Mano a Mano has grown into 5 counterpart organizations in Minnesota and Bolivia, with many different projects, all in partnership with Bolivian communities to improve their lives. We started in 1994 with one simple goal: to save usable medical supplies that were destined for the landfill and send them to Bolivia, where we know that they could be put to good use. Since then, we have shipped over 4 million pounds of medical supplies, mobility equipment, and other items to Bolivia for distribution to people and organizations in need throughout the country. We sent 180,180 pounds to Bolivia in 2021, and we donated thousands of pounds of supplies to other organizations working in the Twin Cities and other countries around the world. Almost all of these supplies would have been thrown away.

Earth Day 2022

Today, April 22, 2022, is Earth Day, a time set aside to celebrate the Earth, learn about the environment, and promote conservation. The theme for this year’s event is “Invest in Our Planet.”

Here are a few articles about Mano a Mano’s efforts to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste in Minnesota over the past few years:

Minnesota has a waste problem. How do we fix it? (Article on TPT)

One local organization diverts reusable medical supplies from the landfill and transports them to Bolivia.

Mano a Mano Receives $10,000 Grant From BizRecycling

MN Waste Wise Success Story

“Through the BizRecycling grant, Mano a Mano was able to purchase equipment to improve the safety and efficiency of their donation processing and distribution and to reduce waste in their operations. This equipment included a new pallet jack with a scale to move and weigh items for shipment, a stable sorting station for volunteers to process donations, a dishwasher to reduce the use of paper products and other disposables, and recycling and compost containers.”

MN WasteWise Success Story

Non-profit sends medical supplies to Bolivia – and shares surplus at home (Article in Midway Como Frogtown Monitor)

Mano a Mano keeps medical supplies out of landfills.

Read about Mano a Mano in this article in the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor.

Learn More About Mano a Mano’s Recovered Resources Program

Pictures From Our St. Paul Office in 2021

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: Mano a Mano staff and volunteers prepare these layette sets for distribution at our warehouse in Cochabamba, Bolivia – late July 2021.

: Larry refurbishing sewing machines at Mano a Mano.

: Read about Mano a Mano in this article in the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor.

: 2 containers at Mano a Mano’s St. Paul warehouse – ready to load with supplies for Bolivia, September 2021.

: Donating layettes to health care organizations in Potosi, April 2020.

: Container arriving at Mano a Mano’s warehouse in St. Paul on October 8th, 2021 to load with mobility equipment for Global Links.

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: 3: Mano a Mano staff and volunteers load containers, making sure to not waste any of the valuable space.

: 1 of 2 containers arriving at Mano a Mano’s St. Paul warehouse, June 2021.

: Our St. Paul warehouse sends thousands of mobility aids to Bolivia…and receives many more. This room was completely empty one week earlier after shipping 3 containers with 75,000 pounds of supplies to Bolivia. One week later it is full again.

: We loaded more than 1,000 items weighing over 10,000 pounds to send to Global Links to support their surplus recovery programs.

: Top left: volunteers at Mano a Mano; Top right: the Minnesota Tool Library is ; Bottom: picking up desks with the Mano a Mano truck.

: Students from Metro State and St. Kate’s help load containers with medical supplies and equipment for Bolivia.

: Gloria with one of the wine glasses.

: Mano a Mano volunteers sorting donated supplies at our St. Paul warehouse in May 2021.

: Loading supplies at the Mano a Mano warehouse in St. Paul to bring to Albert Lea.

: Volunteers loading containers at our St. Paul warehouse – March/April 2021.

: The 2nd Mano a Mano container being picked up from our St. Paul warehouse to start its journey to Bolivia.

: Dianne and friends making layettes in South Dakota.

: Using the Mano a Mano truck purchased in 2014 to pick up desks from MN Tool Library to distribute to students in need in St. Paul, January 2021.

: All 3 containers filled and ready to start on their way to Bolivia – March/April 2021.

: In Minnesota, Mano a Mano collects donated medical supplies and equipment for shipment to Bolivia, where we distribute them to people and organizations in need throughout the country.

: Thanks HERO Fargo for exchanging medical supplies with us this week! We are grateful for the continued partnership that helps both of our organizations respond better to the needs of the people who benefit from these supplies.