Three women; one vision
A Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, Global Links was founded in 1989 by three friends and colleagues, who formed Global Links in order to address the need for basic medical supplies and equipment in developing countries.

Since those early days, the organization has grown considerably. Today, Global Links maintains its offices and recovery center at 4809 Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh's East End, with a separate 20,000-square-foot warehouse for larger items.

Focus on recovery
At first, Global Links solicited donations of medical materials from manufacturers. The large amount of still-usable surplus medical materials that local hospitals were forced to throw away, due to a lack of appropriate alternatives, would eventually become the focus of the organization. Global Links staff developed a system to recover unused medical supplies that U.S. hospitals could not use for a variety of reasons, such as changes in technology or vendors, and liability concerns. This recovery effort is highly labor intensive, but rewarding. Currently, Global Links recovers over 30 tons of medical supplies a year that otherwise would have ended up in landfills.

Close relationships help ensure greatest impact
Global Links' founders concluded that their work would have the most impact by establishing long-term relationships with hospitals and clinics in developing countries. By providing ongoing medical material aid to an established set of partners, Global Links can best help to develop a foundation of medical aid and thus serve the needs of the local populations. After establishing a unique cooperative relationship with the Pan-American Health Organization, Global Links decided to focus its shipments of medical material aid on countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Currently, Global Links has ongoing relationships with institutions in Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. Since its inception in 1989, Global Links has donated over $133 million worth of goods to developing countries around the world.

Dramatic results through the Suture Program
In 1990, Global Links established a separate program to collect surgical sutures. Throughout the developing world, clinics and hospitals experience chronic shortages of sterile sutures for surgeries and injuries. In response to this considerable demand, Global Links sends sterile sutures, blades, and needles to hospitals in Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. These materials have been recovered by medical personnel in the United States. To date, Global Links has shipped over one millionpackets of surgical sutures valued at nearly $4.3 million to a range of hospitals around the world.

A community joins in
As the organization has grown, Global Links has also extended its roots in the Pittsburgh area. The organization currently receives donations of medical materials from all of the major hospitals in the Pittsburgh area. Global Links has also developed a vibrant and growing volunteer outreach program. Individuals and groups of volunteers regularly come into our recovery center to learn about the problems that a lack of basic medical materials cause in developing countries, and to help sort and pack medical supplies for shipment abroad. In 2007, 1541 volunteers, working as individuals and in groups, donated 6000 hours sorting materials, packing boxes, and repairing equipment. In addition, local medical professionals volunteer their time to help identify and prepare much of the complicated medical materials we receive.

Among the many local medical institutions that regularly contribute medical surplus are: Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Allegheny General Hospital, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Forbes Regional Health Center, Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Magee-Womens Hospital, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Allegheny General Suburban Campus, UPMC Montefiore, UPMC Passavant, UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC Shadyside, and Ruby Memorial Hospital in West Virginia.

Looking ahead
As the organization moves forward, we hope for the day when our shipments will no longer be needed in Latin America and the Caribbean or anywhere else. Until then, we will continue to work with the greater Pittsburgh community and our partners around the country to recover still-useful medical materials in the United States. We have seen firsthand that these materials have life-changing consequences for patients and their families in the developing communities where we work.