Global Links 2020 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Putting our 30 Years of Experience toward
Helping our Neighbors Near and Far
As news spread of COVID-19 in early 2020, our 30 years of experience helped us recognize
the situation for what it was: a public health disaster. Regardless of their geographic location
or cause, disasters cause disruption - in meeting basic needs, in logistics and supply chains,
and local economies—always impacting those with the least resources the most. We knew
that our nonprofit peers and safety net organizations would find it difficult to acquire
supplies they would need to protect their staff, patients, residents and clients.
Thanks to our donors and philanthropic and corporate supporters, we were able to raise
funds quickly to build a local supply chain and manage the bulk purchasing and distribution
of over $5 million worth of materials to ensure the health and safety of the staff and clients
served by over 1100 organizations across our local region in addition to over 20 healthcare
facilities in our international programs.
We forged new partnerships, formed innovative collaborations, and strengthened our
organization through continual learning from our partners, our community and each other.
We experimented, adapted, communicated and made decisions collectively. We were buoyed
by a trust in our Global Links family and the knowledge that our mission to improve health
for vulnerable communities would guide our decision making, even in a global pandemic.
With gratitude for a collaborative community, we share and celebrate our 2020 highlights
and impact.
Angela Garcia, , Executive Director

Resources
INVESTMENT INCOME AND EARNED REVENUE: 3%
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: 8%
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT: 20%
FOUNDATION SUPPORT: 43%
2020
FINANCIAL
RESOURCES
US GOVERNMENT SUPPORT: 4%
CORPORATE SUPPORT: 17%
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT: 5%
MEDICAL SURPLUS RECOVERY PROGRAM: 25%
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL AID PROGRAMS: 34%
2020
RESOURCE
ALLOCATION
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM: 20%
DOMESTIC MEDICAL AID PROGRAMS: 21%

2020 by the Numbers:
353,259 lbs.
(176 TONS) OF MATERIALS KEPT FROM LANDFILLS
$2.6+
MILLION WORTH OF MEDICAL AID DONATED
TO 1100+ LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
423,608
LIVES IMPACTED LOCALLY
1,633,863
LIVES IMPACTED GLOBALLY
1,088
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS EQUIPPED
WITH MEDICAL BACKPACKS
$2.3+
MILLION WORTH OF INTERNATIONAL AID PROVIDED
TO 20+ FACILITIES IN 6 COUNTRIES

Program
& Project
Highlights
Awards and Recognitions:
Executive Director Angela
Garcia named Cribs for Kids ®
Woman of Achievement
Green Building Alliance Direct
Relief award to Global Links for
COVID-19 response
International Medical Aid
Nicaragua: Healthcare
Backpacks for Mobile Medical
Care
Goal: Provide doctors and nurses
with a backpack filled with supplies
- stethoscope, thermometer, blood
pressure cuff, first aid, and protective
supplies. Medical professionals can
make home medical visits to those
who cannot access healthcare because
they are too isolated or too vulnerable
or because they do not have the
resources to travel to a health facility.
Health Impact: Global Links provided
728 Healthcare Backpacks in
Nicaragua (1,088 overall if counting
all countries) to support the Family
and Community Health Teams of
SILAIS (Nicaraguan Health Networks)
at the request of the Pan American
Health Organization/World Health
Organization (PAHO/WHO). The
backpacks improve the quality of
patient care by providing the essential
equipment and supplies for home
visits and by improving the safety
conditions for health professionals. It
is estimated that each of the doctors
visits 4 families per day of about
4-5 members, meaning that 100
backpacks empower trained health
professionals to attend around 44,000
patients per month.
Drive-up Diaper Distribution
Nurse making house call with healthcare backpack

Honduras: Strengthening the
Rural Health System
portable cart stocked with easily
accessible equipment and medication
for emergency medical situations. It
allows staff to respond quickly and
effectively during an emergency and
transport life saving supplies where
they are needed. However, many
health facilities in resource poor
communities have to make do without
this important equipment.
Paula, a nurse at one of the health
facilities shared, “We experience
shortages of supplies and have to send
patients to buy their own gauze when
we run out. Global Links crash carts
arrived with key medical supplies
and we’re now well stocked in our
treatment room and vaccination
station...we have everything we
need organized and on hand for
vaccinations, wound care, and minor
treatments.”
wheelchairs for local vaccination
clinics in Pittsburgh, PA.
Dr. Karen Calderón, the director of
the Wampusirpi Health Network
in Honduras shared, “Thank you all
for your help, we are very grateful.
Thanks to your donation we have
been able to face Covid-19. We have
been able to give better care [to our
patients] and we continue in the fight!”
Nurse in Honduras with crash cart
from Global Links
Goal: Support the efforts of the
Honduran health authorities to
strengthen the public health care
system, to improve the quality and
access to health services in remote
areas with an emphasis on vulnerable
populations, and to adapt the public
health system to the country’s
changing epidemiological profile.
Health Impact: Global Links rescued
surplus crash carts that are now
making a difference in Honduran
health facilities. A crash cart is a
Medical Surplus Recovery
Our Goal: Recover surplus that
can improve health. No longer
needed furnishings and equipment
help Global Links support health
improvement initiatives locally
and globally. And, we keep surplus
materials out of landfills.
Impact: Our region’s surplus
supported our partners’ response to
the pandemic in their communities
near and far, whether that was
patient beds in Honduras or
Surplus beds in use in rural
communities in Honduras

Domestic Medical Aid and
Local Pandemic Response
Community Partners Program
Global Links worked to provide
locally produced window masks to
our partners
ACCESS drivers provided critical
deliveries of supplies to local
organizations
Our Goal: In mid-March of 2020,
Global Links made a conscious
decision to scale up our Community
Partners Program and expand the
ways in which we were serving
our community in the midst of the
pandemic crisis. Protecting our
local safety net workforce and the
vulnerable communities they care
for was the top priority of our local
response. We worked with public
health, corporate, manufacturing,
healthcare, foundation and civic
leaders to provide critically needed
supplies.
Health Impact: From April through
the end of 2020, we donated
products to over 400 local safety
net and healthcare organizations
plus additional organizations like
childcare centers to equip and
protect their staff and clients/
patients/residents and donated
over $2 million worth of PPE
and other supplies. We worked
with local manufacturers and a
local university to standardize
products and have protective gear
manufactured locally, preserving
jobs in our local economy. One
product not readily available but
greatly needed were window face
masks. Global Links worked to
procure locally made window face
masks to provide protection while
enabling effective communication
for those with hearing
impairments, spectrum disorders or
other language barriers.
The President and CEO of The
Center for Hearing and Deaf
Services shared, “Window masks are
critical for our clients, interpreters,
and staff...patients are skipping
doctor appointments because they
can’t understand what the doctor
says. Individuals on the Autism
spectrum are feeling increased
anxiety, and children are having
issues with language development.”

Community Engagement
Virtual Volunteer Service:
Family Volunteer Day
Goal: Provide a supportive and
educational environment where
virtual service has a profound
impact on the lives of those in need.
Impact: Family Volunteer Days in
Nov. and Dec. have always been
a favorite for those coming to our
volunteer center. However, in 2020
we provided an experience to help
our community while volunteering
safely from home. Our Personal
Care Kits contain essential hygiene
items that are not covered by SNAP
benefits or other government
assistance programs, and support
the health and dignity of our local
neighbors struggling financially.
Young volunteer packing Personal Care Kits for neighbors in need
Our new solar array is expected to
generate 82% of the energy used by
Global Links, and was made possible
by guidance from the Pennsylvania
Solar Center, a sustainability grant
from the Green Mountain Energy Sun
Club and a financing tool by Scalo
Solar Solutions LLC.

30th Year Celebrations:
Thank you to our
30th Year Sponsors
and our Global
Links Family for
making our 30th
anniversary virtual
and drive-thru
celebrations a
grand success
and fun too!
30th Anniversary, Solar Flip the
Switch, and Volunteer Appreciation
Parties (virtual or drive-thru) in
August 2020
THANK YOU TO OUR
30TH YEAR SPONSORS!
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
INDEPENDENCE SPONSORS:
MOBILITY SPONSORS:
2020 Board of
Directors:
Charles Vargo, Chair
Executive Director
The Washington Physician Hospital
Organization, Inc.
Devon George, Vice-Chair
Director of Education and Outreach
Cribs for Kids
Christine Koebley, Treasurer
Director of Finance
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Kathleen Musante, Secretary
Professor of Anthropology
and Public Health
University of Pittsburgh
Jeffrey Ford, Immediate Past Chair
Partner
Grossman, Yanak & Ford
Diego Beltran
Senior Manager, Product & Marketing
Sleep Business LATAM
Philips Respironics
Peggy Carrera
Managing Director Linehaul
Engineering
FedEx Ground
Catherine DeLoughry
Principal
Civic Decision Making, LLC
Steve Frank
Principal, Director of Business
Development
ThoughtForm
Timothy Nedley
Vice President,
Materials Management: UPMC

Angie Stengel
Executive Director
American Society of
Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
Mahmood (Mike) Usman
Medical Director, Beacon Health
Options of PA
2020 Young
Leader Advisory
Committee:
Kristina Zapf, Chair
Senior Systems Analyst
Allegheny Health Network
Bryan Reeves, Vice-Chair
Senior Auditor
University of Pittsburgh
David Reichbaum, Secretary
Business Development
Voltus, Inc.
Taylor Bellan
Occupational Therapist
UPMC Passavant
Greg Borowski
Mechanical Engineer
Omnicell
Regina Caldart
Project Manager in Integrity and
Compliance
Highmark Health
Megan M Casey
Director of Strategic Sales
Surgical Product Solutions LLC
Benjamin Fogg
Sustainability Specialist
FedEx
Sandra Matoushaya
Missional Engagement Coordinator
Western Pennsylvania Annual
Conference of the United Methodist
Church
Kelsey Sherbondy
Major Gifts Officer
School of Medicine, University of
Pittsburgh
Brian Wagner
Transportation Services Rep II
Equitrans Midstream in Southpoint
Theresa Walsh
Associate IT Audit Analyst
Highmark Health
Staff as of Dec. 31, 2020:
Angela Garcia
Executive Director
Stacy Bodow
Outreach and Engagement Manager
Robin Checkley
Senior Warehouse Associate
Trevor Cutlip
Development Associate
David Davis
Logistics and Facilities Manager
Matt Fuller
Operations Manager
Sierra Loehrer
Volunteer Supervisor
Jay Lucas
Warehouse Associate
Brooke Merry
Volunteer Program Manager
Carey Mittermeier
Program Manager, Domestic Medical Aid
Ray Mollica
Senior Warehouse Associate
Jennifer Novelli
Development Manager
Julie Pfaltzgraff
Volunteer Engagement Manager
Lauren Sulava
Office Manager and Development
Associate
Don Tinker
Finance Manager
Veronica Trimmino Marroquin
Program Manager, International
Medical Aid
Luke West
Program Manager, Medical Surplus
Recovery
Erin Zehr
Program Associate, Medical Aid

We Believe in Dignity, Independence,
Mobility and Health for All
Global Links is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting health-improvement programs in communities that lack
resources. Respect for all people and the environment guides our mission. We recognize everyone has value and deserves
to be included equitably. We recognize everyone is our neighbor and we are dedicated to helping all people live with dignity,
independence, mobility, and in good health. We will call out inequities and injustice and work to lift up all.
International Medical Aid
Program
Supports health improvement
projects in resource-poor
communities. Includes Suture
Donation and Medical Service
projects. 1.6 million+ served
annually.
Domestic Medical Aid Program
Supports safety net organizations
serving vulnerable populations
in Western PA and neighboring
areas to improve health, dignity,
mobility, and independence.
423,600+ lives impacted in 2020
through our scaled up Covid-19
response efforts.
Medical Surplus Recovery Program
Provides healthcare organizations
and the community with a socially
and environmentally responsible
alternative to sending surplus medical
supplies and furnishings to landfills,
recovering an average of 250 tons
of high-quality surplus medical
materials in a typical year.
Community Engagement Program
Provides a supportive and educational
environment where hands-on or
virtual service has a profound impact
on the lives of those in need. Provides
programming and presentations
for the local civic and academic
community.
Breathe Hope Project
Recovers gently used
nebulizer breathing
machines from people
across the US and shares
them with our partners
in resource-poor
communities at home
and abroad.
No one should die for lack of what others throw away. ®
Get Involved
DONATE MONEY
DONATE MATERIALS
PARTNER
VISIT
VOLUNTEER
globallinks.org
info@globallinks.org
412.361.3424
700 Trumbull Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15205