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83º Partly cloudy | 6% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:10 a.m. | Sunset 8:16 p.m.

SOS delivers health and hope

SOS changes health in LOU + beyond

An SOS van helps transport life-saving resources.

SOS helps distribute life-saving medical resources around the world. | Photo by SOS

Health organization SOS might be best known for its global reach, but the nonprofit is based right here in Louisville. For 30 years, it has been partnering with hospitals and medical institutions around the world to collect and redirect surplus medical supplies. This impacts 100,000 people in more than 106 countries every year.

SOS’s operations have saved 4.4 million pounds of non-biodegradable medical equipment and supplies from landfills, distributed $65.5 million worth of donated medical resources, and impacted more than 12.7 million lives.

The nonprofit’s worldwide reach is unmatched, with nearly 2,000 pounds of medical surplus being collected and redistributed every day — and it is one of only seven accredited medical surplus recovery organizations in the country. But its ties to the Louisville community are strong too, with support for 200+ local organizations.

SOS donates supplies to local animal welfare organizations, social service groups serving the homeless, and responds to natural disasters — like the flooding and winter storm that hit the Commonwealth last year.

The organization also helps medical education programs by providing supplies to JCPS schools and other educational institutions so students can have hands-on learning experiences.

Volunteers at SOS sorting medical supplies — A group of SOS volunteers helps sort donated medical supplies.
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Photo by SOS

SOS is always in need of volunteers to sort and prep medical supplies — plus, the activity can be great for team building or just a rewarding way to help save lives solo. To get involved, call SOS at (502) 736-6360 or send them an email.

Asked

How much does the US produce in medical waste each year?

A. 5.9 million tons
B. 7.8 million tons
C. 1 billion tons
D. 1.2 billion tons

See the answer in The Wrap.

Events

Thursday, April 13

Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations | Thursday, April 13-Sunday, April 16 | Times vary | The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, 501 W. Main St., Louisville | $36-$111 | See the Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Friday, April 14

Summit Academy Presents: The First Annual Bourbon Bash | Friday, Apr. 14 | 6:30 p.m. | The Olmsted, 3701 Frankfort Ave., Louisville | $90 | Enjoy a night of bourbon, silent auctions + a bourbon pull.
Playcosystem Happy Hour | Friday, Apr. 14 + | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, 2075 Clermont Rd., Clermont | $5-$10 | This is an evening for grownups to gather, build a box fort, and share a playground together — all while enjoying adult beverages and food truck grub.

Saturday, April 15

TreeFest | Saturday, Apr. 15 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Joe Creason Park, 1297 Trevilian Way, Louisville | Free | This volunteer tree planting event also features family-friendly activities like tree climbing, a tree giveaway + opportunities to learn about different “green” organizations in our city.

Sunday, April 16

Bark + Brunch By The Bridge | Sunday, Apr. 16 | 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | Waterfront Park, 131 River Rd., Louisville | Free | This pet-friendly outdoor brunch boasts food trucks, live jazz music, and drink specials — with a percentage of proceeds supporting Kentucky Humane Society’s lifesaving programs.
Movement in the Atrium: Hatha Yoga with Carly | Sunday, Apr. 16 | 12-1 p.m. | Speed Art Museum, 2035 S. 3rd St., Louisville | Free | Everyone is welcome to join this slow-paced, breath-focused hatha yoga class.
Pollinator Photo Prowl | Sunday, Apr. 16 | 1-3 p.m. | Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave., Louisville | $0-$15 | Capture photos of buggy beauties in the forest and garden, then learn how to upload your images to citizen science databases.
TEN20 Clean Comedy Showcase | Sunday, Apr. 16 | 7-8:30 p.m. | TEN20 Craft Brewery, 1020 E. Washington St., Louisville | $10 | Enjoy a night of laughter featuring Nashville comics Drew Davis, Sydney Davis Jr. Jr., and Laura Hibbard + Louisville comics Jake Hovis and Creig Ewing.

More events here

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News Notes

Cause

GoFundMe created a page to help those affected by the shooting at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville on Monday. The listed fundraisers have been verified by GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team. More fundraisers will be added as they are verified.

Wellness

The Speed Art Museum is offering free admission through Sunday, April 16 for people to seek solace during this time of tragedy. Experience the healing power of art throughout the museum + mourn individually and as a community.
The Kentucky Red Cross is also offering support and assistance. The organization urges the community to call its Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text TALKWITHUS to 66746 if you or a loved one needs mental health support.

Family

The librarians of Louisville Free Public Library compiled a list of library books to help parents and caregivers explain tragic events to children in age-appropriate ways. The list includes more than a dozen books for young children to teens.

Eat

Brasserie Provence in the Forum Shopping Center (150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy.) is offering a $100 three-course, prix-fixe trifecta dinner for Thurby, Oaks, and Derby. Entree options include beef filet mignon, halibut, half-roasted duck, and red ruby trout.

Outdoors

The League of Women Voters of Louisville is offering a free presentation on pollinators and pollinator gardens from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Lang House in Crescent Hill. The program will share how to help plants reproduce so that bees + other pollinators can make growing our own food possible.

Sports

Bellarmine University is hosting the multi-day Atlantic Sun Conference Tennis Tournament today through Saturday, April 22. The 12-team, single-elimination contest starts at noon with Austin Peay State University facing Kennesaw State University. The tournament is free and open to the public + live stats will be available online.
Calling all college students: Don your favorite purple gear and cheer on Louisville City FC at their match against San Antonio FC on Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. Pro tip: Students can grab discounted tickets ($8) to every game of the season.*

Plan Ahead

The annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival returns Friday, Sept. 15 to Sunday, Sept. 17 in Bardstown, KY. Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 11 — but Bourbon Insiders will receive early access on Wednesday, May 10.

Fact or Fiction

You can accompany a family member who requires special assistance to an airport gate — or can you? See the answer.*

Travel

What trip would be worth leaving Louisville? For City Editor Lennie, it’s Egypt — to see the Giza Pyramids. Sign up for Going to get notified when flight prices drop, like a $591 flight to Cairo (a real deal booked by a member). Join for free.

Community

Meet Metro’s Clean Collaborative

Get to know Metro’s Clean Collaborative

The Clean Collaborative maximizes efforts to help keep our city clean. | Photo by Louisville Tourism

Meet the the Clean Collaborative — the initiative approved by Louisville Metro Council in January 2021 to clean city roadways and litter hotspots.

Clean Collaborative by the numbers:

The program began with $1.5 million in funding and 13 employees.
Louisville Waste Management District, which is a Clean Collaborative stakeholder, receives $380,000 in grant funding every year. These funds help to provide extra litter collection, supplies for cleanup events + more.
Since the project was created, groups have cleaned 5,500+ miles of roads, collected 25,000 bags of trash and removed 3,700+ works of graffiti around Derby City.

Join the collaborative by making a commitment to not litter, report illegally dumped junk to Metro311, and dispose of large items properly. For more ways to keep Louisville clean, visit the Clean Collaboration website.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Lennie

From the editor

This week I’ve been reminding myself to take breaks from the constant stream of news updates and indulge in small but effective mindfulness practices — and I’d urge all my fellow Louisvillians to do the same.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out how and where to donate blood.

Answer A. The US produces more than 5.9 million tons of medical waste every year, of which 2 million tons is reported to be unused or still in working order.

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