Making a donation of a gently used overbed table, for which you no longer have a use, can have a profound impact on someone else’s life, especially if they are bed bound. And as I have found, while writing all my articles, that there are many opportunities for you to donate to people who truly are in need, and possibly less fortunate, than you and I.
Where to donate overbed tables ? State Assistive Technology Projects, state online equipment exchanges, reuse centers, community loan closets (state and local), bikur cholim, non-profit charities, thrift stores, medical equipment refurbishment projects, faith-based organizations, local churches, private individuals on classified websites, social media platforms with marketplaces, senior centers and veterans centers are all places that you can donate over bed table to.
Contents Overview & Quicklinks
Donating overbed tables to State Assistive Technology Programs
Donating overbed tables to refurbishing and reuse Centers
Donating overbed tables to Centers for Independent Living
Donating overbed tables to Loan Closets
National and international organizations which accept medical equipment donations
Online listing sites where you can donate overbed tables near you
Donating overbed tables in your neighborhood
Organizations near you which may know where to donate overbed tables
Donating over bed tables to State Assistive Technology Programs
State Assistive Technology Programs (AT Programs) – these state programs designed to increase access for the public to assistive technology devices.
The programs will typically have equipment lending libraries, demonstration centers, online exchanges, and a network of reuse and refurbishing centers, all of which need equipment.
Members of the public, if they qualify may be shown how particular types of equipment work, and if they need it, they may receive a loan of that equipment, which they may use for the period required.
Your overbed table would make a very generous gift to those who get their equipment through the program in your state.
On your State AT Program website, you can find out more about how to make an equipment donation, just click on your state in the list below.
Click on your state to go to your State AT Program website
Donating overbed tables to Refurbishment and Reuse Centers
A refurbishment center will take equipment donations and, will do any maintenance if necessary, sanitize it, and then redistribute the items.
A reuse center will accept your donation and, if it is in good enough condition, pass it on to another person.
If you donate your elderly equipment to a refurbishment or reuse center, both will, in the majority of cases, redistribute it to the uninsured, those who have a very low income, or to disabled individuals.
Donating overbed tables to Centers for Independent Living
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
Centers for Independent Living typically run loan closets with all types of durable medical assistive equipment for the benefit and support of their disabled members to which you can donate, and who will gratefully receive donation of “gently used” equipment.
To find the nearest center to you, check this website.
Donating overbed tables to community Medical Equipment Loan Closets
What do I mean by a medical equipment loan closet ?
A medical equipment loan closet is a collection of items of durable medical equipment which are all available to the local, or wider community, to be taken out on loan- it may service a small neighborhood, a whole town, a county, or part of a state.
Some will lend equipment to anyone in their community, and others will only loan equipment to those who qualify under specific criteria – those with the greatest need tend to come first.
If you donate your overbed table to a loan closet, you will make a difference in lots of people’s lives, and it will typically be available for borrowing for free.
How to find medical equipment loan closet in your area ?
I suggest doing what I do, which is to start by using a few specific search terms –
- I always start searching online with the following 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” – I do each search in the order listed above
- if you didn’t have any luck with the searches, I would make inquiries with your county Area Agency on Aging – the agencies are responsible for helping the over 60s in gaining access to the community services available to them – use the agency locator tool to find your county agency here
- find out if your local human resources or seniors department operate a medical loan closet for seniors, or the wider community, or if they know of any
- do searches on the internet for local reuse or medical equipment refurbishing centers and make inquiries about loan closets with them
- Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and American Legion Posts are another great resource, as they often run loan closets for their communities, and may be aware of any others in their localvicinity
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
For members of the Jewish community you have – Bikur Cholim or Medical Equipment Gemacht – they will always be grateful for the gift of an overbed table.
You can search here to find one near you, on the Chesed Match website.
National and International organizations which accept donations of overbed tables
Goodwill
To donate your overbed table, locate a store near you and give them a call – https://www.goodwill.org/locator/
Salvation Army
To donate your overbed table, click on the following link – https://satruck.org/
EasterSeals
To locate your local affiliate to make your donation of an overbed table, use this link – https://www.easterseals.com/connect-locally/
The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations
Their website page for donating is here – http://www.pqmd.org/pillars/donation-guidelines/
Project Cure
Their website page for donating your overbed table is here – https://projectcure.org/donate-supplies-equipment
REMEDY – Recovered Medical Equipment for the developing World
To donate your overbed table to REMEDY, use this web page here – https://www.med-eq.org/Login/form.aspx?type=donate&quick=1
Advocates for World Health
The page for donating your overbed table is here – https://awhealth.org/donate-medical-equipment/
Esperenca
To donate your overbed table, go here – https://www.esperanca.org/donate-supplies/
MedShare
Got to the MedShare website to donate your overbed table here – https://www.medshare.org/
HERO Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
You can find about donating your overbed table 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
Global Links
To donate your overbed table, go to this website page – https://www.globallinks.org/our-work/programs/medical-surplus-recovery-program/individual-and-community-surplus-recovery
Global Mobility USA
You can contact them and donate your overbed table at this web address – http://www.globalmobilityusa.org/equipment-and-in-kind-donations
Medical Bridges
This is the donation page on their website – http://www.medicalbridges.org/donate/medical-supplies-and-equipment
Online classified listing sites where you can donate an overbed table near you
This is my preferred method, because the online classified listings and social media platforms allow me to select to donate to someone in my neighborhood, which means I am not going to have to go a long way to do everything.
You will need to know a few things if you go this route –
1) You have to prioritize the safety, privacy and well-being of any elderly person you may be caring for in your home. Don’t have total strangers coming through your home for the overbed table pick-up.
2) Organize the pick-up in a public place – a car park or a mall café, for example. And ladies, I would take a friend, so you aren’t alone.
2) If you use a classified listing, such as Craigslist for your donation, I would recommend using a throwaway email address, so that your private email doesn’t get swamped in spam messages.
3) In the description of your item in the ad/posting, you need to clearly state that you are donating your overbed table in the condition “as is”, and that you accept no liability for anything which may happen after it has been donated.
Online platforms where you can donate items for free-
- Craigslist.com
- UsedHME.com
- Nextdoor.com
- Facebook.com
- Freecycle.org
- OfferUp.com
If you have never donated an item on the platforms I listed, I have short illustrated guides on how to donate new, or used, medical, equipment on each one –
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 on overbed table in your neighborhood
If you prefer to do things face to face, I would talk to people at some of the following places in your neighborhood –
- Local Hospitals
- Emergency rooms
- 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 an overbed table
If none of what I have suggested has worked for you, here are the organizations in your area who may know where you can donate your equipment –
Area Agency On Aging
I have already suggested Area Agencies on Aging, but I will do it here again, as they really are the number one port of call for anything that may deal with the elderly and any available services. Use this link to find your Area Agency on Aging and then give them a call – click here.
Social Services
The Social Services department for your area should know of charities running programs that may need durable medical equipment.
Faith-based Charities
The Catholic Charities and Society of St Vincent de Paul have chapters across large parts of the US which provide programs and offer multiple services to the homeless, refugees, low income families and victims of abuse.
I would certainly contact the chapter in your area, of either or both charities, as they may know of any loan closets, or individuals who would appreciate your donation.
To locate the chapter in your area, and its programs, do an online search for “name of the charity + where you live”.
Local Town Hall or Chamber of Commerce
I would also suggest going to your Town Hall or Chamber of Commerce, to ask if they have the records of any nonprofit organizations, charities refurbishing and redistributing durable medical equipment in your area, and you can take it from there.
Why isn’t your overbed table donation being accepted ?
There are a number of reasons for which your donation isn’t being accepted –
- it may not be in the best shape
- used equipment will usually need to be sanitized, and not everyone is equipped for this
- used equipment has no warranty
- your state laws governing the reuse of medical equipment may not allow for an item’s reuse
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.
