Volunteer
Help save a life. Think globally, act locally. Give the gift of your time.
Volunteers are an essential part of Global Links’ operations. Volunteers sort and pack medical supplies for donation to resource-poor communities locally and globally. Some volunteers help check equipment, repair wheelchairs, or work on administrative tasks. More than 95% of the medical supplies Global Links sends overseas are packed by volunteers.
Volunteering as an Individual
- All new individual volunteers must fill out a volunteer application. The Volunteer Program Manager will contact you shortly after you have completed the application.
- We ask all new volunteers to attend a one-hour Global Links to Health Tour.
- Everyone must sign a Waiver (volunteers 14-17 years of age must have a parent/guardian signature).
- Volunteers must be able to read expiration dates and product sizes, and must be able to count. Attention to detail is crucial. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old.
- We ask individual volunteers to make a commitment for at least one two-hour shift on a regular basis, i.e. once a week, once a month, etc.
- Those who are unable to volunteer during workday hours, please see "IVT: Individuals Volunteering Together." These sessions are typically offered a few times each month on evenings and/or Saturdays. The days of the week and shift schedules for IV-T sessions vary from month to month.
Volunteering as a Group
- Groups of 4-12 people can be accommodated at one time at our sorting facility. We can accommodate up to 20 volunteers at our warehouse when scheduled in advance. The best group size is 6 to 8 people.
- The group leader should fill out the group application.
- We ask that all group leaders attend our one-hour Global Links to Health Tour. Depending on when your group is volunteering, we may be able to schedule the tour for your entire group immediately prior to your volunteer shift.
- Volunteers must be able to read expiration dates and product sizes, and must be able to count. Attention to detail is crucial. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old.
- For groups with members under 18, at least one adult supervisor must attend and volunteer with the group. Those under 18 must have a waiver signed ahead of time by a parent or guardian, or attend with a parent or guardian.
- For new groups, there is a 10-minute presentation at the beginning of the project to introduce Global Links’ work.
- All groups must have a confirmation of their scheduled shift from the Volunteer Program Manager before volunteering.
Limited opportunities exist for volunteers with special needs. Global Links' main sorting facility is located twenty steps up on a second floor, with difficult elevator access. Please discuss any special needs that you or your group may have with the Volunteer Program Manager.
