Not Just Tourists

Not Just Tourists is a volunteer-led grassroots organisation headquartered in Canada. Not Just Tourists collects surplus healthcare supplies in Canada, USA and UK and sends them overseas as donations with tourists visiting low income countries.[1][2][3]

Not Just Tourists was founded in 1990 in St. Catharines by Doctor Ken Taylor and his wife Denise, who took medical supplies to Cuba.[3][4]

It has since delivered over 10,000 suitcases to 82 countries[1] and now has chapters in Ottawa, Niagara, Waterloo, Barrie, Calgary, Manitoba, London (Ontario), London (UK) and Halifax.[3]

Surplus medical supplies are donated by hospitals, clinics, medical suppliers and individuals. Donated supplied usually include gauze, bandages, surgical instruments, masks, gloves, antiseptics, intravenous kits, urinary supplies and birthing kits.[3][5] Suitcase contents are typically worth $200 to $400.[6]

Supplies are delivered to low income countries including Syria, Cuba, China, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Uganda, Guatemala, Cameroon, Rwanda, Swaziland, Chad, El Salvador, Ghana, Ecuador, India, and Kenya.[3][7][6][8][9]

The Toronto chapter was started in 2015 by a Avi D’Souza. The group of volunteers meet on a weekly basis at Roncesvalles United Church to pack suitcases.[1][5][8][10]

In 2017, Drew Cumpson started the Kingston chapter,[11] nurse Simone Feller opened the Halifax chapter[12] and the first UK chapter was launched by Doctor Claudia Hon in London.[7][13]

Doctor Cindy Ross started the Orange Beach chapter in 2021, the first US chapter.[2]

In 2020, the Manitoba chapter sent personal protective equipment to China.[9]

In 2021, two Not Just Tourists volunteers privately arranged several shipping containers of medical supplies to be sent to Cuba.[14]