Assistive Technology Reutilization in South Carolina
Navigation:
- The South Carolina Online Assistive Technology Exchange
- SC AT ReUse Service Organizations
- National AT ReUse Resources
- Online AT ReUse Resources
- Re-Use Opportunities through AT vendors
Join our SC Assistive Technology Reuse Listserv! You'll receive announcements about items needed, items for sale or free, and reuse activities in South Carolina. Email Janet Jendron to join or ask questions about the listserv. The more people we have included, the more equipment can be provided to people who need it.
Left to right- Top Row: Chris Brand, FODAC; Marcie Roth, Director,
Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, FEMA; Carol Page, SCATP;
Bill Johnson, Inclusive Emergency Coordinator, DRC; Jenny Latour, American Red Cross;
Bottom Row: Janet Jendron, SCATP; Catherine Graham,
Emergency Planning Committee for People with Functional Needs;
Margaret Richardson, Program Coordinator, Office of Public Health Preparedness, SCDHEC
(Download the Guide in PDF)
Download the SC AT Reuse Flyer(PDF)
Download the SC Assistive Technology Exchange Flyer (PDF)
The South Carolina Online Assistive Technology Exchange
A card sent by a grateful parent
The South Carolina Assistive Technology Exchange is an online recycling database that helps citizens with disabilities and older people with functional limitations find affordable assistive technology devices and equipment. The Exchange is designed to facilitate transactions between South Carolinians. The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) does not profit from the sale of listed devices. Go to the SCATP Exchange site, click "I've read and accept the terms" and go to the next page. Click "register" and it's easy from there. You can register even if you don't have items to sell or give or find. You'll get a password and be in the system.
If you don't have email, you can call SCATP to have your account information entered for you. Call Catherine Graham at 803 434-3189. Those with devices they no longer need or vendors with returned or overstocked equipment can list all available devices for use in education, employment, and community living environments, and connect with the consumers interested in finding these resources.
If your agency has equipment sitting around that no one is using, feel free to list that equipment on the SC AT Exchange. You may restrict who you will sell/donate to (like only people in Greenville County or only people with XYZ condition) when you list it.
Help us spread the word about the Exchange!
Scan of newspaper article in the State about the Exchange from 8/21/12
(Transcript of State article)
A thank you written on an envelope by a grateful user.
Left to right: Carolyn Phillips, GA Tools for Life, Pass It On Center;
Martha Rust, GA Tools for Life; Janet Jendron, SCATP;
Catherine Graham, USC SOM; Kathy Pelletier, Walton Options;
Tiffany Johnston, Walton Options
South Carolina AT Reuse Service Organizations
AbleSC (Columbia)
136 Stonemark Lane, Suite 100
Columbia, SC 29210
Contact: Kimberly Tissot
Phone: 803-779-5121 Ext. 124
Toll Free: 800-681-6805
TTY: (803) 779-0949
AbleSC (Greenville)
330 Pelham Road Suite 102-B
Greenville, SC 29615
Contact: Kathleen Tracy
Phone: 864-235-1421 Ext. 102
Toll Free: 800-681-7715
Fax: (864)681-7715
Disability Resource Center (North Charleston)
7944 Dorchester Road Suite 5
North Charleston, SC 29418
Contact: Gwen Gillenwater
Phone: 843-225-5080
L.I.F.E. (Savannah, GA)
5105 Paulsen Street, Suite 143-B
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: 912-920-2414
Walton Options
948 Walton Way
Augusta, GA 30901
Contact: Kathy Pelletier
Phone: 706-724-6262
Toll-free: 1-877-821-8400
Fax: 706-724-6729
North Augusta Office: 803-279-9611
Speakers at the Re-Use Summit held in Columbia January 20, 2010
Left to right- Front Row: Catherine Graham, Amanda Adams,
Sandy Hanebrink, Chastity Gambrell;
Middle Row: Kathy Pellitier,
Tiffany Johnston, Carolyn Phillips, Janet Jendron, Joanne Willis;
Last Row: Bob Rust, Andrew Brett, Kat Tracy, Joy Kniskern
Enabletech
Enabletech is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of volunteer engineers, fabricators, medical and business professionals dedicated to improving the independence of individuals with disabilities and the elderly through the application of technology. They provide individualized services, free of charge, to people who need design and fabrication of adaptations of existing technologies. They provide a unique rehabilitation engineering service to their community that is not available through any other resource.
Enabling Technologies Associates, Inc.
125 Palmetto Drive
PO Box 806
Saluda, SC 29138
Website: http://www.enabletech.org/
Email: enabletech@aikenelectric.net
Phone: 864-445-4543
FODAC
FODAC Staff
FODAC (Friends of Disabled Adults & Children) in Stone Mountain, GA provides over $8 million each year in equipment and services to the community at little or no cost to the recipients. FODAC is a 501(c)(3) and does not have direct funding from Medicare/Medicaid for the services offered. Most equipment is issued for a suggested donation but some services have mandatory fees.
FODAC provides home health (mobility and daily living) equipment to people of any age or any disability, temporary or permanent, for medically necessary and medically helpful reasons. These items are provided for a suggested donation. Clients do not have to qualify financially but their waiting lists place a priority on Medically Necessary and low income individuals.
Their aim is to meet the short term needs for medically necessary situations while waiting on benefits to take over. Some examples include injuries with no existing insurance, a child outgrowing a wheelchair, a back up piece of equipment, all shower equipment, or caregiver aids.
You can find out more information on the FODAC website or by calling them at (770) 491-9014.
Friends of the Disabled Latin America (FRIDLA)
Ron Bloomingdale, Judy and Alberto Nunez of FRIDLA.
FRIDLA and their USA partner ministry, Westminster Wheelchair Workshop, collect most types of used durable medical equipment (DME), i.e. wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, etc. The DME is then refurbished by volunteers to like-new condition.
MedNeed of SC
Hubert Smoak of MedNeed
with his delivery truck.
MedNeed of SC is a 501(c)3 status organization lead by Hubert Smoak and devoted to providing new medical equipment as much as possible to the uninsured and indigent of South Carolina. MedNeed does this by taking referrals from doctors, FNPs, assisted living facilities and individuals. Most of the donated items come from health clinics and free clinics throughout SC.
Address:
PO Box 6882
West Columbia, SC 29171
Contact: Hubert Smoak
E-mail: medneedofsc@yahoo.com
Phone: 803-622-7827
Visit the MedNeed of SC Website
Touch the Future, Inc.
Comprehensive Assistive Technology and Computer Services
Touch the Future, Inc. (TTF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides individuals who are disabled, seniors, qualified Veterans or from disadvantaged communities with Computers, Durable Medical Equipment, and Assistive Technology (AT). Touch the Future is home of ReBoot™, Regained Mobility, A LINK and the PAW Center.
Locations:
South Carolina
Touch the Future, Inc.
Sandy Hanebrink
1655 East Greenville Street
Medicus Building 2
Anderson, SC 29621
(864) 367-0831
Georgia
Touch the Future
Wayne Darcey
1456-A McLendon Drive
Decatur, GA 30033
(770) 934-8432
Contact Info:
Touch the Future, Inc. website
info@touchthefuture.us
National AT ReUse Resources
Pass It On Center
The Pass It On Center is a National Collaboration for the Reutilization and Coordination of Assistive Technology that coordinates AT reuse programs throughout the USA.
You can learn more about them on the PIOC website.
Online AT ReUse Resources
DifferentNeedz.com
DifferentNeedz.com is an online marketplace for families with special needs, handicapped or disabled members to buy and sell gently used special needs medical equipment, therapy devices, adaptive toys, and more.
DifferentNeedz accepts gently used medical equipment, therapy devices, adaptive toys, books for all ages and all types of disabilities. Plus a portion of every sale goes to the Different Needz Foundation, a 501(c) organization. DifferentNeedz also accepts donations of product for resale.
There is also a DifferentNeedz.com Facebook page.
Re-Use Opportunities through AT Vendors
Note: If other AT vendors have information about trade-in or re-use programs related to your products, please let SCATP know by emailing Janet Jendron.
Key Technologies
One way of “Re-Using” older equipment (whether working or non-working) is to trade it in through the Words+ “TRADE-IN PROGRAM.” Customers may trade in augmentative communication devices made by any manufacturer towards the purchase of a new Words+ device. The device traded-in does not have to be a working device and it does not matter how old it is. The trade-in value of the device may range from $100’s to $1,000’s applicable to the purchase of a new Words+ device.
Trade-ins may be applied towards the purchase of an Allora, Conversa, Dura-SAM, Freedom Toughbook, FreedomLite, NetSAM, NetTALK, Say-It! SAM Communicator, Say-It! SAM Tablet, TuffTalker Convertible, and more.
If you have questions about the Words+ TRADE-IN PROGRAM, contact Ken Whitley at Key Technologies, Inc. toll free at 888-433-5303. Or, you can email him at ken@gokeytech.com or visit the Key Technologies web site.
Handicapped Driver Services
Used wheelchair accessible vans and other used mobility equipment.
Contact:
Scott Coots - Mobility Consultant
HDS VANS & MOBILITY
Handicapped Driver Services
1255 Kennestone Circle, Suite 240
Marietta, GA 30066
(770) 422-9674 - office
(800) 444-9100
(404) 915-9156 cell
(770) 425-9535 fax
scoots@hdsvans.com
Web: www.hdsvans.com