Global Links and The Blessing Board have launched a new collaboration to ensure individuals have the home health resources they need to thrive.
Each year, Global Links, a non-profit dedicated to improving health in communities with need, rescues hundreds of tons of high-quality surplus medical materials and shares them with public health facilities around the world and with non-profit organizations in Western Pennsylvania that serve our community’s most vulnerable people. Modeled on a five-year partnership with Erie-based organization, CHOSEN, this new collaboration with The Blessing Board will for the first time make it possible for individual members of the public to request and pick up durable home healthcare equipment at The Blessing Board’s two Pittsburgh locations.
Items available to the public will include walkers, bathing stools and benches, transport chairs, wheelchairs, and rollators. Many home healthcare products are not covered by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, while others are out of financial reach for those on fixed incomes who are un- or under-insured, or who cannot afford the copays associated with purchasing home care equipment.
Donations of acceptable items may be made at Global Links’ Greentree location or via one of their Community Collection Network Partners. A full list of acceptable donations as well as a list of drop off locations can be found on Global Links’ website.
Angela Garcia is the Executive Director of Global Links and an alumna of Baldwin High School (class of ‘91). She shares there are three ways members of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District community can engage the program.
“First, spread the word that Home Medical equipment can be donated for reuse in SW PA and is desperately needed as there are wait lists currently of neighbors who cannot afford these items. A full list of Global Links partner drop off locations can be found here, including our location in Green Tree and partner locations in West Mifflin (by the airport), Bethel Park, Squirrel Hill and others.
Second, volunteers of all ages are needed at Global Links (Green Tree) from students to corporate groups to civic/Rotary/social groups to retirees. Information on volunteering can be found here.
Third, for neighbors in need, they can request an appointment to be fitted/receive home medical equipment by contacting The Blessing Board here.”
Read the full profile of Garcia and her work with Global Links here.