those who would otherwise go untreated.

What a great organization! Global Links' work is not only important to the countries they serve, but also to the environment. By keeping tons of still-useful supplies out of landfills, they truly provide a domestic service. Thanks for all you do!

I have volunteered several times to help at Global Links and have also donated money. These folks run a dedicated non profit that succeeds in not just achieving their goal of recapturing value in surplus hospital supplies by shipping them to medical facilities in need, but also by mobilizing many volunteers. The opportunity to support their efforts by manually helping to clean, pack and ship the items allows them to be inclusive and expand beyond just a donor base. Global Links is a wonderful example of a sustainable non profit that meets their mission. Five stars!

Global Links is a no-hassle, fast delivery, no nonsense, eager-to-help organization that has saved the day for our organization, Building New Hope, countless times. There are not many organizations that allow their clients to feel that WE are helping THEM! GLobal Links is genuinely pleased to be of service to those that we serve here in Nicaragua. THe individual Global Links volunteers have all gone 'the extra mile' to come through with every request that we have made of them. THere is comfort in knowing that they are always near us, with us, for us. GLobal Links suppies Building New Hope with medical/clinical supples for remote area health centers as well as a community animal spay neuter clinic in Nicaragua. THeir donations have allowed us to provide a constant stream of health care to this community because of their efficient donation system. Donna Tabor, Project Director Building New Hope Granada, Nicaragua

Global Links is an incredible organization that collects and distributes useable discarded medical supplies from local area hospitals to partner hospitals and medical centers in the Caribbean and Central America.

i have been involved with global links for over 15 years. As a surgeon and recipient of their aid , in addition to working with them in their office as a volunteer ,I have witnessed first hand the passion and integrity with which they pusue their goal of furnishing needed medical supplies to the underserved throughout the world .Most of these supplies would have ended in land fills without first having gotten the opportunity to fulfill the purpose for which they were manufactured. Globaal LInks runs on a shoe string budget and yet they are able to send thousands of dollars worth of valuable medical equipment all over the world. I have personally packaged and hand carried some of this equipment to Haiti and Ethiopia where without it i would have been unable to perform some of the procedures needed there.

First, let me say they are a great organization!! I became involved with Global Links while attending PITT as an undergrad, and an organization I belonged to formed a group and volunteered there. After that one exposure, I was hooked!! I became a volunteer on a weekly basis, and I continue to love just about every minute I'm there!!! Keep up the good work!! (maybe someday there will be many branches across the United States)

I became involved with Global Links while I was an art student in Pittsburgh and it changed the course of my life. I learned at Global Links that performing work with the clear purpose of helping others is far more satisfying (for me) than painting a pretty picture. Global Links is especially effective because it feeds two birds with one scone by reducing waste in the United States while providing needed supplies to hospitals abroad. Who wouldn't want to get behind a mission that is both humanitarian AND environmental? Volunteers usually sort and pack medical supplies so that they can be sent abroad. The work is very simple yet, as an essential piece of what happens there, so important. I think it is wonderful to play any size role in such a wonderful operation.

Global Links is a phenomenal organization that provides an essential service by distributing surplus medical supplies to underserved countries. The efficiency by which this organization operates is astounding. Supplies ranging from sutures to bed linens that would otherwise be discarded are systematically inspected, sorted, packed and shipped to countries in grave need of these supplies. The enthusiasm and devotion of the staff and volunteers is palpable and it makes me proud to be a part of this organization. My experience volunteering at Global Links has made me considerably more aware of the wastefulness of our medical institutions and the discrepancies in medical care throughout the world. I have been a packing volunteer at Global Links for 2 years and will continue to volunteer for this organization for as long as I am in Pittsburgh.

Global Links is such a fabulous organization. It's amazing how much of a difference the small things that hospitals discard - sutures, bandages, iv tubing - make such an amazing and profound difference in the lives of so many people abroad. I feel lucky to have been involved with the organization over the years and had it been such a big part of my life.

As a photojournalist for 30 years I have seen the work of many non-profits that work in developing nations—many of which bring agendas, attitudes and material/equipment that are burdensome and unsustainable. The difference in Global Links is that they are guided by the actual needs of the medical staff, facilities, patients and culture they are working with. I have seen with my own eyes and documented numerous times, actual lives being saved and bettered due to materials and equipment that Global Links has provided. Is not this the perfect test of value and success—lives saved.

I have had the privilege of being associated with Global Links for 11 years, serving on its volunteer advisory board,consulting on fundraising, programmatic and organizational issues, and providing pro bono legal services. Throughout that time I have been greatly impressed with the organization's consistency of vision and mission:Global Links is dedicated to improving the quality and accessibility of health care services for underserved people in targeted developing countries, while concurrently serving as stewards of the environment, through the redirection of sitll-useful mdical equiment and supplies away from U.S. landfills. Global Links has been doing a great job for 20 years, with its effectiveness and impact increasing over the years, thanks in large part to continuial self-examination and efforts to improve. a dedicated and active Board of Directors, and increasingly effective fundraising efforts. Global Links works strategically and collaboratively with recipient countries and facilities, enabling the organizaiton to respond to actual needs, rather than needs as conceived by outsiders. Working through long-term programs and relationships, Global Links has been able to effect significant and cumulative changes in medical facilities and systems gthroughout Latin America and the Caribbean, helping to meet the core needs of the affected populations. The organization is defined by its dedication to delivering high quality and immediately useful material aid -- from complex medical tachnology to critically needed basic medical and hygiene supplies. The efffectiveness of GL's strategies has been recognized by the World Health Organization/Pan Americdan Health Organization, which has provided support and collaboaration for almost two decades. In recent years GL has become more directly involved in related efforts in community health education and training of in-country medical personnel, consistent with the overall goal of improving the quality of and availability of healthcare services in the countries in which they have programs.

I first connected with Global Links years ago since I was so impressed with their mission and vision about improving people's lives as well as helping with a huge environmental problem. The dedication of GL staff is impressive and the consistency of their work is clearly shown in the amount of shipments they make. The partnerships they cultivate in vulnerable communities in Latin American are long-lasting and beneficial for all - both abroad and here in the United States.

I've had the privilege of volunteering for this wonderful organization over the past few years. Always impressed by how well run the volunteer events are -a lot is accomplished in a short period of time. Very satisfying to know I've contributed to a mission that combines providing needed medical supplies with environmental responsibility.

Of course GlobalLinks fundamental mission is the epitome of a green nonprofit. I'm especially impressed with the fact that they're determined to work SMART and green. GL uses customized computer databases to streamline all of their functions from warehousing to organizing their shipments to donor tracking and email blasts. They understand the importance of not just doing right, but doing it efficiently.

I volunteered for over 5 years in my retirement (until my own health issues prevented be from doing so), and continue to support financially. The mission of Global Links, the staff, and the fellow volunteers are all passionate about capturing all medical materials that do not need to be disposed of- their enthusiasm is contagious. To be able to work with such a group was a privilege.

Global Links is an amazing organization. There are about $9 billion worth of medical equipment and supplies thrown into landfills in the U.S. yearly. Global Links collects, cleans, repackages and ships these otherwise discarded items to developing nations where people are literally dying because of a lack of these needed supplies. The staff is friendly, dedicated to their mission, and make volunteering there a learning, fun experience.

5 stars is hardly enough to commend the work done by Global Links. I've had the pleasure of interning there over the past 4 months with the Country Programs officers and it's been such a rewarding experience. I've participated in many different ways, including: exploring new sources of funding, seeking donations of supplies and equipment, and translating documents. Everyone at Global Links is wholeheartedly committed to the mission and the positivity is infectious. It's truly a visionary concept and I'm very proud and grateful to have had to opportunity to contribute.

How can anyone be against what these folk do? They collect surplus medical supplies from hospitals in the United States and send them to clinics and hospitals in nine Latin American countries. I volunteer at Global Links and can only wish that there were 50 more organizations doing the same work.

This is an amazing organization that does a huge amount of great work with a very small amount of resources. They effectively utilize thousands of hours of volunteer time to collect pack and ship retreivable medical equipment and supplies to developing countries. Their tireless quest prevents valuable, useable materials from going into landfills and directs them instead to exactly where they are desparately needed.Their work save sthe environment and saves lives. In the last few years that I have been involved I have seen them perform as a highly funtional team and a learning organization.

When I was a nursing student, I helped Global Links to check blood pressure units and other basic equipment for donation to primary care clinics overseas. What impressed me most was the care that went into the donated shipments. Medical supplies were sorted and neated packed. Equipment was checked to make sure it worked correctly and was complete. Nothing was sent that was not needed. It is amazing when I think that all of these things which would have ended up in a landfill are now helping doctors and nurses to provide care to their patients and save lives. The organization and dedicated staff are an inspiration to me. If you want to volunteer to make a difference in the world, your time will not be wasted here.

I take a group of ESL students here to volunteer every year. They come from countries far and wide and are always, always, always impressed with the experience: the environment and staff at Global Links are very welcoming, the mission is superior, the work is meaningful, and the exposure our students get from this experience helps shape their perceptions about our country and its citizens' humanitarian efforts.

I have been associated with this organizations for many years and have continually appreciated their creative and valuable approach to the "repurposing" of surplus medical supplies. As a healthcare professional myself, I have often been appalled- witnessing the waste of expensive and still useful medical supplies and equipment. Finally someone ( Global Links) came along and created a way to redirect these items for the good of less advantaged people. Global Links functions on a very tight budget, with most of the work being done by volunteers. When people make a donation to them they can be assured that almost 100% of it is being used directly by those who need it the most. Global Links is truely dedicated to its mission.

Global Links recycles surplus medical supplies and devices that would otherwise be discarded in landfills or incinerated. They send these items to clinics and facilities in developing countries that would otherwise be unable to care for needy people. I have volunteered at Global Links for three years and I am always impressed by the generosity and caring that the people at Global Links display toward the humankind and the environment.

Global Links is a wonderful organization. It is using materials that would be thrown out and donating them to hospitals that our without resources to help their patients. I am happy to be volunteering for this organization.

Global Links is the most wonderful organization! Here medical equipment goes back into the cycle which would otherwise fill landfills. Global Links also reuses and recycles in every thinkable way during the process of packaging and shipping the items to countries who are in desperate need. What an outstanding contribution to humanity and our environment!

Global Links is a pioneer in its approach to both environmental stewardship and development assistance. Every year, the organization makes a measurable, direct and immediate impact in the lives of thousands of our world's poorest - and it does so using materials that would otherwise be thrown away in U.S. landfills. I have worked with few other organizations that have such a profound sense of their responsibility both at home and abroad and such an enduring commitment to protecting both our planet and the people on it.

I am absolutely impressed with Global Links' ability to be truly resourceful in simultaneously addressing the problem of excess/waste from the hospital/pharmaceutical end and the problem of lack of medical equipment and supplies in the third world due to economic and infrastructural disadvantage. It is not only an ingenious environmentally-friendly organization that recycles what could become waste, but one that also quietly and effectively fights for human rights on a global level in terms of equal access to quality health care.

They do incredible work at Global Links. What better way to recycle than to take medical equipment that was going to be thrown away and send it to countries that can desperately use it.

What I have seen exhibited at Global Links more than other organizations I've volunteered or worked for is a true commitment to reducing waste to an absolute minimum. Whether it is re-purposing and re-directing perfectly good medical supplies to its constituents, or simply performing its own internal day-to-day activities, Global Links keeps a reduced footprint at the forefront of its operational objectives.

Global Links is one of my favorite nonprofits. They excel at three different things: (1) working with local health centers to retrieve appropriate furnishings, supplies, and equipment and divert them from landfills; (2) working volunteers from a variety of backgrounds and educating them on their mission; (3) working closely with overseas health centers to identify their specific needs and capabilities and sending them only what they need and ensuring it will be properly used and maintained.

I think this is a great organization with two very important goals - reducing waste that is tossed needlessly into landfills and sending much needed medical supplies to underdeveloped countries.

It is a wonderful organization that keeps America's landfills from filling up with still useful medical supplies that are sent and utilized in needy countries.

GlobalLinks does a fantastic job of saving the environment and people's lives by taking excess medical supplies that would end up in a landfill and distributing them to hospitals in need in developing nations. As a volunteer, who sorts and packages the supplies, I know that I am making an incredible difference in the lives of people who have not done anything wrong, but just don't have access to a resource-rich healthcare system. By utilizing volunteers, overhead costs are kept down and a higher percentage of monetary donations may be utilized for programmatic tasks, such as shipping costs. GlobalLinks may be my favorite nonprofit!

Great organization!! They do very important work and are always excited. They are very organized and have work organized for volunteers. It is always my pleasure to volunteer for this organization!