One Donation, Many Lives: Gently-Used Equipment Needed at the MMEC

Many people waiting for non-lifesaving procedures have been discharged from area hospitals due to the Coronavirus epidemic, leaving some struggling to cope with ongoing medical and mobility issues during the stay-at-home-order.

As a result, the Meyer Medical Equipment Center (MMEC) has seen an increase in requests for equipment from both hospitals and individuals looking for discharged patients.   Unfortunately, we have also seen a decrease in items being donated to our center.

How you can help

That old wheelchair gathering dust in your storage unit or garage could be the key to mobility and relative comfort for a person being discharged, allowing for safe transport from the hospital and improved mobility around their home. The MMEC will continue to accept donations of durable medical equipment while the stay-at-home order is in effect, including:

• Wheelchairs and transport chairs,
• Tub transfer benches,
• Shower chairs,
• Commodes,
• Walkers,
• Canes,
• Transfer poles and grab bars,
• CPAP machines (recent models only please),
• Nebulizers,
• Dressing aids,
• Hospital beds,
• Patient lifts,
• And more.

High Demand Items

Requests for certain items come thicker and faster than others, especially now as so many people find themselves heading home from medical establishments sooner than anticipated. The MMEC gratefully accepts all durable medical equipment that meets our guidelines, but at the moment, the following items are particularly appreciated.

Transport chairs are light, foldable wheelchairs that have four small wheels and are designed to be pushed by a second person. They are half the weight of a wheelchair (20 lbs. vs. 40 lbs.), making them ideal for caregivers/spouses transporting their loved ones outside the home, easing their load and reducing the risk of back injuries.

One of the more familiar pieces of adaptive equipment, manual wheelchairs have large rear wheels with handrings that allow the user to navigate independently. Many manual chairs do fold, and these are particularly helpful for those who need a chair to get from their vehicle to their home after discharge—though all types will be gratefully accepted.  

Donating to the MMEC

We accept donations of medical equipment at both of our warehouses. To make a donation, just drop by either location during our regular business hours. Please visit our website for more information on donating to the MMEC, including the types of equipment we accept. Please give us a call if your donation(s) will not fit in your vehicle, we will be happy to schedule a pick-up.

Driving and transit directions for both locations can be found on our website.

Our model: One donation, many lives

The MMEC provides loans of medical and mobility equipment to all comers on a sliding scale, donate-what-you-can basis. We collect gently-used equipment, like wheelchairs, walkers, canes, bathroom equipment, Hoyer lifts, CPAP machines and more, which we then clean, disinfect, and repair as needed before distributing to those in need. Items are returned to our facility when they are no longer needed, and the process repeats itself, allowing us to serve a succession of people through each item donated to our organization.

Thank you for supporting our work

All of us at Bridge feel privileged to work on the front lines during the current crisis: providing essential support to our friends and neighbors and continuing to combat isolation during an isolating time. Every dollar donated, piece of equipment passed on, encouraging word emailed, or social media post “liked” helps us to pursue our goal of creating a more accessible world for our friends, neighbors, and in many cases, ourselves. Thank you from everyone in the Bridge community–staff, volunteers, and those served through our programs—we remain grateful for your continued support.

Categorised in: Medical Equipment, MMEC