Recently, we’ve had calls from people compelled to return a device to us because of the sticker that says, “Return to REquipment.”

Most of the time, this is appropriate because they no longer need the device. But sometimes, that’s not the whole story.

Please don’t call us if the equipment is still serving you or a family member. Our REquipment devices are not loaners. They are yours to keep.

If there comes a point where you are no longer using the device you received from us (or another device), then by all means, donate it to us if it still has life left to give. We want to keep the love going.

But a device provided to you by REquipment is yours.

Did you get a wheelchair from insurance (finally)?

Did someone pass another wheelchair to you?

Are you spotting our sticker and feeling like you better call us yesterday? (Because who are you to have that chair now?)

If it’s still serving you or your family member, or if it’s better than the other chair that came your way, keep it. It’s great to have a second chair in case your primary chair fails. It’s also helpful to have different chairs for different uses or environments.

You get to decide.

But if you are done with that wheelchair, lift, shower bench–or whatever–please donate it back to us, and we’ll find it another great home.

Like yours.

And don’t forget to look for additional items you may need in our inventory when selecting a larger item. We can deliver smaller assistive technology devices at the same time for the same $20 delivery fee. We understand the need for several pieces of equipment. They serve different functions.

As our website says: “Find what you need. Donate what you are no longer using.”

Donate your equipment

Donate $$

Donations! Donations! Donations!  So many kinds of donations keep the REquipment program operating.

Looking for a way to help your neighbors acquire free, gently used, durable medical equipment and assistive technology? Last year, we received well over 101 equipment donations. 2,225 devices, to be exact! We are so grateful to this community that makes this wonderful program possible.

“Thank you for all that you do for people like me. These are very expensive. I will now be able to get into bed/wheelchair and vehicle as I am no longer strong enough to do this myself.” – A man in Hardwick who requested a transfer board

Here’s the latest on what REquipment needs to serve more individuals with disabilities of all ages:

• Shower chairs. REquipment found new homes for 259 shower chairs last fiscal year, and now we need more, especially in the Worcester area. Please contact us if you have a shower chair you are not using. We can arrange a drop-off or pick-up of durable medical equipment and other large or heavy items.
• Devices for computer access. Recently, we found a new home for a foot-controlled mouse with a young adult who has cerebral palsy in Harwich Port. We’d love more items like this, including specialized keyboards and ergonomic pointers. REquipment has regional drop-off locations in New Bedford, E. Bridgewater, Salem, Worcester, W. Springfield, Amherst, and Pittsfield. We do not pick up smaller items.
• A warehouse in the northeast. We think big. We went statewide just a few years after our Greater Boston pilot in 2014. We have terrific partners (especially in the State House) who helped make that happen. We’d love to grow our capacity to reach further into communities that need us. Maybe you know someone with a building to donate to our 501(c)3 that would make a great regional reuse center?
• Devices for daily living. Do you have shoehorns or specialized utensils like weighted cutlery you are not using? Or perhaps a reacher-grabber tool? Last year, REquipment provided 135 devices of all kinds that support daily living tasks. Often, these are selected from our inventory at the same time as a larger piece of equipment, and we deliver all of them together. Donations of smaller items may be dropped off at one of our regional dropoff sites, and we very much appreciate them.
• Donations of money. It takes a lot more than equipment to keep our operation operational. Every single gift makes a difference. $45 will buy a pair of manual wheelchair armrests. $15 will purchase a bottle of Simple Green disinfectant. $80,000 will replace our oldest lift-equipped van for delivering durable medical equipment statewide. $5 buys one-third of a bottle of Simple Green (you get the idea). And, of course, accompanying notes like this are priceless:

“In memory of my dad, Harold Kams, who found independence and joy in his last year of life with the red scooter from REquipment.”

Donate equipment
Donate dollars

The Many Benefits of a Tilt-in-Space Wheelchair

A guest post from REquipment Program Director Dan Perkins, ATP

A tilt-in-space manual wheelchair, or a power wheelchair with a power tilt function, has many benefits that most people are unaware of. These include:

• Pressure Relief
  On average, people move 30 times per hour when seated. Sitting in an upright position, gravity pushes down on the body, creating pressure on our buttocks and thighs. Tilting back transfers some of that pressure to our back and head. This not only reduces the risk of developing a pressure injury but also improves comfort.
• Respiratory Function
  When sitting upright, many people tend to slump forward into a kyphotic position, which may cause impaired respiratory function. Tilting back can open up the thoracic area and reduce the risk of respiratory complications.
• Edema Management
  To manage swelling of legs, ankles, and feet, a user’s legs should be elevated at or above the heart level. A tilt-in-space wheelchair allows them to achieve this.
• “Whine in the Spine”
  Back pain is a common complaint for anyone spending time upright in a regular wheelchair. Tilting back allows the spine to relax in a more natural position, improving comfort and sitting tolerance.
• Patient Lift Transfers
  People who need maximum assistance transferring in or out of a wheelchair using a lift are often at risk of injury, as are their caregivers. Using a tilt-in-space wheelchair allows the caregiver to position the person more easily and safely.

REquipment has several tilt-in-space wheelchairs available now. They are available in pediatric and adult models and may be labeled “complex” with tilt-in-space as an included feature.

One example is the pediatric Permobil K450 MX. Please help us find this incredible complex power chair an appropriate home. The chair is loaded with features, including a power seat-to-floor option, elevation and tilt, adjustable backrest angle, flip-up armrests, seating controls, lap belt, cushioned seating, padded backrest, and transportation options. The seat-to-floor height is 3″—26″. The weight limit is 125 lbs.

All our devices are sanitized, equipped with new batteries, and free to Massachusetts residents. We charge just $20 for delivery, and we deliver anywhere in Massachusetts.

Search our inventory and request what you need today.

Dear REquipment community,

Happy Disability Pride Month! We are celebrating by celebrating you.

Please send us a favorite picture with your durable medical equipment and assistive technology. Or just a favorite picture that best expresses your disability pride. Tell us a little bit about what pride and/or REquipment means to you. Or just share an image. We are thrilled to have this warm supportive community that makes equipment reuse possible. With your trust and donations, we are moving more devices into homes in Massachusetts than ever before. Our goal? Full community inclusion. Help us to amplify your voices. Share how important access to free durable medical equipment and assistive technology is for maximizing independence.

Upload a photo today!

Thank you for all that you do,

The REquipment Team

Congratulations to our 2024 Jennifer Baker Scholar!

Dominique Bassallo is pursuing her Master’s in Occupational Therapy (OT) at American International College in Springfield, MA.

“All people have a right to participate in meaningful occupations,” she asserted in her application for our scholarship opportunity. (“Occupations” is OT-speak for activities.)

“That is what motivates me.”

Dominique will use the $1,000 scholarship award for tuition fees and to update her equipment for her assistive technology sports Level II fieldwork.

Specifically, Dominique will be hitting the slopes!

Working with New England Disabled Sports, she plans to train as a snowboard/ski coaching instructor with clients using adaptive ski/riding equipment. “I had the opportunity to shadow a lesson this winter, and it was amazing to see the athletes outfitted in their equipment and excited to hit the mountain.”

Dominique was first drawn to the field of occupational therapy because of the link between mental health and meaningful activities. She writes that she has always enjoyed sports and “the functional use of my body in these occupations” and is determined to assist others to experience the same satisfaction.

REquipment, Inc. is delighted to support this passion, especially since it grew out of Dominique’s experience working as a caregiver to individuals with disabilities who rely on assistive technology and durable medical equipment. Her application sketched an impressive journey to deciding on occupational therapy. She writes of seeing first-hand the power assistive technology has to empower individuals with significant disabilities.

We were also impressed by her thoughtful response on the role of reuse: “[My client] taught me about reuse and sustainability opportunities with AT/DME through donating her previous power chairs.” Going forward, she knows it will be her responsibility to educate DME users on the use and care of their equipment, she explains, and also how to pay it forward by donating what they are no longer using.

This is exactly the mindset REquipment is working to create, and we are thrilled to be the program Dominique will turn to for years to come as she supports her clients to maximize their independence and “participate in meaningful occupations.”

Congratulations Dominique!

The Jennifer Baker Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 award that honors the memory of our beloved program director, who passed away at the beginning of 2022. Jen Baker was a lifelong learner who helped build the REquipment program.

Great news!

REquipment’s inventory now has a shipping option for assistive technology (AT) items. For months, this has been a bit of a wrenching matter. Shipping is expensive, often more expensive than items like a shoe horn or fidget toy. We’re not able to be Amazon. So, how do we get you your AT?

There are three ways requesters obtain the AT devices in our inventory:

1. We deliver it along with requested durable medical equipment (DME).
   Need a wheelchair? Or a shower bench? If you’ve used our program in the past, you know we deliver for a flat $20 fee, regardless of how many items are delivered. This goes for AT, as well, so remember to browse our inventory. We are more than happy to deliver a reacher-grabber tool and a cup holder with that wheelchair you’re requesting.
2. You pick it up.
   We can also arrange for AT and DME devices to be collected from a reuse center location (for no charge).
3. We ship the AT to you for a flat $20 fee.
   This option is new, but we know it doesn’t make sense for everything in our inventory. However, we will bundle items for this fee, and some individual AT items are well worth paying $20 for shipping and handling.

We also plan to distribute AT devices at events and outreach fairs to raise awareness of our inventory and get more items to more people. So stop by our table; you may come away with a simple device that can make a big difference at home, school, or work!

Ever wonder about that hand cyclist on our home page?

Aimee Terrill acted fast when she saw a handcycle in our inventory. A handcycle is a three-wheeled recumbent bike that’s powered by a user’s arms instead of their legs. Aimee has paraplegia due to a spinal cord injury from an accident she had while in college in North Carolina. She fell from a tree, but she still loves the outdoors. And a handcycle is a great way to get heart-pumping exercise.

REquipment receives, at best, 15-20 donations of adaptive sports equipment each year. The demand for it is high, and items don’t remain long in our inventory.

It’s not hard to see why.

Exercise is medicine, and everyone benefits from a healthy lifestyle, especially individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). The leading cause of mortality for persons living with an SCI is cardiovascular disease. Aimee snapped up this handcycle within a day or two of its posting.

For many individuals with disabilities, adaptive sports and recreation also enhance well-being and self-esteem. Participants find new personal limits, expend pent-up emotions, and experience camaraderie and a wider community. For some, participation helps overcome feeling fragile or overprotected. Adaptive sports may also provide a sense of purpose.

So why aren’t more people with disabilities recreating?

Often, it’s the cost. Adaptive recreation equipment is expensive and out of reach for the average budget, and specialized equipment is rarely covered by insurance. “I knew, realistically, there wouldn’t be a chance that I could afford the adaptive equipment I wanted,” Aimee, who teaches special education, told us.

Aimee moved to the Worcester area in 2020. To get exercise, she attended sports expos and started a wheelchair basketball league at the local YMCA.  Then she checked the REquipment website.

There, she was stunned to find a Top End XLT handcycle. She was further stunned by how fast we provided her with the equipment. “I always have words… but I was and still am speechless,” she told us.

You can see Aimee spinning around her neighborhood in the video loop on our homepage. She sent us the video of her ecstatic first ride.

We’d like more of our Massachusetts neighbors to find adaptive recreation equipment that can improve their health and well-being. We are currently accepting donations of indoor and outdoor recreation equipment. If you have adaptive equipment that you are no longer using, donate it and help us brighten a neighbor’s life.

Last year, this young man’s mom found an adaptive tricycle in our inventory.

His picture is worth a thousand words.

And the trike is worth about $1,500!

Want to learn more about adaptive recreation and have a great day in the outdoors? Check out the upcoming DCR Universal Access Program Adaptive Recreation Fair! June 8, 2024, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Brighton.

Cera Fredette, REquipment Technician, cleaning a power wheelchair in Worcester.

45 Tons

Perhaps you’ve seen this figure on Facebook. (We’ve been boasting it often.) REquipment diverted 45 tons of valuable, durable medical equipment from disposal in FY23.

But how do we know?

It’s actually not that difficult. 45 tons is the sum of the average weight of each device type multiplied by the number of those items that we found a new home for in FY23.

Here’s how it broke down last year:

An average of 246 lbs. per day makes every day Earth Day at REquipment!

Often, we hear how important preventing waste and preserving the environment is to you. There was the man who explained,  “I have a real problem throwing this kind of thing away that someone else can use.” And the woman who admitted, “I can afford to buy it, but then what? That’s just more stuff headed to the landfill.”

We hear you, and that’s why we’re here: to ensure people get what they need and prevent the disposal of devices that enhance independence, quality of life, and safety in and out of the home.

Unfortunately, since the middle of February, we’ve had to close to donations because our storage space is full. We are working to consolidate storage units and create capacity to reopen. The best way to keep up with our donations moratorium is by visiting our Donations webpage. There, we post what we are taking. We are currently accepting donations of assistive technology only.

Thank you for understanding and for your dedication to keeping useful and often expensive equipment from scrap metal piles. If you can wait for our reopening, we will do our best to get to you soon. In the meantime, we are busy refurbishing a backlog of donations. Truly, they represent an outpouring of love for our community and planet, and we are so grateful.

You make every day Earth Day at REquipment.