MedShare, an international, non-profit organization that provides medical supplies to countries in need, announced today that Atlanta-area residents are volunteering in record numbers this Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. More than 250 volunteers are expected to help sort and pack boxes of medical supplies bound for Haiti, and more than 500 provided assistance over the weekend.
“Based on what I’m witnessing on the ground in Haiti now, medical aid is absolutely the immediate need. We’ve been astounded at the number of volunteers that are responding to help get these medical supplies sorted, packed and ready to ship. The need is great for medical supplies as well as medical personnel,” said A.B. Short, CEO and co-founder of MedShare, who has been in Haiti since last Friday assisting with medical relief efforts.
To further support the medical needs of the earthquake victims, MedShare is offering free medical supplies to those planning medical mission trips to Haiti. Medical teams must fill out an online application specifying their relief efforts in Haiti, where a team representative can then schedule a time to collect needed medical supplies from MedShare’s “MedTeam Store” to assist them in their work.
MedShare receives surplus medical supplies donated by area hospitals and medical companies and prepares the supplies for redistribution to health facilities in need around the globe. Supplies range from basic medical supplies like sutures, surgical gloves and instruments to hospital beds and biomedical equipment. In 2009, MedShare shipped 76 forty-foot containers of medical supplies and equipment worth more than $10 million to 27 countries.
“MedShare’s efforts in Haiti will be ongoing for months and even years,” Short said. “We are so grateful for the influx of assistance we’ve received for Haiti relief so far and encourage volunteers to come back and serve after the emergency response.”
Volunteer opportunities are available seven days a week with the morning and afternoon sorting sessions. Volunteers must be registered for a session prior to arrival and can sign up to volunteer online at www.medshare.org/volunteer or by calling 770-323-5858.
