It’s not every day that associates from Santander Consumer USA (SC) have the opportunity to help with the medical needs of a country thousands of miles away.
But that’s exactly what 30 volunteers from SC’s Mesa, AZ, operations location did recently in Tempe, taking several hours out of their work days to accomplish this mission.
Organized by Project C.U.R.E, the volunteers helped sort and organize 60 boxes of donated medical equipment bound for health clinics in Ghana, West Africa.
“Volunteering for the C.U.R.E. project was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made,” said Yesenia M., a lease-end associate from SC. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger, and I got to experience this while working with SC.”
RELATED
SC volunteers take field with former Cowboys stars for Salvation Army
Making a difference takes many shapes for Santander Consumer, volunteers
Volunteer time off not just another day at the office for these workers
“It brings me joy knowing that we helped so many people and made a huge impact by working together as a team,” she said. “And it was a pleasure being part of the C.U.R.E. project.”
Project C.U.R.E., which means Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment, is the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing nations around the globe, having contributed to the health of patients in an estimated 130 countries.
The Tempe location is one of several large distribution warehouses Project C.U.R.E. maintains in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The organization also has established smaller centers in several other states, where donated items are collected and sent to the warehouses.
“Project C.U.R.E.’s work and mission are more important than ever,” according to the organization’s website, “helping to bridge staggering health resource gaps in the developing world by empowering doctors and nurses with the tools they need to treat disease, deliver vaccines, perform life-changing surgeries and ensure safe childbirth … [in] hospitals, rural clinics and community health centers.”
Other volunteers also were inspired by the opportunity to contribute to Project C.U.R.E.
“I had a great experience at the Project C.U.R.E. volunteer event,” said Warrez D., a late-stage collections associate. “It is inspiring the amount of people they are able to help [in developing countries] with the medical equipment that they provide.”
“When I learned what Project C.U.R.E. is all about, it touched me in so many ways,” said Jennifer W., a funding associate. “I am so happy to have been able to put my hands on being a part of helping Project C.U.R.E. and fulfill a cause. I actually feel that I made a difference in just one day.”