Global Links
Global Links is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recovers surplus medical supplies and equipment from US hospitals and redistributes them to resource-poor communities across Western Pennsylvania, Latin America, the Caribbean, and additional global partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Global Links does
Global Links is a Pittsburgh-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1989-1990, that operates a medical surplus recovery and redistribution platform serving resource-poor communities domestically and internationally. Its core operating model collects surplus medical supplies, equipment, and furnishings from US hospitals, healthcare facilities, universities, and individuals, then sorts, sanitizes, refurbishes, and redistributes them via a network of partner organizations to recipients in Western Pennsylvania and to healthcare institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean (Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras), Haiti, and other low-resource settings. Core programs include Medical Aid - International, Medical Aid - Domestic (Community Partners Program), Medical Surplus Recovery, and Community Engagement, with sub-programs spanning Breathe Hope nebulizers, Personal Care Kits, Maternal & Infant Health, Community Health, and Healthy Aging with Home Medical Equipment. Distribution relies on a curated alliance of hospitals and corporate partners for supply (UPMC, AHN Wexford, Highmark Health, WVU Medicine, St. Clair Health) and ministry-of-health, PAHO/WHO, and community non-profit partners for downstream distribution.
Global Links firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Links
- Legal name
- Global Links
- Website
- https://globallinks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Global Links is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recovers surplus medical supplies and equipment from US hospitals and redistributes them to resource-poor communities across Western Pennsylvania, Latin America, the Caribbean, and additional global partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Links industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Aid and Humanitarian Relief Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Supply Chain, Procurement & Market-Shaping Partnerships (Medicines/Diagnostics/Vaccines) (HLAJAOAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Global Health (HLAJAOAD), Humanitarian Health Coordination & Emergency Response Partnerships (HLAJAOAI), Bilateral Development & Global Health Cooperation Programs (HLAJAOAB)
Keywords
Where Global Links is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Global Links business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time gifts, monthly giving (Global Giver program), and planned giving/bequests from individual donors. Also includes Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs for donors age 70½ or older.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Financial sponsorships from companies for programs or events to meet Corporate Social Responsibility goals.
- Employer Matching: Many employers match employee donations to the organization, doubling the support without additional cost to donors.
- Vehicle Donations: Accepts donations of cars, motorcycles, and RVs which provide tax deductions for donors.
- Stock Donations: Gifts of appreciated stock, bonds, or mutual funds allow donors to take a tax deduction for full fair market value while potentially saving on Capital Gains Tax.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Global Links product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Links is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recovers surplus medical supplies, equipment, and furnishings from US hospitals, healthcare facilities, and corporations, then sorts, sanitizes, refurbishes, and redistributes them to communities in need. It runs parallel programs: an international medical aid operation serving Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa (Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Haiti and additional Global Medical Partnerships), and a domestic Community Partners Program serving low-income individuals in western Pennsylvania. The organization's core activities include Medical Surplus Recovery, Medical Aid – International, Medical Aid – Domestic, and a volunteer-driven Community Engagement program, all funded through donations.
Product overview
Global Links is a nonprofit organization operating a portfolio of medical aid and surplus recovery programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Medical Aid – International (supporting Latin America and Caribbean countries including Bolivia, Cuba, and Honduras), Medical Aid – Domestic/Community Partners Program (serving Western Pennsylvania), the Medical Surplus Recovery Program (rescuing an average of 250 tons of materials annually), and the Community Engagement Program (coordinating 10,000+ volunteer hours annually). Key sub-programs include Breathe Hope & Respiratory Health (nebulizer distribution), Basic Needs/Personal Care Kits, Maternal & Infant Health, Community Health, and Healthy Aging with Home Medical Equipment. The Global Medical Partnerships program distributes Medical Backpacks, Sutures, and nebulizers globally. Additional offerings include the Global Links Store (merchandise) and Lunch+Learn educational series.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Breathe Hope: Respiratory health program that recovers gently used nebulizer breathing machines and shares them with partners in communities with need at home and abroad
- Blue Bag Project
- Furnishing Recovery Project
- Breathe Hope Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2.5 million lives impacted internationally in 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Links
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Global Links technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Global Links partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UPMC (multiple hospitals)coreUPMC hospitals including St. Margaret, Children's Hospital, Magee-Women's Hospital, Mercy, Montefiore, Presbyterian, Shadyside, and others participate in the Medical Surplus Recovery Program, donating surplus medical supplies and furnishings. Several UPMC hospitals have maintained 20-35 year partnerships with Global Links.
- St. Clair HealthcoreSt. Clair Health is a hospital partner participating in the Medical Surplus Recovery Program, receiving Outstanding Hospital Partner Award for 20-Year Commitment in 2021.
- AHN WexfordcoreAllegheny Health Network (AHN) Wexford hospital participates in the Medical Surplus Recovery Program as a hospital partner.
- Highmark HealthminorHighmark Health participates in the Medical Surplus Recovery Program as a hospital partner organization.
- WVU Medicine Princeton Community HospitalminorWVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital participates in the Medical Surplus Recovery Program as a hospital partner.
- East Liberty Family Health Care CentercoreBreathe Hope program partner - licensed clinic receiving nebulizers for distribution to community members with respiratory conditions.
- Virginia Health Care FoundationcoreBreathe Hope program partner distributing nebulizers to low-income communities in Virginia.
- Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)coreGlobal Links collaborates with PAHO/WHO to develop projects to improve public health outcomes in vulnerable populations. PAHO Honduras and PAHO Cuba are active partners. Nearly 500 Medical Backpacks were provided to PAHO for distribution throughout their network.
- Secretaria de Salud (SESAL) HondurascoreMinistry of Health of Honduras - Global Links has partnered with SESAL since 1999 to strengthen the public primary health care system, improve maternal and infant care, and support response to tropical diseases like dengue, zika, and chikungunya.
- Global Health PartnerscoreWorking with Global Health Partners and PAHO/WHO, Global Links provided millions of syringes and other medical supplies to support Cuba's national Covid-19 vaccination campaign in 2021.
- Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC)minorPartner in Cuba programs supporting healthcare improvement initiatives.
- Days for Girls InternationalcorePartnership to provide Washable Menstrual Health Kits and products for agencies serving girls and women, improving menstrual health and well-being in Bolivia and other program countries.
- Municipal Governments across BoliviacorePartnership with Bolivian municipal governments to strengthen public health facilities and healthcare access in Amazonian and Andean regions.
- Community Living and Support Services (CLASS)coreAllegheny County non-profit partner for healthy aging and home medical equipment distribution, operating a Re Use program that distributes wheelchairs, walkers, and other equipment to people who need them.
- CHOSEN (Erie)coreErie, PA-based partner for healthy aging and home medical equipment distribution, collaborating with Global Links to serve older adults especially those at risk of falls.
- Western Pennsylvania Diaper BankcorePartnership to help families meet a basic need for diapers at special events and support the health and well-being of babies through maternal and infant health programs.
- CHOSEN (Community Collection Network)minorErie-based community organization serving as a Community Collection Network drop-off location for surplus medical supplies donations.
- Construction JunctionminorPittsburgh-based reuse organization serving as a Community Collection Network drop-off location for surplus medical supplies donations.
- Medical Equipment Recycling Program (MERP)minorUPMC Horizon Foundation program in Farrell and Greenville, PA serving as a Community Collection Network drop-off location.
- South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM)minorBethel Park-based organization serving as a Community Collection Network drop-off location for surplus medical supplies donations.
- Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti (HAS)core200-bed hospital in central Haiti providing integrated hospital and community-based health care services. Medical Backpacks are used by staff for community health clinics. Active partner in medical supply distribution and disaster response.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Global Links competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Medical Corps: International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian organization delivering emergency relief and medical training in crisis-affected populations. It is comparable to Global Links in its disaster response and medical aid delivery to vulnerable international populations.
- Americares: Americares is a global health-focused nonprofit that distributes donated medicines, medical supplies, and emergency aid to communities affected by poverty or disaster. It operates in many of the same Latin American and Caribbean countries as Global Links and uses similar donation-funded distribution models.
- Project HOPE: Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian relief organization operating in more than 100 countries, focusing on infectious disease response, maternal/child health, and health system strengthening, paralleling several of Global Links' international program areas.
- Afya Foundation: Afya Foundation is a nonprofit that recovers medical supplies and equipment from US healthcare facilities and ships them to under-resourced health systems internationally. It is a close direct peer operating a nearly identical medical surplus recovery and redistribution model.
- MedShare International: MedShare is a nonprofit that recovers surplus medical supplies and equipment from US hospitals and redistributes them to underserved communities globally. It is the closest direct competitor to Global Links' Medical Surplus Recovery Program, operating a nearly identical supply-chain-based humanitarian model.
- Partners In Health: Partners In Health operates long-term health programs in resource-poor settings across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, providing medical supplies and care. It overlaps with Global Links' international health system strengthening and chronic disease response programs.
- MAP International: MAP International is a Christian global health organization that provides medicines and medical supplies to people in need across more than 100 countries. It is comparable to Global Links in its focus on donated medical supply distribution to resource-limited health systems internationally.
- Brother's Brother Foundation: Brother's Brother Foundation is a Pittsburgh-headquartered humanitarian aid organization that distributes donated medical supplies, textbooks, and food to communities in need globally. It shares Global Links' Pittsburgh base, medical surplus recovery model, and international aid distribution focus.
- Direct Relief: Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization that provides medical resources to underserved populations in the US and internationally. It shares Global Links' mission of channeling medical supplies to resource-poor communities and works with similar hospital partner networks.
- CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board): CMMB is an international nonprofit providing medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and health programs to vulnerable communities worldwide. It shares Global Links' mission of distributing donated medical resources and operating long-term international health partnerships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Global Links social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Links financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Links leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Global Links funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Links M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Links
What does Global Links do?
Global Links is a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recovers surplus medical supplies, equipment, and furnishings from US hospitals, healthcare facilities, and corporations, then sorts, sanitizes, refurbishes, and redistributes them to communities in need. It runs parallel programs: an international medical aid operation serving Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa (Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Haiti and additional Global Medical Partnerships), and a domestic Community Partners Program serving low-income individuals in western Pennsylvania. The organization's core activities include Medical Surplus Recovery, Medical Aid – International, Medical Aid – Domestic, and a volunteer-driven Community Engagement program, all funded through donations.
Is Global Links a public or private company?
Global Links is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Global Links founded?
Global Links was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Global Links based?
Global Links is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Global Links make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, employer Matching, vehicle Donations and stock Donations.
Who are Global Links's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Medical Corps, Americares, Project HOPE, Afya Foundation, MedShare International, Partners In Health, MAP International, Brother's Brother Foundation, Direct Relief and CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board).
Does Global Links have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Links.
What industry is Global Links in?
Global Links's product category is Medical Aid and Humanitarian Relief Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAOAK, Global Supply Chain, Procurement & Market-Shaping Partnerships (Medicines/Diagnostics/Vaccines), with a secondary code of HLAJAOAD, Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Global Health. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8090.