Do you have a hearing aid that is currently not being used? Whether someone is your family recently passed away leaving behind their aid, or you have upgraded your aid from digital to analog, don’t throw out that old hearing aid. It can be put to good use. The following is a list of domestic and international organizations that accept donations of used hearing aids.
Rotary Clubs
Help the Children Hear is a program run by The Rotary International Foundation that provides used hearing aids to recipients in countries such as the Philippines, Argentina, and Honduras. For more information on how to donate your used aids to the Rotary Clubs, contact them at:
Help the Children Hear
PO Box 98
Caldwell, NJ 07006
http://www.helpthechildrenhear.org/
Help the Aged
Help the Aged is a London-based organization that helps recipients in India through their partner organization, HelpAge India. The program can be contacted at:
HearingAid Appeal
Help the Aged
FREEPOST, LON13616
London EC1B 1PS
Liga International
Liga International (The Flying Doctors of Mercy) accepts used hearing aids in any condition and provides hearing aids to children and others in Mexico.
1464 N. Fitzgerald Hangar 2
Rialto, CA 92376
http://www.ligainternational.org
Worldwide Hearing
Worldwide Hearing accepts used hearing aids and sends them to countries in Central and South America.
WorldwideHearing.org
P.O. Box 400937
North Cambridge, MA 02140
http://www.worldwidehearing.org
Hear Now
If you wish to keep your aid stateside, consider donating your hearing aid to Hear Now in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, part of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Hear Now makes any needed repairs to donated aids, then resells them. The monies are then used to purchase newer hearing aids for people who can not afford them.
HEAR NOW
6700 Washington Avenue South
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
http://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/hear-now.php
Lions Clubs
The Lions Club is a service organization that repairs donated aids, giving them to those in need. Their collection boxes are located in places such as libraries, opticians offices, and banks.
Knights of Columbus
Donate your used aids to the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic faith-based organization. Visit http://www.kofc.org/en//index.html to find a council near you.
Sertoma
The International Sertoma Club has a Sertoma Hearing Aid Recycling Program(SHARP). Some local clubs do not house this specific program; if your local organization does not, aid can be sent to their International Sponsorships Department. Visit http://www.sertoma.org/page.aspx?pid=335 for more information.
State-specific Options
Because individual states also have hearing aid assistance programs, it is advisable to check with your state department for potential programs. Here are a few examples to start your search in the right direction.
California
John Tracy Clinic accepts used or discarded hearing aids. Quality and working aids are used for children in their program; others are sent to manufacturers to either reuse the parts or gain a credit toward refurbishing costs.
The House Ear Institute of Los Angeles may still be accepting used hearing aids.
Utah
The state government of Utah runs a Hearing Aid Recycling Program as part of its Hearing, Speech and Vision Services agency in Salt Lake City.
Minnesota
The “Take it Back” program is a cooperative of local businesses in Washington County, Minnesota.
