Our Story
Our Mission
To create, template and operate a branded lending library where people who need durable medical equipment (DME) can borrow it, and where people who have lightly used DME can conveniently donate it to benefit others, and the environment.
Our Vision
To change the way people from all socio-economic backgrounds think about the availability, use, and reuse of durable medical equipment - thereby improving quality of life, saving hundreds of millions of dollars, and keeping billions of pounds of DME out of landfills.
Who We Are
Wheel it Forward is a not-for-profit library for durable medical equipment (DME), assistive technology and related products.
What We Do
Wheel it Forward offers a convenient destination to enable anyone to easily borrow or donate DME at no cost.
How We Do It
Wheel It Forward combines technology - systems templates and tools, with community engagement volunteers, to operate a branded library where people can seamlessly donate and borrow DME. We attract lightly used DME through various channels and employ best practices to sanitize, repair (when needed) and efficiently lend out DME to those who need it. We generate demand by reaching out to the medical community to raise awareness for this resource.
Why It Matters
There is tremendous demand for free durable medical equipment as well as significant supply. The small and fragmented existing infrastructure of lending closets is inefficient and does not allow for the vast supply of lightly used DME to connect with the even larger demand for DME. What is missing is "the place”. The average piece of DME has a usable life span of 5+ years but is used for only four months. Access to free DME will provide mobility and quality of life for individuals and their families . The ability to easily donate lightly used DME will save society hundreds of millions of dollars and will keep over time, billions of pounds of DME out of landfills.
