Volunteers with the non-profit Esperança are working to send medical supplies to Nicaragua.
On Tuesday, the Phoenix group sent a shipping container filled with donated equipment to the Central American country. They've been collecting items since October and received $1.8 million worth of supplies.
Esperança's International Program Director Anna Ortiz says people living in Nicaragua often hold off on having surgeries because they don't have basic medical supplies to help them recover. She says many people living in the United States have items they could use, but the supplies often go to waste.
"We do get these supplies from private individuals all the time who literally pull up their trucks, their cars, and say 'hey I got this, I was taking care of a loved one, they don't need this extra material anymore, will you take it?' Yes of course we will take it," she said. "If it's in good condition and it's still usable we can always find a home for it."
The non-profit says they collect items year-round. For more information, click here.
