Where to Donate Used Hearing Aids Locally
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Professionally-fitted hearing aids can be very expensive, and for many people, they are simply unaffordable. However, there are organizations, companies, government agencies, and service clubs that offer financial support and, in some cases, provide free hearing aids and accept donated hearing aids.
It’s important to note that several options are available to Americans, and each state offers different assistance programs.
Some manufacturers have programs to help those in need acquire hearing aids. Starkey, for example, offers assistance through its Starkey Cares program, part of the international Starkey Hearing Foundation. Others, such as Sonova (Phonak, Unitron), make donations via its Hear the Word Foundation.
Eligibility requirements vary, and the best way to learn more about access to these programs is to consult your audiologist or specialist.
As with Lions Club International, many service clubs offer financial assistance for both audiology services and the purchase of new or refurbished hearing aids. It’s important to note that these are usually provided by local chapters. The following are the clubs’ national websites from which you can search for your local chapter.
In most locales, there are clinics and hearing care offices that accept donated hearing aids and then pass them along to people in your community, schools, hospices, “hearing aid bank/lender” programs, as well as the charity programs listed below. Some even run their own charities; for example, Audiologist Christopher Scot Frink established the Frink Foundation in honor of his late father (who was also a hearing care professional). The Foundation sends many of the devices to mission programs in other countries, most recently Belize, Guatemala, and Ukraine.
Costco does not have a formal nationwide program for accepting used hearing aid donations, and their corporate giving focuses primarily on monetary grants rather than product recycling. However, some local Costco Hearing Aid Centres may informally accept used devices or help facilitate their reuse, especially if the aids were originally purchased there. It’s best to call your local center to ask if they can assist with a donation or help reprogram the devices for someone you know.
While we strongly encourage you to donate your hearing aids to a good cause, you should be aware that there are also consignment options.
Canadians who need financial assistance can consult this guide.
HearingTracker also provides related information in its Guide to Paying for Hearing Aids and Paying for Hearing Aids with Health Insurance.
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Digby Cook ist ein erfahrener Journalist mit umfangreicher Erfahrung in Fernsehnachrichten, Dokumentationen und Zeitungen. Als Person mit schwerem bis tiefem Hörverlust ist sein Interesse an der Wissenschaft des Hörens sowohl beruflich als auch persönlich.