July 20, 2017
With funding from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, REquipment, Inc. has purchased a new-to-us lift-equipped van! The van means we can collect and deliver donated equipment faster than our current turn-around cycle and overall more people will get what they need to live better in their communities.
Two weeks ago, the van was officially transferred to our Reuse Site partner, the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children (PRHC). PRHC has been a REquipment partner since the inception of our program in 2013, offering in-kind space and support technicians as needed for assessing complex rehab equipment. At the start of this fiscal year, PHRC CEO Brian Devin vowed they would refurbish and deliver 200 pieces of DME for us, nearly doubling their 2016 volume. Two weeks ago, as I handed over the keys to the new delivery van, I had the great pleasure of informing him he’d exceeded this goal. At the close of FY17 (June 30th), PHRC had collected, refurbished and delivered 202 pieces of DME!
Program Director Jen Baker and I didn’t just bring Pappas the van, however. We brought it full of refurbished DME from across the state for people in the PHRC Reuse Site’s service area. The equipment included 1 power wheelchair, 4 manual wheelchairs, 1 tub seat, 1 pediatric walker, 1 shower walker, 2 sling lifts and 1 bed rail. The addition of this dedicated lift van, Brian affirms, means this equipment will be out the door swiftly and FY18 will see even higher numbers of efficient deliveries.
