THE LENDING ROOM, INC.
501(c)(3)
BEAUFORT, SC
THE LENDING ROOM, INC.
501(c)(3)
BEAUFORT, SC
To serve better serve you...
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Updated basic information is available on our home page.
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Remember, Friends don't let friends buy medical equipment... they send them to The Lending Room
Thanks for visiting The Lending Room!
The Lending Room accepts and distributes gently-used durable medical equipment and other home health care items to any individual who has a need, short-term or long-term, regardless of income or insurance.
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We offer a variety equipment such as walkers, rollators, bedside commodes, shower chairs, canes, crutches,
wheelchairs (electric and manual), braces, hospital beds, Hoyer lifts, incontenance supplies, and much more!
Because we depend on donations from our community,
availability of items varies from day to day.
Please contact us or stop by our showroom to find out if we have what you need.
We also offer a wait list and will hold available equipment for three days.
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LOCATION
954 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC
At the traffic light, directly across the street from the
main entrance to Beaufort Memorial Hospital
MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 1535, Beaufort, SC 29901
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HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday through Friday 9:30-3:30
Saturday 9:30-12:30
The Lending Room is staffed entirely by volunteers and
hours of operation are subject to change.
It is best to call 843-524-2554 to confirm that we are open.
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PARKING
Reserved parking is located in the lot immediately to the right as you turn in from Ribaut Road.
Look for reserved parking signs for The Lending Room and Access Health.
Please use the walkway at the end of the parking lot for easy, no-stair entry to our showroom.
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CONTACT US
Phone 843-524-2554
Email lendingroombft@gmail.com
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The Lending Room Moves to Beaufort Memorial Campus
October 1, 2022 Beaufort Lifestyle Magazine
REUNITING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY
story by NANCY MERRILL photos courtesy of THE LENDING ROOM
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Pictured Above: Lending Room co-directors Carolyn Roos, Lori Wells and Martha O’Regan join BMH President Russell Baxley
to cut the ribbon to officially open TLR’s new home on the Beaufort Memorial campus.
The new headquarters, made possible by a $1 annual lease from BMH, opened last month.
At a ribbon cutting on September 15, The Lending Room (TLR) rejoined the family of services offered by Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH), a relationship that was initiated over 60 years ago. The inception and reunion of this partnership speak to a kind of community commitment made famous by a quote from cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead. Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
For over six decades, TLR, a grassroots, all-volunteer organization, has helped citizens in need of rehabilitative equipment for long or short-term use, regardless of income or insurance. TLR has served a vital purpose in the community by accepting donations and distributing durable medical equipment to anyone who has a need.
The Lending Room serves patrons of all ages.
Making life a little easier....
one piece of equipment at a time.
Longtime TLR volunteer Charlie Ledford
delivers a donated motorized wheelchair to a patron.
A LONG HISTORY OF HELPING OTHERS
At its inception in 1961, there was only Luther’s Pharmacy in Beaufort County that provided access to medical equipment. But a delay of weeks in ordering and receiving the needed equipment was a significant problem.
It was then that Natalie Haskell, a member of the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, established The Lending Room to provide free medical equipment to discharged patients from a facility located on hospital grounds. Leadership by committed volunteers continued when Haskell retired.
Mrs. Sam Smith took over the project then, followed by Becky Trask, who lovingly led the effort for 40 years. Becky then asked Martha O’Regan to take the helm with colleagues Roxanne Cheney, Carolyn Roos, and Lori Wells.
Expanding hospital space needs grew in the early years, forcing TLR to find new space. It was then the community stepped in further, underscoring the essence of Mead’s quote. At first, the equipment was stored in a relative’s basement and then moved to a city-owned house at Pigeon Point. When that was destroyed by fire, former City Councilman Dick Stewart offered rent-free space for storage in a building he owns on Baggett Street.
In the spring 2019, LowCountry Habitat for Humanity provided the land and workforce with TLR paying the cost to build a new facility on Parris Island Gateway, made possible by a generous donation from 100 Women Who Care and many others.
When that facility was put up for sale, the search for new space was answered by Beaufort Memorial’s President & CEO Russell Baxley, bringing TLR back to its roots on the hospital campus. The new location, directly across the street from Beaufort Memorial, was made possible through an agreement with the hospital to lease the space to the organization for the token amount of $1 per year. “Our community partners are extremely important to fulfilling our mission,” said Baxley. “Working with The Lending Room not only ensures continuity of care and assists our most vulnerable patients, but it also offers a convenience for patients discharged from the hospital, as their on-campus location provides easy access, especially for those for whom transportation is a barrier.” The Lending Room’s current headquarters is located at 954 Ribaut Road on the BMH campus.
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“The success of this effort lies with our TLR team and BMH, but equally important has been the community’s involvement,” said co-director Martha O’Regan. “Many people generously donate items such as shower chairs, transfer benches, wheelchairs, canes, crutches, walkers, and bedside commodes to make this service possible.”
As The Lending Room is a 501(c)(3) organization, those who donate equipment may request a tax receipt for income tax purposes, and any monetary donation is tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
BENEFICIARIES OF THE SERVICE ARE MANY
For instance, two eight-year-old children with severe handicaps were helped by one donor, Verna Smith. After her husband died, she called to donate a powered wheelchair and a ramp, and her donation radically changed the lives of both children and their families.
An amputee Veteran received his first powered wheelchair from TLR, giving him greater mobility than ever before.
And, when tragedy strikes, TLR has often been a critical resource.
A gentleman hit by a car suffered multiple severe injuries, and his release from the hospital depended on the family obtaining a hospital bed, wheelchair, and Hoyer Lift. All three items were in stock and were delivered immediately, expediting his return home.
Volunteer Charlie Ledford has delivered the large equipment for TLR for the past 14 years. Having served in the Marine Corps for 30 years, Charlie finds his experience especially moving.
“Over the years, I have witnessed too many tragedies to count,” he said. “But these situations were made better by the generosity of a community. It has been an honor to serve those in need and alongside many dedicated volunteers.”
The Lending Room is located at 954 Ribaut Road in Beaufort, directly across the street from Beaufort Memorial. The hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30-3:30 and Saturday from 9:30-12:30. For more information about the medical devices available through The Lending Room or to donate gently used medical equipment, visit LendingRoomBeaufort.com or call 843-524-2554.