ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The St. Louis area’s largest and only provider of free health equipment – regardless of income – has expanded service through charitable real estate partnerships with six organizations to create a network of distribution hubs.

Since 2008, the nonprofit St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (St. Louis HELP) has been collecting, repairing, cleaning and giving away home medical equipment to anyone in need. This includes wheelchairs, walkers, pediatric equipment and other medical needs.

St. Louis HELP previously served the area with two warehouses – its headquarters at 9709 Dielman Rock Island Industrial Drive and a warehouse in Crystal City, Mo. In 2022, Karen Lanter was named executive director of St. Louis HELP. She assessed needs and embarked on a plan to expand the organization’s geographic footprint and services through a series of “help hubs.”

“The founders had strong organization in place, but we needed to facilitate greater access to meet the need for health equipment,” says Lanter. “We sought out alliances with organizations that embraced an altruistic mission to help others, something for which St. Louis is well known.”

Lanter was able to secure rent-free space from six organizations throughout the St. Louis area to accept donated health equipment and prepare them to be given away for reuse. Four of them opened this year.

“Partnering with St. Louis HELP gave us an opportunity to extend the support we provide to older adults and their families in the south St Louis County community,” says Jan Keith, director of community engagement at Aging Ahead. “We are grateful to have had the space in our senior center to offer as a HELP HUB location. Not only are community members better able to access the equipment, our agency staff and participants can welcome St. Louis HELP clients into the Aging Ahead family.”

This year, St. Louis HELP has provided health equipment to 1,364 people (through June 30), a 24 percent increase over the same time in 2023 when it served 1,008. The organization is also on pace this year to exceed the record 100 children it served in 2023. By the end of May 2024, it had diverted 48 tons reusable medical equipment from landfills this year. Last year, it diverted 100 tons for the entire year.

“The Care Service is excited to welcome St. Louis Help to our campus,” says Donna Tobin, director of development. “Without the medical equipment provided by St. Louis HELP, many people in our community must choose between meeting their need for medical equipment or paying for food and rent. We are grateful for our partnership with St. Louis HELP as its work aids in our mission to serve those in crisis and prevent homelessness and hunger.”

Those in need of health equipment or donating health equipment are asked to call ahead as there are no walk-in pickups. Used equipment is repaired, cleaned and sanitized for reuse by St. Louis HELP. The equipment is available for free regardless of income and includes:

·        Wheelchairs, both adult and pediatric ·        Walkers, crutches, canes
·        Reachers and grabbers ·        Toileting equipment
·        Pediatric equipment ·        Hoyer lifts
·        Hospital beds, shower, tub and wall grab bars ·        Shower chairs/stools and tub transfer benches
  ·        Lift chairs

 

Founded in 2008 by Laura Cannon, St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (St. Louis HELP) is a 501(C)(3) charity dedicated to securing and providing, free-of-charge, the health equipment necessary to help people in need.

The organization serves St. Louis City and County, Jefferson County and St. Charles County and is supported by donations. Those in need of medical equipment should submit requests at www.stlhelp.org or by calling (314) 897-HELP.