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July 31, 2007 7:14 AM

For Brooklynites in particular and New Yorkers in general: can you give me some suggestions for where to donate my excess medical supplies?

After a recent accident, I was discharged from the hospital with two large bags of medical supplies, including bandages of all sizes, tape, gloves, and antibiotic solution. I also wound up with a leg brace, a cane, and a sling, and while I'm tempted to coat the cane with glitter and practice giving a convincing rendition of "Get offa my lawn, you damn kids," I no longer really need any of it (also, I don't have a lawn). Cane, sling and brace are lightly used, and the rest of the medical supplies are sealed and sterile.

Can any of you locals recommend a non-profit organization that might have a use for these materials? I'm open to anything from a youth shelter to a rehab facility to an international development charity, as long as they are willing to accept "in-kind" donations. I'd prefer somewhere based in Brooklyn (esp. Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Gowanus) to make delivery easy but anywhere near a subway would work if you have some Manhattan ideas.

To anticipate one possible suggestion: I do not want to give the supplies back to the hospital as my stay there resembled a cross between spending three days at the DMV and being trapped in a Gogol short story.

Thanks in advance!

posted by foxy_hedgehog to society & culture (6 comments total)

I'm not local so I can't give a specific program, but I bet any local needle exchange program would be thrilled to have the antibiotic ointment and gloves. (Very possibly the bandages and tape too, depending on what services they're able to provide.)
posted by Stacey at 8:06 AM on July 31, 2007

Thanks, Stacey- any tips on finding a local one?
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 8:15 AM on July 31, 2007

Check with local schools, particularly charter schools, and see if their nurse's office will accept a donation. They don't have a lot of money for supplies.
posted by hermitosis at 8:26 AM on July 31, 2007

Beginning With Children Charter School
posted by hermitosis at 8:27 AM on July 31, 2007

The Harm Reduction Coalition would be a good place to ask about needle exchange programs -- if they can't use them, they would probably be able to point you to someplace that can.
posted by Siobhan at 10:00 AM on July 31, 2007

Here's their list of New York-specific resources. Here's a list specific to Brooklyn. I hope something there is convenient to you!
posted by Stacey at 7:04 PM on July 31, 2007