St. Louis HELP Free Loans of Home Health Equipment Dramatically Increase in 2016

FEBRUARY 7, 2017, St. Louis, Missouri…2016 was a record-breaking year for the nonprofit St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (St. Louis HELP). The organization generated substantial increases in free loans of home health devices; health equipment loan requests; total value of items loaned; and increases in almost every category including service benefits generated in metro St. Louis.

“Our data for 2016 reflects increasing needs for home health equipment in greater St. Louis by people who rely on St. Louis HELP for the free loans of home medical devices that we provide,” said Executive Director Laura Cannon-Singer, who founded the organization in 2008.

“We are pleased that St. Louis HELP broke previous records of service and showed increases in almost every category of measurement, including the value of home health items that we loaned and hours committed by volunteers. Yet we are aware this is a sign that the community needs more of the services that we provide,” she said.

St. Louis HELP is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization that collects, cleans and revitalizes used and new home health equipment to make no-cost loans of that equipment to people suffering from accidents, illness or disability.

St. Louis HELP freely loans wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers, crutches, shower chairs, tub benches, grab bars, portable commodes, lift chairs, gait belts, pediatric equipment and additional medical equipment to any person, caregiver or family that needs it. All equipment has been cleaned and reconditioned by a team of skilled craftsmen and volunteers before it is loaned to anyone.

“If it’s not good enough for your grandmother to use, we don’t loan it,” Cannon-Singer said.

The organization operates a free lending warehouse in Olivette, 63132. The warehouse is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for anyone who needs to borrow home health equipment or to drop off donations of equipment. (Appointments required. Call 314 567 4700.)

Some of the results that St. Louis HELP generated in 2016 over service activity in 2015 include:

7,464 items loaned in 2016 vs. 5,570 in 2015 (A new record number)
3,234 direct program participants in 2016 vs. 2,639
1,617 caregivers benefitted in 2016 vs. 1,320
6,763 total beneficiaries in 2016 vs. 6,007
105 total tons of equipment lent to beneficiaries in 2016 vs. 78
2,121 Volunteer Hours in 2016 vs. 1,865
3,066 Calls to Donate Items in 2016 vs. 2,251
13,801 Calls to Request Items in 2016 vs. 11,853
172 tons of equipment actively recycled (diverted from landfills) in 2016 vs. 150 tons
$3,255,990 in total community benefit in 2016 vs. $2,539,998
$351,280 in financial gifts and grants received in 2016 vs. $327,788

“In addition to these results for 2016, St. Louis HELP generated $9.27 in community benefit for every $1 in cash donations that we received,” Cannon-Singer said.

“Our goal in 2017 is to increase the number of equipment donations that we receive at our lending warehouse and during the equipment donation drives that we conduct twice a year, and to increase our number of volunteers,” said Cannon-Singer.

“We also hope to attract new financial donors for St. Louis HELP as our expenses continue to increase,” she said.

All proceeds from a special Trivia Night hosted by Keystone of St. Louis on Friday, March 10th will benefit St. Louis HELP. The event will occur at the Christy Banquet Center, 5856 Christy Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, 63116
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Doors open at 6:45 p.m. and trivia starts at 7:30 p.m. Tables for eight people are available. Tickets at $40 per person include trivia contests, pasta, sandwiches, salad, a full bar and cash games! Tables will go fast – sign up today at http://keystoneofstlouis.org/2017/01/2017-trivia-night.

For more information about St. Louis HELP, please call 314 567 4700, see our Facebook page or see our website http://www.stlhelp.org.
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St. Louis HELP is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization that collects, cleans and revitalizes used and new home health equipment to make no-cost loans of that equipment to people suffering from accidents, illness or disability.

Laura Cannon Singer Executive Director St. Louis HELP 1640 Andrew Drive St. Louis, MO 63122

This release was published on openPR.