8 • March 2016 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC.
Santa Rosa, CA. ~ Tree years ago, Careful Moving and Stor- age in Santa Rosa donated a small space in their warehouse to the Sonoma Section on Ag- ing for a new project: recycling used medical equipment and supplies. Since then, over 1,000 wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, commodes, bags of adult diapers, canes, hospital beds and countless other supplies have been donated and then
Wheelchairs, Shower Chairs, Walkers Recycled and Exchanged in Santa Rosa!
given away to anyone in need, according to Yvonne Bagin- ski a member of the Sonoma Section on Aging, which his a local networking group of se- nior care professionals. “What we discovered was that people didn’t know what to do with all the stuff that was leſt over when someone died, or sup- plies weren’t needed anymore,’ she said.
“Much was still new, delivered from insurance sup-
pliers, but never used. People hated to throw it out, and oſten it headed for landfill because there was no place to take it.” Medical supplies and equip-
ment fall under a “no return” policy by many places of sale. Oſten boxes of adult diapers, medical supplemental nutrition, person- al care etc., are
items, unopened, brand new, and can be
used by others in need, with- out cost. Some people deliver four-wheel walkers and other high end items with sales tags still attached because they were never used. Between 10-25 people stop
by the site daily, either drop- ping off and/or picking up, and for many, it makes a tremen- dous difference in their ability to afford other items for daily living.“We’ve had people drive in from outlying areas desper- ately needing a wheelchair, be- cause it
won’t pay for another one,” said Baginski.
broke and Medi-Cal “Or just needing a
hospital bed to get them past two-three weeks until their in- surance approves payment fo- ranother.” When the site first opened,
there was always a supply of walkers and commodes, but now, with medical insurance requiring more documentation and other financial restric- tions on this type of
equip-
ment, there has also been a significant increase in demand. Tere are days, now, the recy- is
when cling room
empty. People
might have to wait 2-3 weeks for insurance approval for an item, and it’s just easier
to come out and pick one up, rather than wait, according to Baginski. Plus, recycling saves resources. “We trust that peo- ple who take these items, need them.
One year, we had a nurs-
ing home close in Fresno, and they donated over thirty hospi- tal beds, and chairs. We were able to keep these perfectly good items, out of landfill.” said Baginski, adding that all are asked to return, if it’s still in good condition, anything that they don’t need anymore. We’ve had electric scooters, liſt
chairs, roll in shower chairs.... just about everything you can imagine that you might need if you’re convalescing at home, donated. Te site is open Monday-
Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Careful Moving and Storage, 812 Donahue Street in Santa Rosa. Donations can be leſt anytime. Tere are no pickups or deliveries. Inventory chang- es daily, so please, no phone calls.
For more information, or
to make a large donation, call: 707- 347-9618.
A Mortgage Coach That
Can Help You through the Fine Print from Start to Finish!
527-7277 - open Mon-Sat 9-5
www.buckstoves.net
225 West College Ave., Santa Rosa 8 • March 2016 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC.
Real Estate Mortgages 707-291-6761
BARRY O’MEARA NMLS# 267912
barryo@stearns.com
1265 N Dutton Ave. Santa Rosa Branch NMLS# 244074
Stearns Lending, Inc. offers many loan products. contact a repre- sentative to learn more. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS# 1854. This is not a commitment to lend.
Weird Facts & Fun Trivia - 3 Bagels are the only bread
product that is boiled before it is baked.
According to some, the first bagel rolled into the world in 1683 when a baker from Vienna Austria was thankful to the King of Poland for saving Austria from Turkish invaders. The baker reshaped the local bread so that it resembled the King’s stirrup. The new bread was called “beugel,” derived from the German word stirrup, “bugel.”
The ‘Census of
Manufacturers of 1850’ reported a total of 2,027 bakeries in the United States.
Preparation Helps Area Residents Earn Higher Refunds
Free Tax
Santa Rosa, CA. ~ Millions of workers overlook important Federal tax credits every year because they are unaware the credits exist or believe they do not qualify.
Up to $6,242 in
Federal income tax refunds with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and as much as $1,000 per qualifying child for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) are potentially missed. Te United Way led Earn It!
Keep It! Save It! (EKS) coalition wants to help by offering free tax preparation services to low- to-moderate income families and individuals at several tax sites throughout Sonoma, Men- docino, Lake, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Households earning $54,000 or
less could
qualify. At tax sites, families and indi-
viduals receive free tax help from experienced tax preparers who recognize EITC and CTC eligi- bility as well as other tax credits. Te Federal EITC is a refundable tax credit available to qualifying lower–wage workers and their
... continued on page 14 “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” ~ Gautama Buddha
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