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Butte County to Moldova: Chico nonprofit sends supplies to help Ukrainian refugees

A nonprofit in Chico has sent a shipment of medical supplies to aid Ukrainian refugees.

Chico Project Salvage All Valuable Equipment, sent 18 pallets of medical goods Tuesday morning to Ukrainian border countries in an effort to supply clinics treating refugees.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” said Janice Walker, director of nonprofit Chico Project Salvage All Valuable Equipment.

The nonprofit is working with Medical Teams International, a faith-based international medical relief organization located in Oregon, which will distribute the supplies to Poland and Moldova for a second wave of Ukrainian refugees.

Walker said Medical Teams International determined Moldova would be the likely destination of refugees that have limited resources.

The shipment required items to be at least 6 months before expiration. Within one week, the shipment was put together by volunteers and is now on the way to Ukraine.

“Our volunteers really got in gear and we had to put all these pallets together. We ended up opening boxes, pulling things out and getting everything within date,” Walker said. “We had to sift through everything.”

The shipment included surgical supplies, bandaging, pressure wound dressings, IV supplies, nebulizers and two medical gurneys. The trucking cost of the shipment was donated by Johanson Transportation located in Fresno as an unsolicited gift to aid the effort. The shipment will eventually reach Ukraine by plane.

Dr. Linda Halderman, a surgeon based in Nevada who does medical mission work, reached

out to the nonprofit for the medical supplies. Walker said Halderman is working to travel with more than 60 medical professionals to serve in Ukraine with the Ukraine Ministry of Health and U.S. nonprofit Med Global.

Walker said Halderman will travel to Ukraine alongside the shipment

Chico Project Salvage All Valuable Equipment has been operating for more than 30 years collecting unused medical equipment and supplies from hospitals and doctors offices across the north state. To date, the nonprofit sent a total of 228 20-foot shipping containers of medical supplies to 46 different countries.

“It’s pretty amazing to have an opportunity to get it done in the time frame,” Walker said. “I always tell them (volunteers) God is so

good to us in that he provides what we need when we need it. All the volunteers were so thrilled to be able to be part of helping the Ukranians.”

Chico Project Salvage All Valuable Equipment also gives to local individuals in need every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon at 1100 Marauder St. inside the Koret building.

Information for donations to the nonprofit can be found at chicoprojectsave.org.

PHOTOS BY JANCIE WALKER — CONTRIBUTED Back row left to right, Julia Bryant, Allison Brewer and Menny Macias; front row left to right, Ron Heath, Susan Kimura, Alma Hayes, Susie McCoy, Lynn Koch, Barbara Carlson, Janice Walker and David Walker pictured with their shipment to Ukraine on Tuesday in Chico. Below: David Walker, volunteer for Chico Project Salvage All Valuable Equipment, loads a pallet of medical supplies onto a semitrailer Tuesday in Chico.