Community and Family Resources: Mobility Aids Lending Library (MALL)

The Challenge

Susan Seizer uses a wheelchair and has been active in the City of Bloomington’s Council for Community Accessibility (CCA) for many years. The CCA, in partnership with the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department, tackle various accessibility issues affecting all people across the city. 

Susan and some of her close friends; known together as The Wheelie Women, first came together as a support group for one another while working at IU. The Wheelie Women, with the help of fellow CCA members Lesley Davis, Coleman Kavgian, Susanne Even, and City Staff Liaison Michael Shermis, identified a community-wide need. After noticing that many people in the community had extra mobility devices, a gap between those in need of mobility devices and those looking to donate them was evident. Wheelchairs and other mobility aids are very expensive, but difficult to sell. Individuals needed to be directed where to donate mobility devices, as well as where to receive them. Additionally, a space was needed to accept donations and store them for others to take.

 

“You don’t know what services are available, you don’t know what equipment is available and we among us share so much information. These things should not be secret, and you shouldn’t have to have a Ph.D. to figure out where to find them. So, we are really excited to expand our circle and help others, who wither themselves or a loved one needs something to make their lives easier.” - Susan Seizer

 

From this dilemma, the MALL was formed: a Mobility Aids Lending Library made possible by community members, city officials, a private company, and a handful of volunteers. 

 

The Idea

Through serendipitous collaboration, the idea came to be: The Mobility Aids Lending Library or MALL. The Wheelie Women, in partnership with the City of Bloomington CCA and the Monroe County Public Library, hoped to find a space to not only provide a lending library to those in need, but also accept new donations. Anderson Medical Products, upon hearing about the idea, agreed to store, maintain and facilitate a drop-off/pickup site for mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, lifts, etc. Anderson Medical products is located at 1787 W. 3rd St., in Bloomington.

 

The MALL (Mobility Aids Lending Library) matches “gently used” mobility devices free of charge to those who cannot afford them or only need them for a short period of time. Library items may include:

• canes
• crutches
• walkers
• ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs)
• rollators
• wheelchairs
• power/electric wheelchairs
• scooters
• lifts

The MALL does not accept  commodes, shower chairs, or personal hygiene items.

 

The Cost

As this is a collaboration between the CCA and the Monroe County Public Library, there is no cost to those who need the items or to the City of Bloomington. 

 

The Benefits

The MALL is currently a pilot project that  will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on the last Sunday of every month in Room 2B of the Monroe County Public Library at 303 East Kirkwood Avenue. The pilot will continue through the end of 2022 at which time its impact will be assessed.  The organization can be contacted at mallbloomington@gmail.com

 

A recipient of a scooter from MALL had this to say: 

“I am so very grateful for this program, and for becoming a little bit more mobile now. I’m 67 years old and I’ve been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. This is a very debilitating disease for which there is no cure. I am on oxygen 24/7 and I do OK as long as I don’t exert myself. Exertion for me is walking to my bedroom and back, doing the simplest things causes my oxygen levels to drop drastically. I have been basically homebound for a year and a half. It is extremely hard to even go to a doctor’s visit. With the scooter I will be able to use my portable oxygen and not exert myself walking. This means I can go to the store and get groceries, I can get to my doctor’s visits and even go outside on my front porch. The scooter is a Godsend for me and I can’t thank you enough!” - Karen Drake

 

To donate your unused or unneeded mobility aids, please fill out the form here: http://tinyurl.com/MALLbloomingtondonations.

If you might need a mobility aid, even temporarily, please indicate what you want on this form: http://tinyurl.com/MALLbloomingtonneed

Pickup and drop off for smaller items will be on Sunday, May 29th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., at the Monroe County Public Library, Room 2B (and the last Sundays of the month after that).

For more information, please contact: mallbloomington@gmail.com or 812-349-3471

 

Metadata

 

Department(s): Community and Family Resources Department 

Department Point(s) of Contact: cca@bloomington.in.gov

Partner(s): Susan Seizer, Michael Shermis, Chris Jackson, Ryan Secrest

Partner Point(s) of Contact: mallbloomington@gmail.com

Type of Innovation: New Service

Date Implemented: May 2022