August 5, 2024
We are thrilled to report the success of your advocacy efforts this year. Though revenue is down in Massachusetts, our champions in the State House–supported by your calls and emails–fought for full funding to REquipment Durable Medical Equipment and Assistive Technology Reuse Program. We faced a devastating $500,000 cut, but the Conference Committee of the legislature included the missing annualization, and the governor sustained the appropriation!
Thank you to everyone who helped the legislature prioritize durable medical equipment reuse for the health of Massachusetts communities, the planet, and your families.
This wonderful news arrives as we are putting the finishing touches on our FY24 annual report. It’s clear the legislature has made a wise investment. Last fiscal year, the REquipment program provided an astounding 2,025 devices statewide to 1,644 unique recipients.
In FY24, the REquipment program provided an astounding 2,025 devices statewide.
These included record numbers of manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, rollators, and shower chairs. And for the first time, REquipment began distributing assistive technology devices in the categories of vision, hearing, activities of daily living, wheelchair accessories, and more.
Thank you to our donors, who overwhelmed our program with equipment to refurbish and distribute. Due to a lack of storage space, we had to close our doors to donations for many weeks this spring to make room for more.
Still, close to 64 tons of devices were diverted from solid waste facilities in FY24.
Recipients of your donations included veterans, children, seniors, and adults with disabilities in all circumstances, from the college student with POTS who needed a wheelchair to get to classes to the older adult astounded to find that Medicare wouldn’t provide her with a shower chair in preparation for hip surgery.
Our program came through, and word is getting out.
Thank you for sharing our wonderful resource with your friends, family, and neighbors. In so many ways, we wouldn’t be here without you.
Adriana Mallozzi
CEO REquipment, Inc.