THE PROGRAM

GoodwheelChairs.org was created to help Austinites who don't have, can't afford, or were denied health insurance and are in need of a wheelchair or other ambulatory equipment.

WHO WE ARE

GoodwheelChairs.org is a new Austin nonprofit charity, which was started by The Human Potential Center and Home Respiratory, Inc.

• The Human Potential Center is a nonprofit organization serving the Austin, Texas community for over 20 years. The Center provides a variety of services that improve relationships, enhance creative thinking and promote physical and emotional wellness.
• Home Respiratory, Inc. is a locally-owned business specializing in respiratory equipment and sleep diagnostics, and is the corporate sponsor for GoodwheelChairs.org.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

• We accept donations of previously used, unneeded wheelchairs, motorized scooters, walkers, etc.
• We provide you with a tax-deductible receipt for the full fair-market value.
• We then offer this valuable equipment to the medically-uninsured for a very affordable price. Here are the wheelchairs and/or scooters that we are currently offering for sale.
• All proceeds continue to support the mission of the nonprofit organization.

HOW TO PURCHASE

Look over our current wheelchairs and scooters online, and when you find one you're interested in, give us a call at (512) 420-8005 and we'll arrange a time for you to pick up your gently-used mobility equipment.

HOW TO DONATE

Just drop your wheelchair or other mobility equipment off at our Corporate Sponsor, Home Respiratory Inc. at 4211 Medical Parkway in Austin, any time from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Or you can email us at pickup@Goodwheelchairs.org, or give us a call at (512) 420-8005 and we'll arrange for it to be picked up at a time that's convenient for you.

Helping us "spread the news" by word of mouth, emails, etc., is also a valuable donation you can give.

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Alarmingly, over 45 million Americans do not have medical insurance coverage. There's a larger percentage of uninsured people in Texas than in any other state. And the percentage of uninsured children in Texas is nearly twice the national average.

The June 19, 2007 issue of USA Today carried an article on the number of uninsured people in Texas. Physicians quoted in the article said that our current level of uninsured populace is unsustainable:

Uninsured people in Texas have trouble purchasing mobility equipment because:

• They don't qualify for government assistance programs
• Low income families can't afford to buy expensive policies
• They have a pre-existing condition that makes them ineligible for coverage

The rolls of the uninsured include many people you may not expect:

• The self-employed, such as those working in the arts, small mom-and-pop businesses, and new business start-ups
• Part-time workers
• Many of the elderly population, especially those with extensive health issues
• Because of sky-rocketing insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles, many middle-class families are now also being affected

All these people simply fall through the cracks of our governmental programs and insurance company policies.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Insurance companies -- being large and influential -- negotiate and obtain significant discounts on medical care and equipment.

• Those who are fortunate enough to afford health insurance can then purchase a new wheelchair at a cost significantly less than retail. In fact, insurance often covers the full price, so it costs them nothing.
• Those who can not afford health insurance have no other alternative than to buy their wheelchair at full retail price.

Can a family that can't afford health insurance, buy a wheelchair that's priced two or three times higher than what the HMOs/PPOs pay? Most of the time they can't, often leaving disabled people housebound and sometimes confined to their beds.

KEEP AUSTIN MOVING!

GoodwheelChairs.org is dedicated to helping individuals and families in need regain mobility and personal independence, to allow and encourage them back into our active Austin Community.

With your generous donations and support, we can "Keep Austin Moving!"