Alternative Recycling: Bringing New Life to Old Items
Donations of medical supplies and equipment are brought to the MedWish MedWorks warehouse everyday: by individuals, manufacturers, hospitals, and more. These donations are inspected by a team of volunteers who check for expiration dates and sort them into categories, getting them one step closer to being available for our recipients, local or global. A portion of the items will be disqualified for being expired, shortdated, or not serving a medical purpose. Instead of sending them to a landfill, suitable items and equipment are saved, thanks to our Alternative Recycling Program. We have dedicated a small, vital section of our warehouse to this purpose, creating a unique "shopping" space for local non-profit organizations.
Recently we had a visit from our friends Laura and Andrea with Heights Wildlife Center, a newly established animal rehabilitation site in East Cleveland. They work with a variety of native Ohio species, including Eastern cottontails, Virginia opossums, and Big Brown Bats. On this visit to the MedWish MedWorks warehouse they found warming blankets and plastic forceps. While the blankets will be used to keep animals warm, the plastic forceps have been repurposed to feed bats currently in their care. Andrea, Heights Wildlife Center’s bat expert, says “While in care, bats are hand fed twice per day using plastic forceps. It’s important that they are plastic, as metal ones can easily break their teeth if they bite down on them. In the wild, bats catch insects out of the air, so they don’t initially recognize insects in a dish as a food source. Since an adult Big Brown Bat can eat up to 70 mealworms in one feeding, those plastic forceps get a lot of use!” Once the weather warms up and the bats pass a flight test, they will be released back into the area they were found.
Another recent shopper, Coco of Coco’s Selfie Space, Coco's Chalky Powder™, and Coco & Co. had a different motivation. Coco’s vision aligns perfectly with the spirit of the Alternative Recycling Program as she specializes in transforming surplus and discarded materials by breathing new life into them with creative purpose. On this trip to MedWish MedWorks she received hand soap, cleaner, drapes, tape, dust masks, and even an artificial tree. Supplies like these make it possible for Coco to not only create but to also mentor inner city youth on creativity and sustainability. She encourages young people to “explore their imagination, without limits,” giving them confidence and necessary life skills. With their help she has turned a 30,000 square foot space in downtown Cleveland into an immersive, whimsical wonderland of repurposed art and experiences for all to enjoy.
The Alternative Recycling Program proves that even materials past their clinical prime can serve a new purpose, contributing to animal welfare, artistic expression, and environmental sustainability right here in our local community. To learn more, visit our website HERE.
