For 27 years, MedShare, a nonprofit, has worked to close healthcare gaps for underserved communities around the world by delivering life-saving medical supplies and equipment to hospitals, clinics, and humanitarian responders. The organization was founded with a simple but powerful premise: To become a bridge to preventing waste in an environmentally friendly way and ensuring that critical healthcare supplies and equipment reach the people who need them most in the U.S. and around the globe.

But in 2025, the nonprofit suddenly found itself facing an unexpected crisis of its own.

A Mission Built on Movement — and Brought to a Halt

Inside MedShare’s Decatur, Georgia warehouse, the organization’s sole operations hub since post-pandemic consolidation, forklifts and pallet jacks are the heartbeat of daily operations. They unload donated supplies, move palletized goods into inventory, and load cargo containers bound for humanitarian partners around the world. But, without functional warehouse equipment, nothing moves.

And that’s exactly the situation MedShare encountered.

Director of Operations Jason Montagna describes the moment the last operating forklift died in the middle of the loading dock. “It couldn’t have happened at a worse time. We had multiple containers scheduled to go out, and our team was facing the prospect of loading everything by hand,” said Montagna.

One forklift could no longer reach the top racks, while the other took four times as long as it should to load a container. Repair quotes were steep, and replacement costs were well beyond budget, and the team had already stretched every dollar on temporary fixes until there was nothing left to fix.

Then, in what would soon feel like a turning point, a longtime MedShare supporter stepped in.

Enter Bob Rinaldi: A Call for Help That Sparked an Industry-Wide Response

The connection between MedShare and Bob Rinaldi, Founder of Rinaldi Advisory Services, began years earlier. Through Bob’s involvement with the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), and working with Peter Zeihen, he learned of MedShare’s work, and invited Karen Flayart, MedShare’s Reginal Director to present at an Equipment Finance Cares event in Philadelphia, where they raised money to support the organization.

So, when MedShare urgently needed help, Karen called Bob.

Bob immediately sent out what he calls a “personal favor alert” to roughly a dozen leaders across the equipment finance and leasing industry. He wasn’t asking for money. Rather, he was asking for used forklifts and pallet jacks that might be sitting idle after lease returns.

The response was immediate and overwhelming.

“People in our industry are truly great,” Bob said. “They relish the opportunity to step into the breach. They love helping, especially when they can do it through the equipment they work with every day.”

Within just two days, and just ahead of devastating Hurricane Melissa, the first donated forklift arrived.

Forklifts That Became Engines of Compassion

Through Bob’s network, MedShare received the following:

• Huntington National Bank – Crown electric forklift
• DLL – Jungheinrich electric forklift, CAT electric forklift, charger, and two Unicarrier electric pallet jacks
• Wintrust & Amur – Financial donations to support repairs and maintenance.

The donated equipment was all well-maintained, fully functional, and their impact was immediate.

With new equipment on the warehouse floor, MedShare quickly mobilized emergency shipments to communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa. The forklifts enabled the team to rapidly pick, pack, and load critical medical supplies at a moment when every hour mattered.

In the months that followed, the donated equipment powered global relief efforts, including: an urgent Red Cross shipment to Lebanon, two humanitarian aid containers bound for Peru and Malawi, medical supply support for free and charitable clinics in 30 U.S. states, and mission team deployments delivering direct patient care around the world.

The environmental impact was significant as well — keeping valuable equipment out of landfills while supporting MedShare’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.

A Mission Rooted in Service — Strengthened by Partnership

For Stacey Koehnke, MedShare’s CEO, the moment crystallized what makes industry partnerships so powerful. “This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration – industry leaders coming together to strengthen healthcare, protect our planet, and save lives around the world.”

Stacey, whose career includes nearly two decades in global supply chain operations at The Coca-Cola Company before transitioning to nonprofit leadership, sees the donations as transformational saying, “The right equipment and the right partners make all the difference. Every time we lift a pallet or load a container, we are one step closer to getting aid to where it’s needed most.”

The donated machines eliminated bottlenecks, improved safety, and allowed the entire warehouse team to work efficiently for the first time in years.

The Ripple Effect of One Phone Call

For DLL’s Chief Commercial Officer Neal Garnett, the decision to help was easy. “Supporting organizations that deliver life-saving resources aligns perfectly with our commitment to building meaningful connections and channeling our resources toward causes that make a real difference.”

It’s clear to see that what began as a crisis became a testament to the equipment finance industry’s generosity and to the deep relationships forged across years of collaboration.

And for Bob Rinaldi, the experience reaffirmed something he’s experienced throughout his career saying, “I know our industry and the people involved. They are genuinely great people and will always step up to solve a problem or help someone in need. That is just who they are! In fact, they relish the opportunity to step into the breach, and they did just that!”

Bob’s efforts to champion MedShare’s mission by reaching out to his network have expanded MedShare’s community of supporters and strengthened its ability to deliver life-saving medical supplies to those in need.

“Thanks to Huntington National Bank, DLL, Wintrust, Amur, and the extraordinary support of Bob Rinaldi, our team can do their work more safely, more efficiently, and with even greater impact,” said Koehnke. “This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration — industry leaders coming together to strengthen healthcare, protect our planet, and save lives around the world.” 

Bob’s request also provided industry leaders with an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to uplifting communities and supporting those who need it most. 

“Huntington is committed to strengthening the communities we serve,” explained Mike DiCecco, Executive Managing Director of Asset Finance at Huntington Bank. “Our donation to MedShare means they can operate more efficiently in service to saving lives, and that’s certainly a cause worth supporting.”

Amur and Wintrust echoed this commitment. 

“Amur is proud to support MedShare, helping strengthen the work they do for communities in need,” commented Kalyan Makam, AMUR Chief Executive Officer. “We’re glad to have the opportunity to fund equipment that keeps their warehouses moving and makes it possible to get critical medical supplies where they’re needed most. It’s meaningful to know our contribution supports a mission that delivers real impact on the ground.”

“We were pleased to be able to help MedShare in their mission to deliver life-saving resources,” said Kirk Phillips, President of Wintrust Asset Finance. “The work they do helps so many charitable healthcare providers and were proud to have played a part in these efforts.”

Keeping MedShare’s Mission in Motion

Since its founding in 1998, MedShare has delivered over $338 million worth of medical aid to 121 countries, alongside supporting U.S. safety-net and free clinics, disaster relief efforts, and biomedical training for partner hospitals.

Because of one network’s rapid response and the generosity of Huntington Bank, DLL, Wintrust, Amur, and countless individuals, that mission is stronger today than ever.

As Koehnke stated, “These donations are more than just equipment. They’re engines of compassion, arriving at the perfect moment to keep MedShare’s mission moving forward.”

With each pallet lifted, each box picked, and each container shipped, MedShare continues to bring life-saving resources to the people who need them most, proving once again that the right partnership can change the world.

Immediate Needs and How You Can Help

Across the country, rural communities continue to face a crisis in maternal and child mortality, driven largely by the lack of obstetric and gynecological services in local hospitals. MedShare’s strategic focus on Maternal and Infant Health is designed to close this gap, but they cannot do it alone.

You can help change this trajectory. MedShare is urgently seeking essential medical equipment to support the hospitals they are partnering with. Securing any of the items below, that are less than 20 years old, will have a direct and immediate impact on improving maternal outcomes and saving lives.

Critical Equipment Needed:

• Birthing beds
• Ultrasounds with probes
• Infant Incubators with mattresses
• Infant warmers with pads
• Anesthesia units
• Electro Surgical Units
• Operating tables
• Versa Care Electric Beds with mattresses

In addition to this urgently needed equipment, MedShare accepts a wide range of donations of medical surplus supplies and equipment. For more information, visit https://www.medshare.org/donate/donate-medical-supplies-equipment. Your organization’s support can make the difference.

By sourcing even one of these items, you become an essential part of closing the maternal health gap and protecting the lives of mothers and infants in vulnerable communities. You can also help by making a gift at www.medshare.org/donate
 
For individuals and companies in the equipment finance industry seeking to learn more and donate equipment, supplies or monetary donations, please visit the MedShare website today.