MedShare

Came by for a volunteering event from my company. We helped to sort medical devices for distribution for medical aid. The place was very well managed by a very enthusiastic group. Elysse gave a nice overview of the place before we put on gloves and started sorting out devices for the day. Definitely one of the best places to volunteer in the bay area.

Came by for a volunteering event from the company. We helped to sort medical devices for distribution for medical aid. The place was very well managed by a very enthusiastic group. The capabilities of Elysse and Renee are worth particular mention. They did a great job explaining the requirements and the background of the operation. Definitely one of the best places to volunteer in the bay area.

My favorite place to volunteer! The tour is excellent and the story is truly amazing! Always a fun and good time at Medshare!

Volunteered here with my Beta Alpha Psi organization at CSU East Bay. Medshare is a great organization and we learned a lot about the good that they do after volunteering here. I would definitely recommend getting in touch with them to volunteer!
We were able to take a tour of the warehouse and learn a lot about the medical supplies that they donate and which countries they donate them too.

I had a box of medical supplies left over from my recovery from surgery this spring so I researched organizations that take donations. Though I’ve frequently heard of MedShare and have driven past it hundreds of times, I had never looked into volunteering there. So while my original intent was to drop off the surplus of bandages and other supplies, I created a volunteer account and signed up for an orientation earlier this month. I spent a rainy afternoon indoors with nursing students from Mills, high school students from a local UNICEF club, and a few families working on MedShare boxes. MedShare has an enormous sorting area where like supplies are collected. These supplies are boxed, weighed, and stored on pallets in their gigantic warehouse. When an overseas clinic or hospital requests supplies, MedShare sends them exactly what they need. MedShare also sends supplies with traveling doctors.
As someone who greatly benefited from quality medical care during my recovery, I do not take that care for granted. It felt awesome to support a local organization that is making a difference in others’ health lives.
Most of their volunteer shifts are during the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Not surprisingly, their Saturday shifts fill up quickly.

We did a community benefit for work.
The work they do at MedShare is so important for all those medical professionals across the world in these rudimentary clinics in third world countries (think Doctors without Borders) and even some free clinics right here at home
You find yourself in a large warehouse sorting through supplies, some of which you’ve never seen before, heard of before, or didn’t want to know about before. From there they pack — and you have to count everything. Since this is usually done with a bunch of people, having an assembly line makes it go by faster. They even have music playing for us (however, it was basically pop, so if you like some specific genres, bring your own).
They have a mock up of a typical clinic so you get to see what these medical volunteers have to deal with, including washing rubber gloves to use again as well as gauze. Meanwhile, in this country (and other first world countries) for sanitary reasons we dispose of a lot of things, after one use, and some things even after no uses.
It was a great experience. I would love to go back. I could see a variety of ages that could help here, but I would definitely check with them to see what ages the volunteers need to be.

Tis the season to start giving… there are many ways to give back to your community. Depending on your availability of time and/​or your funds in your bank account. Whatever fits your lifestyle, there is an organization in need of your assistance.
This was the first time, I’ve ever been to this type of volunteer service. Usually I deal with food or manual labor (i.e. building things or running around). I would have to say it’s different. You either like it or you don’t.
Basically, this is how the organization gets its products… Say old age starts creeping up on you. You’re not as young as you use to be, but refuse to admit it. Then you decide… hell I’m going to ride that skateboard and prove my kids, I’m a cool parent. What happens? You break your leg (bones coming out of your skin) and you have to be rushed to the hospital and an emergency surgery has to occur. We’ll when this happens. The hospital, prepares a table with all the necessary equipment. They have all the items, including worst case scenario. Let’s say surgery wasn’t as severe as it seemed and now they have all this stuff, they didn’t use (even items that were never opened). We’ll back in the day, this would go straight to our landfill. Now MedShare has stepped in and all these products go to them.
What does MedShare do with it? They sort it 3 different ways. It goes into inventory and a non-​profit clinic comes to MedShare to pick up the products. They also send products overseas.
When taking the tour we saw not only medical supplies, such as ointment, sponges and etc. But we also equipment, such as patient tables, electronic components, surgical tools, IV bag holders, wheelchairs, crutches and so much more.
It is nice to see an organization, helping people survive based on medical supplies.

Friendly, wonderful organization. Excellent and fulfilling community service.
This is an exceptional spot for school groups older than 14. The students get to see how their time directly benefits others around the globe. An inspiring experience.

Their mission is amazingly simple but still a daunting task! They collect unused medical equipment from US hospitals and manufacturers and distribute them to hospitals/​clinics around the world in need of those basic supplies. They need YOU to help them achieve their goals of promoting sustainability and improving global health. You will help them sort immense amount of medical equipment donations into categories and boxes.
Clean premises and inspiring staff.
Great for premed students who want to be exposed to all the different kinds of medical equipment.
Suitable for people of a certain level of maturity that won’t be grossed out by catheters and urine cups which are all unused.

This company is fantastic! They get un-​used medical supplies to third-​world countries (and to some 3^rd w areas in the US), intercepting them before they get thrown out in the trash. It’s amazing how much good stuff hospitals throw away.
Volunteering here is a breeze. The staff is so helpful and friendly. They make a complicated process into simple assembly line work, and the time slips by smoothly and unawares.
If you like volunteering, this is a great place for you!

It’s a great charity and helping them is a learning experience. You learn about all the different medical supplies. The training is very easy. I would go regularly for volunteer hours if I lived in the East Bay.

I’ve been here multiple times as a means of obtaining community service hours, and I thoroughly enjoyed it here. The staff/​volunteers are extremely friendly and make you feel like you were always apart of this organization.
For first timers, they inform you about their mission, goals, and accomplishments before you begin working. You have a break in the middle of your 3 or so hours, just to sit in the lounge and snack. It is a bit cold in the warehouse, so be sure to wear layers!
It was a very satisfying experience, and I’m planning to come back whenever I’m free, just to help out.

Great place to volunteer! Either as an individual or group. Good team building. Highly recommend. A+

Volunteered at MedShare over the weekend. What a great charity! I’ve been familiar with this organization for a few years now but never visited their facility. It’s very well organized and does a lot of shipping. I came with a group from my job and we had a blast. Training was easy and the job went quickly. They offer their services worldwide and do a great job at it! If you’re looking to volunteer, give them a few hours and you’ll be sure to enjoy it and hopefully come back!
Parking is easy in their lot

I came here with my classmates from my school on a field trip a few weeks ago and had an amazing experience. Gabby helped our group of 25+ tremendously as we navigated where to put the surplus of medical supplies, finding the right home for each niche tool and accessory, so we can pack the palett up for the next voyage overseas. We also got an informative and eyeopening tour of the behemoth facility to really put in perspective the scale of goodwill MedShare offers. The pleasant experience encourages me to devote more of my time here, not only because these employees truly have a great devotion and pride in their cause, but because their work is so important for the others who are severely lacking in basic necessities we take for granted everyday. I encourage all hospitals and medical facilities to donate any supplies, whether or not they think someone else would use, to MedShare.
I was so inspired, I’m thinking twice about how much waste I contribute and remembering daily to give back to those who go without.
Thanks again!

Great place to do community service. They have an online system that allows you to sign up or drop out whenever you want. They even have a hours tracker and a report that you can generate if you really want to now how you’ve been doing.
At their annual volunteer celebration, they give out pins if you have at least 100 hours (bronze).
Best parts:
–Snack break in the middle of the shift
–Warm gloves
–Thorough orientation with tour
–Super organized
–Award system for hours. After a certain number of hours, you get a permanent name tag, and for 30 hours you get an apron along with it too.
–They use reusable mugs that they wash after
–Wall of flags of all the nations they’ve sent supplies to
Tips
–It gets cold so bundle up!
–Bring snacks
–Don’t forget your parental forms if you are underaged. They are super strict about it.

If you want a worthwhile place to invest your volunteer time, MedShare highly deserves your consideration.
I’ve volunteered there 3 times, and I appreciate how well-​organized they are so that volunteers feel their time is well-​spent and much appreciated. As volunteers, we sort donated surplus medical supplies into appropriate categories and box them up so that they go into the MedShare inventory.
Countries that need these supplies go online and order them. When there are enough orders to fill a 40-​foot shipping container, a shipment goes to that country. I was part of a group from my work, and we sorted over 1100 pounds of supplies that day.
During my first-​time orientation, we learned that countries that are short on medical supplies often have to reuse things like IV tubing that our hospitals would never think of doing. When circumstances are desperate, some places even have to wash out gauze and use it again because it’s better to risk an infection in order to stop bleeding.
The MedShare staff is great about helping volunteers make the right sorting decisions. They also make sure we take a break to have a beverage and snack before heading back to work. And they’re very respectful of our time and never let us leave later than our committed 3-​hour shift.
As other Unilocalers have noted, we also keep tons of medical supplies out of the landfill, so everyone wins. Check out the MedShare website and sign up to volunteer as an individual or organize co-​workers, friends and family to go as a group. You won’t regret it!

Came to Medshare as part of a volunteer event through work.
It was a well organized and they put us to work after a short orientation. I especially appreciate the patience the coordinators showed with our team (we were a very large group).
In a few short hours that flew by we were able to sort through 705lbs of medical supplies that would have ended up in a landfill. Instead they are going to places (domestic and international) that are in desperate need.

We had a work event here, with a lot of people participating — it was great!
It is really rewarding knowing that what your doing isn’t only helping people, but that all those supplies would be in a landfill somewhere — so its helping out on two fronts
i wish more organizations would look into the elimination of waste in this way — very cool

For those who have always wondered how they could help people in need of medical attention globally without leaving their country, state, heck their city! Not to mention having the medical skills often necessary to go on medical deployments, MedShare is the place for YOU!
It is the most efficient organization I have ever volunteered for. The concept is brilliant! The delivery of service is most efficient and the people are amazing to say the least. I’m continually inspired and given hope.
It combines aspects I am most passionate about:
— Reducing medical supplies from ending up in landfill (ecological)
— Making an impact not only locally but globally (humanitarian)
— Empowering people who otherwise are powerless in their situation (education)
— Literally saving lives
It’s the BEST kept secret in the Bay Area. Make a difference TODAY!