Since June 1993, the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) has been actively working to solve the number one problem in transplantation, the shortage of organ and tissue donors. With more than 106,000 persons on the national transplant waiting list, nearly 50% represent minorities. Due to the shortage of organ and tissue donors, sixteen (16) persons die per day waiting for a life saving transplant.

National MOTTEP is the first national program of its kind designed to educate minority communities on facts about organ and tissue transplantation and empower minority communities to develop transplant education activities and become involved in addressing the shortage of organ and tissue donors. Through MOTTEP’s efforts, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Alaska Natives will become aware of the need for more minority donors and hopefully, sign donor cards, have family discussions and eventually become organ and tissue donors.

National MOTTEP expanded from three (3) sites in 1993 to fifteen (15) sites in 1995 across the country. This expansion resulted in the formation of MOTTEP of Richmond which was incorporated on March 7, 2003. Since its incorporation, they are actively working with schools, shopping malls, beauty parlors/barber shops, social, civic, and religious organizations. Corporate, public and private sector partnerships are being formed in each site to assist in the campaign of increasing awareness. As MOTTEP sites continue to reach out into minority communities, they are collaborating with other health organizations and taking the message into minority communities of health promotion and disease prevention, which is the most recent addition to MOTTEP’s agenda. The key components being addressed are the diseases and behaviors that lead to the need for transplantation such as hypertension, diabetes, alcohol and substance abuse, poor nutrition and lack of exercise or physical activity.

MOTTEP of Richmond currently has four board advisory members and is part of a collaborative partnership with other Southside agencies working to enhance the life styles of the Richmond communities.