MedShare volunteers turn surplus medical supplies into lifelines for patients around the world

Inside a MedShare warehouse in Decatur, Tonya Grant has learned not to take even the most basic medical supplies for granted.

"Band-Aids. Band-Aids are so simple," Grant said.

Grant is MedShare's volunteer program manager. For four years, she has helped lead volunteers who sort surplus medical supplies and prepare them for communities where access to basic health care can be limited.

The work is detailed. Volunteers inspect supplies, check expiration dates and organize items ranging from needles to surgical instruments. During one recent volunteer session, a retired operating room nurse used her experience to sort surgical instruments by type.

"I love people. I love talking to people," Grant said. "If you come in and you see me, I'm dancing and jumping up and down."

But behind that energy is an understanding of what can happen when doctors do not have the supplies they need.

Grant said she has heard stories from physicians who traveled to places such as Uganda and could not help every patient because they did not have enough supplies.

"I feel like I have a purpose here, because we're fortunate," Grant said. "We're helping them, and we're their lifeline."

MedShare is a Decatur-based nonprofit that recovers unused medical supplies and equipment and distributes them to health care providers serving communities in need. Donations of eligible supplies and equipment help stock the organization's inventory, while volunteers provide much of the hands-on work needed to inspect, sort and prepare those items for distribution.

The organization accepts medical supply and equipment donations that meet its guidelines. Individuals, hospitals, medical facilities and other organizations can donate eligible items. MedShare also accepts financial contributions to help support its humanitarian work.

Volunteers are another key part of the operation. At the Decatur facility, they work in sorting sessions to organize medical supplies before the items are added to inventory and prepared for future shipments. Many volunteer opportunities require no medical background, allowing individuals and groups to participate.

Some of the supplies leaving the Decatur warehouse travel thousands of miles. MedShare recently sent two shipments to Ivory Coast that included baby warmers, incubators and birthing beds for three hospitals.

"What's at stake are people's lives," MedShare CEO Stacey Koehnke said.

The Ivory Coast shipments are part of a larger international effort. MedShare said it delivered $5.1 million in humanitarian aid to 40 countries during its 2026 fiscal year, supporting nearly 949,000 patient visits.

For Grant, however, the impact can still be understood through something much simpler.

"We don't think about the mundane things like Band-Aids," Grant said. "But for somebody who do not have, it's a life-and-death situation."

People interested in helping can donate eligible medical supplies and equipment, make a financial contribution or volunteer with MedShare. The organization offers volunteer opportunities at its Decatur facility for individuals and groups.