Valley Charities expands medical equipment program

WASILLA— Valley Charities recently expanded its medical equipment rental program, increasing the overall inventory and adding a separate location to store and maintain the equipment.

Randy Miller manages the medical equipment facility. He said they moved all the inventory from the Valley Charities headquarters to a plaza unit located near Lowe's in October of 2022. He's that excited they have the opportunity to help more people.

"I think it's great. It's huge," Miller said.

Valley Charities CEO John Rozzi said their overall inventory of medical equipment has continued to grow, creating the need for the separate location.

He said they recently received a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation to replenish their inventory. They also received a grant from the Mat-Su Community Foundation for a machine that cleans and sanitizes the equipment, saving a lot of time on maintenance.

Rozzi said they aim to open the storage facility as the main distribution center for people to pick up equipment by late February. In the meantime, those looking to rent equipment are asked to call ahead or visit their website.

Valley Charities carries a wide range of equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches, and knee walkers.

There is no cost to rent medical equipment, and the only requirement is to be a resident of the Mat-Su Valley.

A majority of medical equipment is expensive to purchase or rent, especially items such as wheelchairs. Rozzi said their program is a great resource to save a ton of money, particularly for people who only need equipment for a short time period.

"It saves them tons of money," Rozzi said.

Valley Charities has run this free medical equipment rental program for six decades, according to Rozzi. He said it reflects their overall mission to support the community to the best of their ability.

"We're basically going back and doing what our originators did and adding onto that," Rozzi said.

Rozzi noted that anyone who wishes to rent equipment should seek prior advice from trusted medical professionals for proper use.

Valley Charities offers a range of services such as housing and employment assistance, reentry support, and homeless prevention. Valley Charities operates the Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Store in downtown Wasilla, which also serves as its main headquarters.

For more information about the medical equipment program call 907-521-1908 or visit valleycharities.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com