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The right equipment
can alleviate isolation and open the door for persons with disabilities.
More than just hardware, the right equipment provides mobility,
independence and participation in community life.
The correct
piece of equipment can mean the difference between isolation and
being active in the community. The following are actual situations
of individuals whose lives have been significantly changed by the
equipment given to them by Bridge Ministries. Their beaming faces
and thank you notes attest to the gratitude in their hearts.
- A wheelchair
makes it possible for a person to leave their house for the first
time in over a year.
- A walker
allows a housebound person to attain the freedom to come and go,
and to enjoy a walk around the neighborhood.
- A bath bench
allows a person to take a real shower, instead of a sponge bath
in bed, for fear of falling in the tub.
- A hospital
bed with electric adjustments can mean a full night of pain-free
sleep.
We furnish used
medical equipment (such as wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, etc.)
free of charge to persons who need it, but cannot afford to buy
it. We do ask for a donation if possible, to defray our costs in
providing this service. There are a large number of people who need
medical equipment, but cannot afford to buy it new, and are not
covered by insurance or Medicare. We seek to cover this gap.
Some
Facts about the Medical Equipment Ministry
- In 2006,
2,114 families were given items with a 60% market value of $421,
939.
- Our scope
of operations includes King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties in
Washington State.
- We operate
the only large-scale medical equipment exchange in King County,
Washington.
- We are funded
by donations from individuals, churches, foundations and community
groups.
- Volunteers
provide the bulk of our manpower, in washing, repairing, and driving
our van for equipment pickups.
Donating
Equipment to Bridge
Bridge Ministries
takes in a wide variety of used medical equipment. Please contact
us at 425-885-1008 to donate equipment. You can
also email us at equipment@bridgemin.org
.
Obtaining
Equipment from Bridge
All of the items
we give away have been donated to us by caring and generous individuals
and families. We clean and sterilize each piece, and then inspect
and repair it, to make it functional and safe to use. The two standards
we live by are: First, would I want this item in my own home? Is
it clean enough? And second, would I want my loved one to use this
item? Is it safe enough? In addition, we strive to fit each recipient
with the right piece of equipment for his/her height and weight,
as well as their capability and disability, and the slope and terrain
in their neighborhood. For information on how to request one or
more pieces of used medical equipment, please contact us at 425-885-1008
or you can also email us at equipment@bridgemin.org
.
Come visit us.
Pick up the equipment you requested. Drop off your donated items.
See our operations. Ask questions. Get answers. Or just say “Hi!”
Our hours of operation are Noon to 4:30 PM on Monday through Thursday.
We are closed Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
For our address
and driving directions, click on Directions.
To read about our friendly equipment staff, click on Mike
Fallon.
Want to know how Bridge Ministries was started and when? Just click
on History.
How
to Donate Money to Bridge Ministries
Even using mostly
volunteer labor, it costs us about $70 to clean and repair and give
away a single wheelchair. The price of new wheelchairs runs from
$300 up to $750, depending on their lightness of weight and durability.
Although we do not charge anything for our equipment, we ask each
recipient for a cash donation. Many individuals give what they can,
which is often in the $20 range. The rest is made up by generous
contributions from people like yourself who make a difference in
the life of someone with disabilities. You can help us to continue
to deliver good-quality clean medical equipment by contributing
to Bridge Ministries. Please visit Donate.
Volunteers
are Greatly Appreciated
Join our elite
band of hardy volunteers! Have fun, make new friends, and make a
difference in someone’s life. We wash equipment, we repair
it, and we also drive to make pickups and deliveries. The volunteer
washers are especially prized, because without them, no one else
gets to work. Volunteers can choose their hours whenever we are
open Monday--Thursday, Noon to 4:30 PM. Many volunteers come in
one day a week for 4 or more hours. Volunteer hours at Bridge Ministries
may count towards the community service requirement for high school
graduation. Our volunteers are treated with respect, and health
and safety is our paramount concern. We also try to give every volunteer
a worthwhile and meaningful experience every day.
To become a
volunteer at Bridge Ministries please visit Volunteer
Opportunities and How
to Apply.
If your group
is interested in doing a group project, visit Group
Projects and Equipment
Wash.
If
you are interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to Bridge,
please visit our Donate page
for more information.
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