Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and, according to scientific study, improve your own happiness. Saving Our Seniors is a growing non-profit truly dedicated to helping the less fortunate elderly members of our community, and we need volunteers to complete our mission. We collect donated, preowned durable medical equipment and deliver it to seniors in need, either for free or a small donation. Although Medicare does pay for part of the cost of these items, there is a co-pay and many of our community elderly simply cannot afford on their limited income. We fill that gap, providing needed equipment that allow seniors to live safely in their homes and engage in their communities.
Whether you are an individual looking to make a difference in the lives of the elderly or an organization that encourages volunteerism as part of your culture, we encourage you to work with us to make a direct and immediate impact on the lives of seniors. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities and you can select the ones that best fit your interests, skill sets, and schedule.
Pick Up & Delivery
The heartbeat of Saving Our Seniors the collection and delivery of the durable medical equipment and we always need people to help with this process.
- Light Equipment – Use your own vehicle to collect and deliver small, lightweight equipment to seniors in need. Examples of the light equipment items we deliver are:
- Canes
- Walkers
- Diapers
- Commodes
- Shower Chairs
- Heavy Equipment – For heavier pieces of equipment we rent a van or truck to collect and deliver donated items. To receive the best value for our rental dollars, we try to schedule several pickup and delivery stops during the rental span. We also take donations and requests for heavy medical equipment. Volunteer opportunities for heavy equipment include your time to pick up and deliver items, the use of your truck or van, or both. When volunteering the use of a vehicle, it needs to have at least a 100 pound capacity. The typical heavy equipment items that we transport include:
- Hoyer Lifts
- Hospital Beds
- Lift Chairs
- Power Wheel Chair
Warehouse Staffing & Organization
Every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 – 6:30, we need someone to staff our warehouse on the eastern border of Largo and Clearwater. Responsibilities include:
- Receive New Equipment
- Tag New Items for Inventory
- Clean New inventory
- Store Items In Designated Areas
- Help Organize Delivery Routes
- Stage Equipment for Delivery
These processes are easily managed and the more volunteers we have, the faster the work is completed.
Inside Phone Support
Our phone is constantly ring with calls from seniors who need equipment or people donating their used Items. We need friendly voices to facilitate and organize this process, and it can be done from the convenience of our home, or at our warehouse.
The Delivery Process:
When a senior calls requesting equipment, identify their needs, check inventory and let them know if it is available. Also evaluate their financial situation to determine if they are eligible for free equipment or if a small donation is required. To manage this process you will:
- Fill out Application
- Submit the Application for Approval
- Review the Donation and Establish a Payment Plan if Appropriate
- Schedule the Delivery
- Coordinate the Deliver with the Driver and Recipient
- Follow-up as Needed to Assure Satisfaction and Discuss Payment
The Donation Process:
When someone calls to donate an item, thank them for their generosity and then:
- Record the Name, and Address of the Donor
- Record the Item(s) to be Donated
- Identify if the Items are Light or Heavy Equipment or Both
- Schedule a Pickup Time/Date
- Coordinate with the Driver
- Complete Proof of Donation Form for Donor Tax Purposes
Delivery Planning:
An inside support person may also help organize pickups or deliveries by finding pickup and delivery volunteers and planning several stops in an itinerary based upon the volunteer’s availability and location.
Volunteers will be trained in every aspect of this process and support is always available.
Equipment Sales
Due to our ever-growing inventory, we sometimes sell donated equipment to fund the purchase of items our seniors need but we don’t have in stock. We also use these funds for storage space and truck rentals.
We sell our equipment through Facebook, Craigslist and e-bay and any other avenue we can find. Sales specialists take pictures of equipment we intend to sell, write descriptions of them, and post to the various sales platforms.
Marketing
We would love help from anyone willing to spread the word about Saving Our Seniors. Kelli does several presentations a week to a variety of organizations, but there is much more that needs to be done. There are many seniors in need and yet we have more equipment in our warehouse than we can manage. Our goal is to reach out to support organizations that can identify seniors with durable medical equipment gaps, so we can fill them. Ultimately, we want our seniors safe, happy, and part of their communities and we need your help to achieve this by delivering presentations.
Our targeted organization types include:
- Senior Home Care Companies
- Occupational Therapy Groups
- Physical Therapy Groups
- Exhibitions, Shows or Conventions that Serve our Target Audience.
If you wish to provide marketing support, we will provide full training on the several presentations we have developed. You would be responsible for contacting an organization then scheduling and conducting the presentation. This is perfect for someone with strong marketing skills, or someone who wants to develop them.
We are also looking for graphic designers to help with flyer and brochure design.
Donations
Even if you are unable to donate your time, this doesn’t mean you can’t make a significant impact on the lives of the elderly in our community. Donations of funds, equipment, truck usage, printing costs and more supports our work with seniors in need.