Stories of Hope

May 2025

Top to bottom: The devastated area; Denise and our Baptist Corbin partner, and nine boxes of carefully inventoried supplies.

Give to our Disaster Relief Fund!

Helping Neighbors Recover From the Latest Disaster

The powerful tornado that swept through Kentucky left first responders and medical professionals scrambling for more medical supplies. SOS quickly answered their calls for help.

While many Kentuckians were still recovering from historic flooding, last month's E4 tornado wreaked more devastation-- taking lives, destroying homes and creating an urgent need for more first aid supplies. "At 2:00 pm the next day, we received a call from one of our healthcare partners that there was an urgent need for dressings and first aid supplies to treat victims and first responders," says President & CEO Denise Sears. "We didn't have a truck driver available, so we quickly packed up my car with boxes of supplies and I had them there by 7:00 pm." Denise met up with "an angel from Baptist Corbin" who loaded his truck and sped the critically-needed items to shelters and command centers.

Our ability to respond quickly, efficiently and appropriately is what makes SOS the organization that even the Red Cross calls for help with emergency supplies. "SOS responds strategically -- bringing critically needed items to those who can use them," says Sears. "We always say, 'getting the right things to the right people at the right time' is crucial to responsible disaster relief responses. Too often, disaster response contributes to the chaos and we always want to make sure that we are responding in a way that aids recovery and saves lives."

Denise adds, "Three responses in just under four months have depleted our disaster relief funds and it is crucial to raise funds for our disaster relief efforts so we are ready for the next call for help."

BOXES OF HOPE FOR HONDURAS

Four custom boxes from SOS brought free, life-changing surgeries and medical essentials to impoverished children and adults last month.

In the villages surrounding Comayagua, Honduras, medical care is scarce. "Most people have limited or no access to healthcare," says partner Matt Miller who plans annual trips to the impoverished area. "They travel for miles to see us and, when they arrive, they are often sick and in pain." The overwhelming need is what keeps Miller and a team of 20 to 30 surgeons and doctors going back to San Benito Jose Medical Center year after year to provide free surgeries and medical services using SOS supplies.

Last month, the team made what Miller refers to as "our best trip ever." "We were able to bless 98 patients-- including young children-- with free, life-changing surgeries," says Matt. "SOS played a crucial role in helping our team acquire the necessary surgical supplies to change the lives of so many." The team was also able to help children in two local orphanages-- providing medical care along with candy, toys and much-needed first aid and hygiene supplies. "It was an amazing trip," shared Matt in a thank you note. "We were blessed by your team! So, thank you, thank you, thank you!! We look forward to planning the next trip with our incredible partners at SOS!"

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PROVIDING EXCITING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE FIRST RESPONDERS

Students in Fairdale High School’s Civil Service and Public Service Academies showed off their real world skills.

The scene would have been overwhelming to anyone who hadn’t spent several years training for it: young accident victims lay moaning on stretchers while others wandered dazed through the parking lot and hysterical "parents" darted frantically through the crowd, searching for their children. Fortunately, this horrific bus accident on Wednesday, April 23, was actually a simulation involving a bus, student actors, a theatrical makeup artist who transformed “victims” and medical supplies and equipment provided by SOS. The purpose of this dramatic immersive learning experience was to allow over one hundred juniors and seniors in Fairdale High School’s Civil Service and Public Service Academies– many of whom have already passed state licensing tests as CNAs and EMTs– to demonstrate and refine the skills they have mastered through years of hands-on instruction supported by SOS supplies and equipment.

“This simulation is a culminating project where they apply everything they learned all year. It was a performance-based assessment where every student showed how they could apply their skills in a real life experience,” says Stacey Hopson, the allied health science teacher who organized the event. “Every student had their role and got to use skills that ranged from triage to vital signs to stabilizing the patients. They saw what it was like to use these skills under pressure and to perform outside of a classroom.”

SOS supports the Fairdale High School academies with over $30,000 in medical supplies and equipment used in hands-on instruction and deeper learning experiences like this one that increase confidence and proficiency in skills that translate directly into real word healthcare jobs. “I watched kids step up and see what they were capable of that morning,” says SOS Education Manager Chanda Fowler. “This experience perfectly demonstrates the goals of our education program– to provide students with hands-on learning that builds skills and confidence and connects them to rewarding healthcare careers."

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CHEERS FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS!

Over the past few weeks, we welcomed volunteers from St. Francis, Amazon, St. John Center, Peace Corp and Beacon House who helped replenish our disaster relief inventory.

St Francis of Assisi packed PPE cleanup kits.

Amazon packed hygiene kits for disaster relief.

St John Center packed gloves for our local health program.

Peace Corp & Beacon House packed first aid for disaster relief.

If you're looking for a group outing that builds camaraderie and contributes to the greater good, SOS is a welcoming, collaborative environment where over 2,000 volunteers a year spread health and hope by carefully sorting medical supplies that will go to those in need.

Volunteer shifts can be scheduled Monday through Thursday, 9-11:30 am or 1-3:30 pm or on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 9-12:00 at SOShealthandhope.org/volunteer or by emailing Sarah.Mayer@soshealthandhope.org.

We would love to have you!

Volunteer with us!