THE LENDING SHED

The Family Health Care Amigos Board of Directors voted to initiate and sponsor a community lending shed in August of 2013.  Located between The Gathering Grounds restaurant and Long Realty at 325-327 West McKeown Avenue, the original shed got the nick name "The Lending Shed." 

It contained an electrical hospital bed, an electric scooter with accompanying heavy-duty ramp for loading the scooter into a vehicle, walkers, canes, crutches, toilet lifts and other small durable medical equipment (DME) items to be borrowed by residents. Donations of adult diapers and pads had been made to the shed by the Patagonia Community United Methodist Church.

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A resident came to The Lending Shed several months after it opened and, peeking into the shed to see the inventory, inquired about getting some diapers for her sister.  She told the volunteer, "My sister lives on Social Security and wheels herself around in a wheelchair.  She's incontinent and sits on sheets or towels all day.  You can imagine the problems she has with infections and rashes."  The woman explained further by saying, "supplying her with diapers for a month costs over $300.  Could we have some of those adult diapers for her?"

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In the coming months, other borrowers shared similar stories and the next project was born.  Seeing there was a need in the community for adult incontinent supplies.  The Lending Shed, under the umbrella of Family Health Care Amigos, partnered with the Southern Arizona Diaper Bank in order to receive pull-ups, bladder control pads, adult wipes and bed pads for both men and women.

 

  Independent men and women who come to the shed for assistance almost universally ask for pull-ups, which they can put on without assistance.  To meet the demand, some months pull-ups have to be purchased.  The shed does not charge for any items it provides and requests money donations or tax credit donations from Arizona income tax returns from residents in the area it serves in order to continue to provide pull-ups, wipes and pads for residents who fall under the poverty line.

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Grant funds purchased diaper donation kiosk which is located next to Long Realty on McKeown Avenue. You can donate without contact by placing packages of adult pull ups and bladder control pads in the kiosk at your convenience, whether or not it is during hours of operation.

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For more information on how to donate, call 520.256.7213.

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