The DuPage County Health Department collected 949 pounds of donated goods from 22 sites across the county in July, then used those supplies Tuesday, Aug. 4, to run a state-mandated emergency preparedness exercise at the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
The health department, which operates a public health center in Lombard and serves Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream and Glendale Heights, used the drill to train volunteers on mass distribution of medical supplies during a public health crisis. Volunteers from the DuPage County Medical Reserve Corps and health department staff simulated unloading and distributing medical countermeasures, practicing the same steps they would follow in a real emergency.
It was the county's first time running the program.
The donation drive, called Operation Dropbox, collected household goods and supplies throughout July. All items will go to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans and its Army Capt. Kevin C. Landeck Freedom Commissary at 433 S. Carlton Ave. in Wheaton, which provides clothing, household items and essential supplies free of charge to veterans and their families in the Chicagoland area.
Executive Director Adam Forker said in a Wednesday statement that the first Operation Dropbox was a true community effort and thanked the 22 sites that hosted donation boxes. MaryAnn Ogilvie of the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans said the contributions help the shelter and commissary continue their work serving local veterans.
"Thank you to everyone who contributed," Ogilvie said. "Your support ensures that the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans and the Freedom Commissary receive the supplies we need to continue our vital work serving local veterans."
Residents interested in joining the Medical Reserve Corps can contact Kelly Urban at the DuPage County Health Department. The corps is a volunteer program that trains community members to assist during public health emergencies, and the annual drill gives those volunteers hands-on practice with the logistics of large-scale supply distribution.
