Brother’s Brother Foundation (BFF) celebrated the grand opening of its Northern Virginia warehouse on Saturday. The foundation was started in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1958 and seeks to efficiently distribute donated medical supplies to international communities that are lacking in these resources.

“The goal is to take surplus medical supplies from hospitals and nursing homes and make them available to medical mission teams and mission hospitals in third-world countries,” Trustee Barry Byer said. “It can make a huge difference in people’s lives.”

Members of the board of trustees, staff, volunteers and supporters attended the opening. State Del. Richard Anderson (R-51) and Billy Thompson of the Merrifield Greater Business Association welcomed the organization to the area.

Anderson thanked members of the foundation for their efforts and predicted that BFF will “positively affect the quality of life in Northern Virginia,” he said.

According to Byer, the system by which BFF collects and redistributes medical supplies not only redirects aid to those in need, but also keeps surplus resources from ending up in local landfills.

The Virginia location of BFF will be run by three staffers, but will rely on the help of volunteers from the community, which Byer describes as the “backbone of the organization.”

Individuals interested in volunteering for the organization should contact the volunteer coordinator, Ruther Anderson, at randerson@brothersbrother.org.