San Leandro nonprofit MedShare thanks community for hurricane response
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- MedShare thanked ABC7 News on Friday for getting the word out about donations to help hurricane victims. Since the story aired last Friday, they've collected 10,000 pounds of personal care items badly needed by those recovering from hurricanes Harvey and Irma -- a phenomenal response they say to the news coverage.
RELATED: Convoy of San Leandro trucks to bring supplies to Harvey victims
Western Regional Director Eric Talbert says people have been walking in with bags full of diapers, shampoo and toothbrushes, many of them saying they saw it on Channel 7 and wanted to help. Genentech, San Francisco State University and Coca Cola are among the corporations that launched collection drives after seeing the coverage.
Nonprofit MedShare normally collects medical surplus supplies and ships them to areas that need them. With these two US hurricanes , the need on the ground is less about medical and more about a lack of personal hygiene products for people displaced from their homes. MedShare stepped up and converted their collection efforts to focus on those supplies which they are gathering at their San Leandro warehouse.
VIDEO:: A look at the aftermath from Hurricane Irma
If you'd like to donate, MedShare suggests gathering supplies over the weekend and dropping them off at 2937 Alvarado St between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Wipes, diapers and formula are badly needed as well as shampoo, deodorant, dental supplies, and sanitizer.
Additionally on Friday morning, MedShare shipped out 300 pounds of medical supplies on a plane bound for St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands where the only hospital was wiped out by hurricane Irma. Click here for more information from MedShare.
Click here for more information on Hurricane Harvey and click here for information on Hurricane Irma.
