April 2019 e-news
Delivering a World of Health and Hope .
Disaster Relief in Malawi
Three weeks ago Cyclone Idai, the worst storm to ever hit Eastern Africa, made landfall in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. After the effects were made known to us by partners on the ground, we sprang into action to see how we could help.

We teamed up with WaterStep and Love the Hungry, two Louisville-based global health NGO's to send a pallet of First Response supplies (pictured below) to Lilongwe, Malawi. The cyclone and subsequent flooding destroyed crops in the field, tainted water wells and erased any possible medical response for people devastated by this natural disaster. The pallet we are sending in response includes first aid supplies, equipment to purify drinking water and non-perishable food. News broke this week that an outbreak of cholera is spreading across the region hit by Cyclone Idai. This outbreak is a direct consequence of destroyed healthcare infrastructure and defines our action steps to address the dire situation in this region.
Louisville takes pride in being a city of compassion and our mission at SOS sends that compassion around the world. Disaster can create opportunity and we jumped at the chance to form a coalition of global health organizations based here in Louisville.

Watch below to see WLKY's coverage of our pallet shipment! SOS would like to thank WaterStep and Love the Hungry for their commitment to this project.
Save the Date!
Bourbon and Band Aids is back!

Mark your calendars for  June 20th at the Muhammad Ali Center.  There will be your favorite bourbons and a few surprises. There will be much more info to come so stay tuned!
Anchorage Presbyterian Helps Prepare a Shipment to Uganda
Last week we welcomed the volunteer efforts of Anchorage Presbyterian into our warehouse! APC has been a longtime supporter of SOS and this year they are helping fund a container to the Mama Sabina Community Health Clinic in Kisebere, Uganda (pictured below). This clinic was founded by Bishop Thomas Kiiza, who some of you met in March at our Meet and Greet! Bishop Tom's mother always dreamed of having a medical facility in Kisebere. Her dream will be realized this summer when our container of supplies and equipment arrives.

The container we are sending will jump-start a maternal and child health program that will provide labor and delivery services for mothers in Kisebere and those traveling from miles around. Bishop Tom was born on the dirt floor of his parent's home because there was simply no maternal healthcare available. 50 years later, the situation has not changed. Through his dedication and the hard work of supporters like Anchorage Presbyterian, the Mama Sabina Community Health Clinic will provide mothers and children a healthy start to happy and productive lives. In the future, due to decreased infant mortality, a child born safely in Kisebere may go on to provide much more than a medical clinic for their community and countrymen!
Mama Sabina Community Health Clinic in Kisebere, Uganda.
Co-pastor Tara Reck helps sort gloves and dressings.
Members of the APC congregation at SOS.
Stories From the SOS Family
For the past 4 years, we have partnered with Bellarmine University and Go Ministries to send thousands of pounds of medical supplies to the Dominican Republic. Our supplies stock the shelves of the local medical clinic in Santiago while Bellarmine students get hands on experience with patients.

Belarmine sends an interdisciplinary team of exercise science, athletic training and physical therapy students to work in nutrition centers and neighborhood organizations while others see patients with musculoskeletal and neurological injuries.
Aside from the two week mission trip, the donated medical supplies are used to treat patients throughout the year. This allows for free or low-cost healthcare for otherwise expensive treatments. One Bellarmine students said " The Dominican trip was life-changing. I left a piece of my heart there and I would like to go back and retrieve it. I learned to try anything and everything for someone; do not give up, give every resource you can to someone in need."

Our partnership with Bellarmine is another example of youth leadership and compassion that is changing the face of global health!
Local Donations Make an Impact in the Classroom
The hope we are able to provide to children is not only offered overseas, but available right here at home. For a variety of reasons, some medical donations we receive cannot be shipped overseas. Instead of going to waste, we search for creative ways for them to be used in our community. In March we partnered with JCPS to provide supplies to art classes in our local schools. Retired teacher and artist Debbie Shannon took over 300 pounds of supplies and used them for art projects at Lincoln Performing Arts School!

Due to budget cuts, it has fallen on Louisville's nonprofits to provide quality services for our community. We are proud to impact the education of students and provide them with tools to hone their creative strengths. Just as a child in Uganda can become an integral part of 21st century Africa when given the right opportunities, so too can a child in Louisville create positive change in the world when given the right opportunities.

If you are interested in receiving donated items for your school, please send an email to [email protected].

Supplies Over Seas (SOS) is a Louisville, Kentucky-based nonprofit organization that meets critical health care needs in medically impoverished communities around the world by collecting and distributing surplus medical supplies and equipment.

These stories of Health & Hope can not happen without your support.

 We want your feedback about this newsletter.
 Feel free to send questions or ideas to [email protected]