If you own a “gently used” working mobility scooter which you no longer use, donating it to any number of different organizations, or online, would make an amazing gift, and most likely a huge impact in the life of someone who needs it.
This article is a straightforward guide to how and where you donate mobility scooters to really help one or more other people.
Where to donate a mobility scooter ? A gently used mobility scooter can be donated to –
- State Assistive Technology Projects
- state online equipment exchanges
- reuse centers
- community loan closets (state and local) and bikur cholim
- non-profit charities
- thrift stores
- medical equipment refurbishment projects
- faith-based organizations
- local churches
- senior centers
- veterans centers
- private individuals on classified listing websites and social media platforms
Contents Overview & Quicklinks
Donating to programs specifically requesting mobility scooters
Donating mobility scooters to State Assistive Technology Programs
Donating a mobility scooter to refurbishing and reuse Centers
Donating a mobility scooter to Centers for Independent Living
Donating a mobility scooter to Loan Closets
National and international organizations which accept medical equipment donations
Online listing sites where you can donate a mobility scooter near you
Donating a mobility scooter in your neighborhood
Organizations near you which may know where to donate a mobility scooter
Donating to programs specifically requesting mobility scooters
You are going to have plenty of options for a new home for your mobility scooter, but to start, here are the charities specifically making appeals for the donation of mobility scooters –
American Mobility Outreach
The foundation accepts donations of power wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
You can find the information by starting here on their website – here.
FODAC
FODAC asks for power chairs, so in some instance a scooter may be what they are looking for, but you need to call and check that.
The website is here.
Get A Cane
Get A Cane accepts all kinds of mobility equipment donations, so again, I would give them a call.
Their website is here.
The Kansas Equipment Exchange
This is a “statewide Durable Medical Equipment” reuse program, and they also specifically ask for power operated vehicles, which includes scooters.
The website is here.
Muscular Dsytrophy Association
The MDA accepts donations of mobility scooters at their different locales across the US.
The website is here.
Mobility Equipment Recyclers of New England
This is a business, but they resell the refurbished mobility scooters at 50-90% off the MRSP
The website is here.
Donating a mobility scooter to State Assistive Technology Programs
State Assistive Technology Programs (AT Programs) – accept donations of assistive devices and durable medical equipment.
These programs receive a grant, so they may increase access to assistive technology devices (includes durable medical equipment and mobility equipment) for state residents. Their primary focus is low income families, the elderly and disabled families.
State AT Programs increased access to assistive technology devices for the public through –
- equipment lending libraries
- equipment exchanges
- demonstration centers
- reuse and refurbishing centers
Your mobility scooter donation will be added to the catalog of equipment available, and loaned to others who use the AT program to gain access to the equipment that they require.
If you wish to learn more about donating to your particular state AT program, click on your state in the list below.
Click on your state to go to your State AT Program website
Donating a mobility scooter to Refurbishment and Reuse Centers
These two types of center both provide a meaningful opportunity to support individuals who cannot afford new equipment.
Medical equipment refurbishment centers will take your mobility scooter donations, and undertake any necessary repairs, sanitize it, and lastly get it a new home.
It is not quite the same process with reuse centers, who will gladly accept all types of equipment, but who will pass it on to a new owner without doing any “work” on it. It is passed on “as is”.
Medical equipment refurbishing centers and reuse centers will both pass on your donation, to individuals at very low cost, or even in some cases for free.
To find a center near you, just do a search on the internet.
Donating a mobility scooter to a Center for Independent Living
Centers for Independent Living are the institutions responsible for providing the services which allow the disabled to live independently in the community.
Centers for Independent Living
“provide independent living services for people with disabilities. CILs are at the core of ACL’s independent living programs, which work to support community living and independence for people with disabilities across the nation based on the belief that all people can live with dignity, make their own choices, and participate fully in society. These programs provide tools, resources, and supports for integrating people with disabilities fully into their communities to promote equal opportunities, self-determination, and respect.”
Source : https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/centers-independent-living
Donating to a CIL is a great way to support individuals with disabilities directly, so contact your nearest Center for Independent Living and see if they would like your mobility scooter. They typically have loan closets with equipment to support their members, and your mobility scooter donation could be a fabulous addition.
To find and contact the nearest center to you, go to this website.
Donating a mobility scooter to community medical equipment loan closets
In the main, medical equipment loan closets are small community affairs run by a devoted group of volunteers, sometimes supported by local authorities. They play a pivotal role in communities, providing access to durable medical equipment, which members of the community are able to borrow, particularly benefitting those in need – seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Whether or not a loan closet only lends to those in need, or to anyone in their community, depends on the individual loan closets
How to find a loan closet ? –
I find it best to search systematically, with a few specific online searches, and of that doesn’t bring anything up, there are several administrations and charities you can talk to as well –
- I start by searching online with these search terms – “medical equipment loan closet + your location”, “medical equipment lending closet + your location”, “medical equipment lending bank + your location”, or “medical equipment bank + your location”
- if the searches drew a blank, contact your county Area Agency on Aging. This is the agency responsible for helping the over 60s to get access to the community services available to them, so logically they should know the whereabouts of any loan closets in your county – you’ll be able to find the agency responsible for your county with the official locator tool here
- if the Area Agency on Aging didn’t have any answers, have a chat with your local human resources or seniors department – they frequently are involved in running community loan closets for seniors in particular, and also in activities revolve around senior centers
- look online for the closest reuse, or medical equipment refurbishing centers, see if they have any pertinent suggestions
- Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and American Legion Posts – these three organizations seem to run small equipment loan closets for their communities everywhere I look, so I would suggest contacting any close to you
To find Lions Clubs in your area, take a quick look at my guide here – How To Find A Lions Club Near Me ? A Very Quick Illustrated Guide
To find Rotary Clubs in your area, take a quick look at my guide here – How To Find A Rotary Club Near Me ? A Very Quick Illustrated Guide
Bikur Cholim or Medical Equipment Gemacht – (Jewish medical equipment loan closets)
These loan closets are run by, and for, the Jewish community.
You can ask at the local Jewish senior center, synagogue, or search online at the Chesed Match website.
National and International organizations which accept donations of a mobility scooter
Goodwill
To donate your mobility scooter, locate a store near you and give them a call – https://www.goodwill.org/locator/
Salvation Army
To donate your mobility scooter, click on the following link – https://satruck.org/
EasterSeals
To locate your local affiliate to make your mobility scooter donation, use this link – https://www.easterseals.com/connect-locally/
The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations
Their website page for donating a mobility scooter is here – http://www.pqmd.org/pillars/donation-guidelines/
Project Cure
Their website page for donating your mobility scooter is here – https://projectcure.org/donate-supplies-equipment
REMEDY – Recovered Medical Equipment for the developing World
To donate your mobility scooter to REMEDY, use this web page here – https://www.med-eq.org/Login/form.aspx?type=donate&quick=1
MedShare
Got to the MedShare website to donate your mobility scooter here – https://www.medshare.org/
HERO Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
You can find about donating your mobility scooter on their website here – https://www.herofargo.org/wp-content/uploads/IndividualSupplies.pdf
MedWish
The page for donations is here on their website – https://www.medwish.org/give
Medical Bridges
This is the donation page on their website – http://www.medicalbridges.org/donate/medical-supplies-and-equipment
Online listing sites and other social media platforms where you can donate a mobility scooter near you
The great advantage with donating equipment on online platforms, is that you get to choose the areas where your advertisement/posting is seen. You can select where you will be selling, and how far you are going to have to go to do all of this.
Be a little wary when donating items online, and take a few precautions –
- make it very clear in your advertisement item description that you are donating the mobility scooter “as is”, and that you are in no way liable for any future problems
- for elderly loved ones who live in your home, place safety, privacy and well-being above all else, and think twice about having strangers coming to your home to see the mobility scooter
- organize the pickup in a public place, or have the mobility scooter delivered to the new owner on their dime
- to stop your personal email from drowning in spam, don’t use it for any online classified, such as Craigslist, use a throwaway email instead
Online platforms where you can donate your mobility scooter –
- Craigslist.com
- UsedHME.com
- Nextdoor.com
- Facebook.com
- Freecycle.org
- OfferUp.com
I have short illustrated guides on how to donate new, or used, devices on each one, if you haven’t done this before –
Craigslist.com – “How To Donate Used Medical Equipment Near Me On Craigslist ? An Illustrated Guide”
UsedHME.com – “How To Donate Used Medical Equipment Near Me On UsedHME ? An illustrated Guide”
Facebook.com – “How To Donate Used Medical Equipment Near Me On Facebook ? An Illustrated Guide”
Freecycle.org – “How To Donate Used Medical Equipment Near Me on Freecycle.org ? A Very Quick Illustrated Guide”
Nextdoor.com – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On Nextdoor.com ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
OfferUp.com – No need for an article on this, as there is a very good video showing how to use OfferUp, see below.
Donating a mobility scooter in your neighborhood
For those of you who would rather conduct your search for a new home for your mobility scooter face to face in your neighborhood, instead of online, here are a few places which may well be interested –
- Thrift stores
- Senior Centers or Elderly Day Care Centers
- Veterans Centers
- Local Retirement Homes
- Churches
- Your local council Seniors’ department
Organizations near you who may know where to donate a mobility scooter
I can’t imagine that you will have much difficulty with finding places or people to donate your mobility scooter to, but f you’re still looking for advice, try talking to some of the following organizations –
Area Agency On Aging
I know I listed them earlier, but if you haven’t done it yet, contact your Area Agency on Aging. They are going to have so much information.
Use the Area Agency on Aging locator tool to find your agency – click here.
Social Services
Your local Social Services department is going to be familiar with all the different charities running programs for people in need in your area, and may be able to put you in touch with the right person for your donation.
Faith-based Charities
The Catholic Charities and Society of St Vincent de Paul
In towns and cities throughout the US, the Catholic Charities and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are engaged in running programs which help low-income families, the homeless, refugees, and victims of abuse.
With all their local knowledge, they may well be able to offer you advice on where your donation would help the most.
To find a chapter of either charity in your area, search “name of the charity + where you live”, on the internet.
Local Town Hall or Chamber of Commerce
Lastly, your town hall and chamber of commerce will be able to inform you about the charities and other organizations working with, and redistributing used mobility equipment, such as scooters, in your area.
Why isn’t your mobility scooter being accepted ?
In certain cases, your mobility scooter may be turned down because –
- not new enough
- there isn’t enough space to store it
- some organizations lack the facilities for sanitization
- used mobility scooters have no valid warranty
Tax deductions on donations
Keep your receipt for any donations that you make to any charities, if you are hoping to get a tax deduction – the IRS will require the receipt for the item.
I’m Gareth, the author and owner of Looking After Mom and Dad.com
I have been a caregiver for over 10 yrs and share all my tips here.
