The cold and winds of March did not deter Medline employees from coming together to support hundreds of their Lake County neighbors. Employee volunteers donated, packed and distributed food; built bicycles; and donated household items to organizations working to address the social determinants of health – the factors that impact people’s health, well-being and life quality, including access to safe housing, education, nutritious foods,  job opportunities and transportation, according to Healthy People 2030.

• Bike build for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake County
  Each year, Medline’s Primary Care, Textiles, EVS and Interiors divisions honor exemplary employees. The year, the celebration included a team-building bike build. Employees were divided into 20 groups, given clues, and asked to work with their team members – without speaking – to find the parts necessary to create a child’s bicycle. When the event was completed, there were 20, newly-constructed bikes, all donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake County.

• Kind Words Campaign, Wish List drive for The Lake County Haven
  The Medline Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG) hosted a “Kind Words Campaign and Wish List Drive” on March 23 in the lobby of Medline’s Northfield headquarters. The event benefitted The Lake County Haven, a nonprofit organization aiding homeless women and children. Employees were asked to create colorful cards with encouraging, kind words. The event complemented a month-long “Wish List” drive, as part of Women’s History Month, with employees donating kitchen, bathroom and other household items. The Lake County Haven provides a broad range of assistance including housing, education, employment and life-skills training and support.

• Northern Illinois Food Bank donation and event
  Thanks to a $25,000 Medline Cares (Community, Action, Resources, Education and Solutions) donation to the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Lake County families and individuals living with chronic health conditions have access to fresh, nutritious food. On March 23, Medline volunteers joined  Erie Health Center staff in Waukegan to donate food to more than 200 families. The program supports the food as medicine movement that focuses on healthy food and eating to aid in overall human health.

• Shop N’ Drop
  Medline employees donated, packed and delivered 340 bags of groceries on March 21, including food and paper goods, for 85 families (476 adults and children) at Shop N’ Drop , “powered” by the Highland Park-based Service and Learning Together (SALT) . The organization, primarily staffed by high school volunteers, has been providing food and other products to families in need since the start of the pandemic. Hundreds of food items and paper goods, donated by Medline volunteers, were delivered to families in the Highland Park and Highwood areas.

“Many of our friends, neighbors and employees live in Lake County,” said Karen Frey, Medline senior manager, philanthropy. “We are proud to call this region home, and proud to support these organizations and their noble missions.”

Medline supports a variety of nonprofit partners in Lake County that offer programs and services for individuals, children and families experiencing the greatest need. The company has operated for more than 50 years in Lake County, and manages six facilities, including manufacturing and distribution centers and a national sales center. The company employs more than 3,000 in Lake County and provides an annual economic impact of more than $1.3 billion.

Learn more about how Medline is making a difference in our communities.