LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than $100,000 worth of donated medical supplies are headed to Jefferson County Public Schools classrooms.
Volunteers at the Louisville-based nonprofit SOS were working to box up medical supplies Tuesday morning, but some supplies were already headed to classrooms so students could get real, hands-on experience.
It's part of a growing partnership between SOS and JCPS that began during the COVID pandemic.
That's when students interested in a career in the medical field needed tools and supplies to continue their career path. SOS was able to donate some supplies -- and since then, that partnership has only continued to grow.
Volunteers helped box up supplies Tuesday and loaded up the truck for delivery.
Students are going to be able to use supplies like catheters, syringes, needles and gauze in their studies, making the experience even more real for them.
"When teachers get back next week, they'll have these pallets waiting to unpack, put on their shelves and be ready to roll the first day of school," said Karen Smith, a spokeswoman for JCPS.
"This is huge," said Brian Jointer of SOS, "because if we don't start creating new healthcare workers today, there will be no one to take care of people like me when I get old."
The supplies are headed to 18 different high schools and more than 2,000 students will benefit from the donations.
Organizers said there are plans to expand the partnership in the future.
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