Several organizations exist that help to give and receive
wheelchair equipment. Organizations that accept
wheelchair equipment donations typically attempt to identify
recipients and match them with the donated equipment they have
received. Organizations that accept donations in the form of money
for wheelchairs typically have the wheelchairs manufactured and
distributed in large amounts, often in developing countries.
Organizations that accept and/or distribute used
wheelchairs
These organizations receive donations of wheelchair equipment and
then attempt to identify recipients to match with the donated
equipment. They also often refurbish the wheelchairs before they
give them to someone else. They typically operate in regional
areas, and usually have difficulty getting wheelchairs to people
outside of their areas of operations because of the large costs
associated with transporting wheelchair equipment.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- NSCIA (The National Spinal Cord Injury
Association) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c)(3)
organization serving people with spinal cord injuries and diseases,
their families and the entire SCI community since 1948. This link
goes to the chapters that cover each state.
Areas Covered: National
- Wheels of Love is a nonprofit organization
established for the purpose of assisting individuals in receiving a
manual wheelchair.
Areas Covered: National; International: USA, Russia, Kenya,
Mongolia Sudi Arabia
- LifeNets - The Wheelchair Project matches
donated wheelchairs with needy recipients who cannot afford or
qualify for wheelchairs in the United States. The organization
networks with medical missionary organizations and individuals to
access and provide donated wheelchairs. We network with medical
missionary organizations and individuals like yourself who provide
the wheelchairs we need.
Areas Covered: National; International
- Chariots of Hope is a nonprofit organization
established for the purpose of collecting used wheelchairs. The
donated wheelchairs are then repaired and distributed, at no cost
to the recipient, to those in need.
Areas Covered: National: Connecticut, Massachusetts Area;
International: South Africa, Peru, Anguilla, Haiti, Ghana,
Gulgaria, Tanzania
- Muscular
Dystrophy Association (MDA) is a voluntary health
agency dedicated to fighting over 40 neuromuscular diseases through
scientific research, widespread professional and public health
education, and local support services. Local MDA offices across the
United States, including Puerto Rico, need donations of various
types of medical equipment -- including manual and powered
wheelchairs, powered scooters, hospital beds, lift chairs, walkers,
hydraulic (hoyer) lifts, communication devices and other items. MDA
Donated equipment is repaired and provided at no cost to local
individuals affected by any of the disorders in MDA’s purview. Call
1-800-572-1717 or visit MDA’s Web site www.mda.org.
Areas Covered: National
BY STATE
- (Convalescent Aid Society) or (CAS)
The Convalescent Aid Society helps improve the quality of life of
residents in Pasadena, California and its neighboring communities
through the free loan of medical equipment for in-home use. Started
in 1923 by a Registered Nurse and a group of women, it has provided
wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, bed pans, diapers, hospital beds,
etc--absolutely free--no questions asked. The equipment can be
brand new or refurbished by staff. They even do deliveries and
pick-ups for those who have no means of transportation. In any
given day there are 8,000 residents who are moving around
independently because of this organization. There are two ways
people can support this fine institution:
1. By telling others about their services and
2. By donating financially to their cause.
You can reach them at 3255 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA
91107 or call (626) 793-1696
Areas Covered: Pasadena and its neighboring cities in the San
Gabriel Valley, Southern California.
- Friends
of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) provides
wheelchairs and other medical supplies to people in the metro
Atlanta, Georgia area with disabilities.
Areas Covered: Southeast United States: Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee
- The Mobility Project exists to serve disabled
people living in poverty throughout the developing nations of the
world by:
- Delivering and individually fitting refurbished mobility aids
such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and other medical equipment
to the disabled in need.
- Providing sports programs for the disabled, to help them
achieve greater confidence and health as well as ability with their
mobility equipment.
- Building wheelchair refurbishing and manufacturing facilities
in some of the countries where we work, to provide vocational
training for local people with disabilities, as well as an ongoing
source for repairs to mobility aids to other disabled people in the
area.
- Wheels for Humanity refurbishes donated
wheelchairs and individually fits them to children and adults with
disabilities in developing nations. The organization partners with
international health-care organizations to identify those in
greatest need.
Organizations that accept monetary donations for new
wheelchairs
These organizations typically have the wheelchairs manufactured in
China, and distributed by container-load to ports of developing
countries. The organizations often partner with
non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) that are in the destination countries.
These NGOs usually act as the consignees at the ports, transport
the wheelchairs on land, and identify recipients for the
wheelchairs.
- Free Wheelchair
Mission Partners with worldwide charitable
organizations to create and donate wheelchairs to physically
challenged individuals living in 46 countries.
- Wheelchair
Foundation Individuals, groups and corporate donors
sponsor shipments of wheelchairs manufactured in China, then
delivered directly to many countries for people who need a
wheelchair but can not afford one. Since 2000, WF has delivered
over 640,000 wheelchairs to 150 countries. The foundation
partners with various service
organizations, including Rotary International
, Knights of
Columbus and Sister
Cities International.
- Wine for Wheels An international association
of wine enthusiasts dedicated to the "fruit of the vine" and
bringing great wine, fine cuisine, and good friends together, at
the same time providing wheelchair donations and philanthropic
support. Wine for Wheels works in conjunction with the AA program
and all proceeds are donated to DUI lawyers
Other wheelchair-related organizations
These organizations don't necessarily accept donations of
wheelchairs or money to purchase wheelchairs, but they deal with
something related to wheelchairs.
- Special Kids Fund Special Kids Fund is an
alliance of schools, hospitals, and social service organizations
that providing for the special needs of children with disabilities
and at-risk youth. Through the Special Kids Fund Vehicles for the Disabled
Program, donated wheelchair vans and vehicles are given to
physically disabled persons who are not able to afford them.
- Whirlwind Wheelchair International Whirlwind
does not take or provide wheelchair donations. Rather the
engineering company provides the teaching and technology to help
developing countries manufacture, fit and provide long-term
mobility support to communities in need. In particular, this
organization has developed the whirlwind wheelchair, which uses the
principle of open source
design.
- Motivation Motivation does not accept
donations of wheelchairs. It is a development organisation which
works in partnership to establish wheelchair services in developing
countries.
- Thewheellife.com The Wheel Life is a social
network specifically for wheel chair users families and
carers.
See also
Wikis
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