Donating any lightly used medical equipment, can have a great impact on another person’s life. Not everyone can afford all the items they need. Gifting items of durable medical equipment is an act of compassion and generosity, and helps someone who may be unable to help themselves. The more you who donate your equipment, the greater the impact that charitable programs can have.
This article is a guide to the different places that typically accept donations of used medical equipment, how to contact them, or if you prefer, how to give person to person using online websites.
Where to donate trapeze bars ? Gently used trapeze bars 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 websites and social media platforms
Contents Overview & Quicklinks
Donating trapeze bars to State Assistive Technology Programs
Donating trapeze bars to refurbishing and reuse Centers
Donating trapeze bars to Centers for Independent Living
Donating trapeze bars to Loan Closets
National and international organizations which accept trapeze bars donations
Online listing sites where you can donate trapeze bars near you
Donating trapeze bars in your neighborhood
Organizations near you which may know where to donate trapeze bars
Donating trapeze bars to State Assistive Technology Programs
State Assistive Technology Programs (AT Programs) – are an option for you to donate your trapeze bar to a statewide system of distribution and reuse.
Your state program has as its goal to increase access, for members of the community within the state, to assistive technology devices, which includes trapeze bars.
An AT program will typically have –
- equipment lending libraries
- demonstration centers
- an online exchange site
- a network of reuse centers and refurbishing centers
all of which work to increasing access for public to assistive technology devices.
Your trapeze donation would be added to the equipment to be loaned to those individuals in need who use the AT program in your state to find their equipment.
To find out about how to donate to your State AT Program, click on your state in the list below.
Click on your state to go to your State AT Program website
Donating your trapeze bars to Refurbishment or Reuse Centers
Medical equipment refurbishment centers and reuse centers represent another worthwhile opportunity to donate your trapeze bars to those who are unable to afford new equipment.
Medical equipment refurbishment centers will gladly take your trapeze bar, do any required maintenance, and find it a new home. Typically, these are non-profit organizations, and they will redistribute to someone who has a low income, no health insurance, or an elderly person in need at as low a cost as possible, or even for free.
Reuse centers will work to redistribute the equipment as well, but they do not necessarily do any work or sanitizing on the equipment, and again very often redistribute to people in need, at a low cost or for free.
You can ask the center you choose, if your donation would be sold or gifted, if this is important to you.
To find a center near you, just do an online search for “medical equipment refurbishing centers” or “reuse centers” near you.
Donating trapeze bars to Centers for Independent Living
Your local Center for Independent Living (CIL) helps individuals with disabilities to live in the community independently –
“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 are usually very pleased to accept donations of any durable medical equipment, including trapeze bars, that they can add to the stock of their loan closet, for the support of their disabled members. Just give them a call and check before you turn up.
The nearest center to you can be found here – website.
Donating trapeze bars to community Medical Equipment Loan Closets
If you wish to donate your trapeze bar in a way which the most possible people may benefit, a medical equipment loan closet is a great way to go.
It’s a community resource, loaning out durable medical equipment to members of the surrounding community.
Loan closets can make a big difference in lots of people’s lives, and play a key role in getting durable medical equipment out to community members in need, typically seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Mostly, the equipment you donate will be loaned out for free, larger, and more valuable items, such as a hospital bed may require a deposit.
Loan closets may service a town, a region or just a neighborhood, and more often than not, they are run by a team of dedicated volunteers.
How to find loan closets in your neighborhood ?
I would begin by doing a few online searches, and if that doesn’t do it, then by contacting a few key places –
- I always use the following 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”
- no luck ? I’d next contact your county Area Agency on Aging and ask them if they know of any DME loan closets – use this locator tool to find your local county agency here
- I would also make inquiries with your local human resources or seniors department, and ask if they run any loan closets, if you got nothing of use from your Area Agency on Aging
- find out about your local reuse or medical equipment refurbishing centers, and see what they know – you can search for these online
- Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and American Legion Posts – these three organizations run many community medical equipment loan closets across the US, so I would find those in your area and ask if they know of any
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 are loan closets run for, and by, members of the Jewish community. They, too, will always be very happy to receive the gift of a trapeze bar.
You can ask where to find one at your local synagogue, Jewish community center, or search on the Chesed Match website.
National and International organizations which accept donations of trapeze bars
Goodwill
To donate your trapeze bars, locate a store near you and give them a call – https://www.goodwill.org/locator/
Salvation Army
To donate your trapeze bars, click on the following link – https://satruck.org/
EasterSeals
To locate your local affiliate to make your trapeze bars donation, use this link – https://www.easterseals.com/connect-locally/
The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations
Their website page for donating trapeze bars is here – http://www.pqmd.org/pillars/donation-guidelines/
Project Cure
Their website page for donating your trapeze bars is here – https://projectcure.org/donate-supplies-equipment
REMEDY – Recovered Medical Equipment for the developing World
To donate your trapeze bars 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 trapeze bars is here – https://awhealth.org/donate-medical-equipment/
Esperenca
To donate your trapeze bars, go here – https://www.esperanca.org/donate-supplies/
MedShare
Got to the MedShare website to donate your trapeze bars here – https://www.medshare.org/
HERO Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
You can find about donating your trapeze bars 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 trapeze bars, 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 donate your trapeze bars 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 listing sites and other social media platforms where you can donate trapeze bars near you
This is for me the most practical way of donating an item online, as it will allow you to donate as locally as you wish. You can select the areas in which your donation advertisement/posting is seen.
A few precautions you may want to think about when donating online –
- write in the item description on your posting that your trapeze bar is being donated “as is”, and that you will not accept any liability for any problems once it is handed over to the new user – once you have written this in the conditions of the donation, the new user has no way of denying that they accepted these conditions
- you need to prioritize the well-being of any elderly persons who may live in your home, as well as their safety, and to respect their privacy. Having strangers come into your home for the item pick-up is not a great idea, as it may not be safe and may also be confusing for an older person
- I would hand over your trapeze bar in a public – a mall or a car park, and if you feel at all vulnerable, why not have a friend go with you
- with websites such as Craigslist, which are online classified listings, don’t use your personal email, use a throwaway email address for your advertisement – it stops the spam from flooding into your personal email
Here’s a list of the online platforms on which you can donate equipment to others for free –
- Craigslist.com
- UsedHME.com
- Nextdoor.com
- Facebook.com
- Freecycle.org
- OfferUp.com
If you’ve never donated an item on one of these sites, I have short illustrated guides on how to donate new, or used, devices 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 – There is already a very good video showing how to use OfferUp, see below.
Donating trapeze bars in your neighborhood
If you would rather not do everything online, why not go and check 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 a trapeze bar
If you are still looking for advice on where to donate your trapeze bar, here are some more organizations to talk to –
Area Agency On Aging
The number one place to get advice about services available to seniors is your Area Agency on Aging, and loan closets are one of the services that seniors often rely on. I’d take any advice they can give you.
Use this link to the Area Agency on Aging locator tool to find the one in your county – click here.
Social Services
Your Social Services department, should be aware of the programs being run by charitable organizations for people in need, including loan closets, in your area.
Faith-based Charities
The Catholic Charities and Society of St Vincent de Paul
Both the Catholic Charities and the Society of St Vincent de Paul work across the US, running programs for low income families, the homeless, refugees, and victims of abuse.
Both of these organizations will be aware of what is happening on the ground in your area, what is needed and who may best appreciate your donation of a trapeze bar.
To find the nearest chapter to you, of either organization, just do a search online for”name of the charity + where you live”.
Local Town Hall or Chamber of Commerce
I would also go and ask your Town Hall and Chamber of Commerce what nonprofit organizations, charities are refurbishing and redistributing durable medical equipment, in their administrative area.
Why isn’t your trapeze bar donation being accepted ?
Some of the reasons for the rejection of donated items could be –
- your trapeze bar may be too beat up or old
- your used equipment may need to be sanitized, and not everyone is equipped for this
- used durable medical equipment will no longer carry a warranty
- state laws governing may have special requirements of the redistribution or resale of certain types of used durable medical equipment
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.
