Where Can You Donate a Wheelchair Lift?
If you have a wheelchair lift or other durable medical equipment you no longer need, donating it to a nonprofit organization is a wonderful way to help an individual or family in need. There are several state-based, national, and international organizations that accept everything from lightly used to heavily used and even broken medical equipment (for parts) and can often give you a receipt for your donations for tax purposes.
State-Based Organizations That Accept Durable Medical Equipment
The following are just a few examples of state-based organizations that accept medical equipment. Similar organizations exist nationwide.
Colorado
People who have used equipment like vehicle lifts and vertical platform lifts in Denver, Colorado can reach out to GoodHealthWill and Kids Mobility Network to discuss donating their used lifts.
GoodHealthWill
Loveland location: Ph. 970-624-6002
Greeley location: Ph. 970-515-6935
Brighton location: Ph. 303-558-0671
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoodHealthwill
Kids Mobility Network, Inc.
Located in Sheridan
Website: www.kidsmobility.org
California
Get A Cane
Get a Cane is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves the San Diego and Bay Area counties. This organization receives and distributes mobility devices to economically disadvantaged people in the community who need them.
Georgia
Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC)
Friends of Disabled Adults and Children provides wheelchairs and other medical equipment to people with disabilities in the Atlanta metro area.
Kansas
Kansas Equipment Exchange
Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center - Equipment Exchange
The Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center’s Equipment Exchange program accepts donations of power and manual wheelchairs, hospital beds, wheelchair lifts, and other assistive technology devices. You can learn more by calling 866-666-1470. Alternatively, call 800-526-3648 for your nearest location in Kansas.
Where to Donate Your Used Wheelchair Lift Around the United States
The following are among the major national organizations that may accept your used wheelchair.
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
The MDA accepts donations of used medical equipment throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. If you have a manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, mobility scooter, hospital bed, walker, lift chair, wheelchair lift, or other medical equipment, the MDA will refurbish it and give it to a local individual in need.
The Kids Equipment Network
This charitable organization gives refurbished durable medical equipment to children and youth with disabilities whose families aren't able to pay for adaptive equipment. To ask whether you can offer your wheelchair lift for donation, call 630-965-8176.
Med-Eq
This is an online platform where people can list their used medical equipment and be contacted by a nonprofit organization that can take the specific equipment they have. Allow two weeks after posting to be contacted about the pick-up or delivery of your wheelchair lift.
International Medical Equipment Donations
There are also a number of international organizations in need of used wheelchairs.
Direct Relief International
Direct Relief International gives a wide range of specially requested medical equipment to community organizations in more than 140 countries around the world. If someone has requested a wheelchair lift, your donation could be exactly what they need.
Medshare
MedShare dedicates itself to redistributing surplus medical supplies to underserved healthcare facilities in developing countries. They accept many kinds of lightly used medical equipment, so it's worth asking whether they can take your wheelchair lift.
Tips When Donating Used Medical Equipment
There are a few things to keep in mind when donating old medical equipment to make sure it reaches the right person and is used safely once it arrives:
Be up-front about the condition of the lift. Gently used medical equipment is the easiest to donate because it can simply be cleaned, checked over, and given to an individual in need. Old medical equipment, in contrast, may need significant repairs or might be best used for parts. Be clear about the condition of your wheelchair lift from the start so that it can be repaired correctly and used safely by the new owner.
Think about hygiene and disease. This is more of an issue with hospital beds, but if the person who used the wheelchair lift had a contagious disease, it's important to have it professionally cleaned and sterilized before donating or reselling the lift.
Consider the pros and cons of donating vs. reselling. If you'd like to recuperate some of your investment and resell your wheelchair lift, you could simply list it in an online marketplace. Include all of the specifications (dimensions, materials, indoor or outdoor, type of lift) so that potential buyers can see whether it would fit their space. In many cases, you'll get a higher value for your used medical equipment by donating it to a tax-deductible organization and asking for a receipt than you would by selling the equipment online. Non-cash donations are appraised by their fair market value. Moreover, a nonprofit organization will make sure the lift is well-fitted and installed safely in the recipient's home, whereas you have no such assurance when selling online.
Donate Your Used Wheelchair Lift and Change a Life
It can take a little time, patience, and logistical coordination to donate a used platform lift, but for the lift recipient, your gift could help them enjoy a new level of safety and independence when they can’t cover the cost of a wheelchair lift alone.
Remember:
Before donating, contact the organization to ask whether they can accept your wheelchair lift and whether they can offer a tax receipt.
Clean the lift and have it sterilized, and be sure to have it dismantled and transported safely to prevent injuries from improper handling.
Once your lift has arrived at its destination, you can be sure that it will be given to the right person. And as you will know from experience, a wheelchair lift can make a huge difference to someone who uses a wheelchair or mobility scooter. Your donation really can change their life.
If you’re looking for a charity to support, check out our list of Top 5 Helpful Charities for Disabled Young Adults.