September 23, 2024
REquipment is almost ten years old!
We are gathering stories and data to celebrate, to understand our history, and to understand our impact on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The picture emerging suggests that when individuals and organizations are committed to a mission, they can be unstoppable.
In 2011, disability advocates and state leaders identified a need for a Massachusetts reuse program to provide backup wheelchairs because repair delays left people stuck in bed for weeks.
In 2013, with savvy leadership from Karen Langley, a reuse pilot was launched to serve Greater Boston. Pappas Rehab Hospital for Children (DPH), The Boston Home, and the Boston Center for Independent Living were reuse partners. Seed funding came from the Shapiro Family Foundation and Spaulding Rehabilitation; MassABILITY (formerly Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission) provided office space and Web development.
Thirty-nine device requests were filled that year.
In 2014, extraordinary support was provided by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), which, combined with funds from MassABILITY and The Boston Foundation, made it possible to open the program’s Worcester location. REquipment grew from a tiny pilot to a robust program serving Central and Eastern Massachusetts.
Today, REquipment is statewide with support from the legislature, three state agencies, six nonprofits, private donors, and foundations. Reuse partners include UCP of Western Massachusetts, Stavros CIL in Amherst, in addition to DDS in Worcester, and Pappas in Canton. Today, the program provides assistive technology devices in addition to durable medical equipment. Since its inception, the program has distributed more than 11,000 no-cost devices, an estimated savings to the Commonwealth of over $20M.
But what has REquipment come to mean for state residents? For wheelchair users who know too well how long a simple repair can take?
Olivia Richard made the 20th request to the program back in our earliest days. She sent us a video testimonial that we will share with everyone willing to listen. (The video is captioned and includes voiceover.)
If you have made use of our program, you are an essential part of REquipment’s history. We cannot operate without the trust of the community. If you’ve requested or donated devices, then you have helped divert valuable equipment from disposal. Perhaps you’ve made referrals to us among friends and family. Perhaps you’ve made a financial donation as you paid a delivery fee. All of it matters. All of it reduces hoops and hurdles to the equipment people need to maximize their independence at home, school, work, and in their communities.
Thank you.