St. Martin United Church of Christ in High Ridge has long had its own medical equipment lending program but recently joined the St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (STLHELP) to assist more people.
Both the St. Martin and STLHELP organizations lend the medical equipment for free.
St. Martin, 3299 High Ridge Blvd., High Ridge became the eighth location for STLHELP on May 23. It became the second STLHELP location in Jefferson County, with the one at 300 Bailey Road in Crystal City being the first.
“We wanted to expand our service,” said Grace Self, St. Martin’s office manager who oversees its medical equipment lending program. “We’ve had a loan closet for 30 years. When St. Louis HELP contacted us, we said, ‘Sure.’”
STLHELP was established as a nonprofit organization in 2008.
Self said the St. Martin operation has seen a bump in the number of people it helps with medical equipment since joining STLHELP, which serves the entire St. Louis region.
“We have reached more people through St. Louis HELP,” she said. “People in surrounding areas (outside of the congregation’s area) are finding out about us.”
St. Martin’s medical equipment lending warehouse is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the church. Anyone seeking to borrow medical equipment for themselves or family members from any of the organization’s locations must call STLHELP at 314-897-4357 or request the items online at stlhelp.org, however.
The organization stresses there are no walk-in pickups without prearranging lending of the items.
STLHELP lends out such medical equipment as wheelchairs, walkers and bathing equipment, among others.
“We have pediatric equipment for children with special needs,” said Karen Lanter, executive director of STLHELP. “We get a lot of requests for that and accept donations of it. Everything is free.”
The organization also provides other medical items.
“We have incontinence products – adult diapers,” she said.
Lanter said STLHELP strives to meet the needs of growing demand for medical equipment.
“The organization is now on pace to serve a record number of people,” she said. “This year it has provided health equipment to 1,364 people through June 30, 2024, a 24 percent increase over the same time in 2023 when it served 1,008.
“In 2023, St. Louis HELP served 2,207, up from 1,654 in 2022. It collected 6,713 items in 2023, up from 5,420 in 2022. The organization is also on pace this year to exceed the record 100 children with disabilities it served in 2023.”
She said St. Martin is a welcome addition to the STLHELP family.
“We wanted to branch out around the region so people could drop off and pick up medical equipment,” Lanter said. “St. Martin UCC for years had a similar closet of medical equipment. We found out they were looking to expand.”
STLHELP relies on donations of medical equipment and money to operate.
Lanter said the reason her organization asks those requesting medical equipment to contact STLHELP first is to make sure they have that piece of equipment.
“People donate items,” she said. “They are not always available. We accept monetary donations. We rely entirely on donations. All our location are donated spaces.”
There are no financial restrictions to receive the items, she said.
“You can pick up items, or donate items, at any of our locations,” Lanter said. “If people want help, we just give it to them. No restrictions.”
In addition to the St. Martin and Crystal City branches, the addresses of the organization’s other locations are: STLHELP headquarters, 9711 Dielman Rock Island Industrial Drive, St. Louis; Love in Action Health & Wellness, 2350 S. 7th St., St. Louis; Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 4355 Butler Hill Road, St. Louis; Aging Ahead Senior Center, 225 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis: The Care Service, 4116 McClay Road, St. Charles; and Love in Action St. Stanislaus Polish Catholic Church, 1413 N. 20th St., St. Louis.
Each location has its own hours of operation for drop-offs and pick-ups.