Can I pick everyone's brains a bit? I'm always amazed at the wide areas of knowledge that you folks have. I have an odd, way-OT question to throw out to you.

As some of you may know, my friend and sole employee has a very ill child, and she's trying to build him an occupational therapy room. (If anyone would like to find out more, PM me your e-mail address and I'll forward a Newspaper article, letters and a CD-ROM I made; Mom's blog is at Just for Justin ). It's not my intention to lay out the grisly details.

The extremely short story is that, due to multiple diseases and disabilities, her child can't regulate his body temperature and play outside when it's cold. Last year, this lead to self-injurious behavior that landed him in two hospitals for a total of eight months… two in a coma over thanksgiving and Christmas of last year and six months out of state in another hospital after. Through community and business donations, she's had an old barn on the property knocked down and tomorrow, a modest single-room building is being built to replace it.

She's had great community support up to this point, but she's not sure (and I don't have answers for her) as to possible ways of having any OT equipment donated. I'm going to try to build some of the things myself, but wonder if anyone here has any ideas? She needs things such as a hot tub (regulates his temp), trampoline, and general climbing-type "structures". I'm probably not explaining this well… think of the types of things that are found in a typical outdoor playground, then think smaller, simpler, more modest.

I've recommended that maybe some gyms might have some suitable equipment that has been replaced, but past that and what I might be able to build, have no real suggestions, and the situation is getting a bit more desperate due to the colder weather and snow.

Anyone have any ideas as to how used equipment could be found?

Heartbreaking Mark. Unfortunately I'm a childless 60 year old and wouldn't know where to begin. But, I'll keep my ears and eyes open.

Mark im sorry to see your not getting more response on this subject. i will just give my thoughts for what they are worth. i would first figure what you need as far as equipment then go direct to manufactures and see what they can donate even if it is just a discount. also try retailers like walmart & sams club usually mangers have it in there budget to donate products or discounts. im sure if you just call a lot of people and tell the story eventually someone should be able to get you something. also this may seem a little silly but around now a lot of radio shows and companys do those christmas wish type give aways for people in need that may be something else to look at.

Good Luck
Jake

I'll try to offer any support/help I can, and my thoughts and prayers will be with Justin and his family...

Mark, I'll shoot you a PM in the next few days. I just purchased a new hot tub, so you're welcome to my old one. I've got a lot of other equipment that I can let you have as well. As for whatever else may be needed, I've got the resources available to me. My list of contacts is a mile long.

I'm battling the flu right now, but here in a few days I'll shoot you a PM along with some phone numbers and we'll see about getting the ball rolling on this.



Sutter

Jake, Randy and Jack:
Thanks for your responses!

"Mom" has not had much luck with the "chain stores" because of a law in NH (reasonable, I'm sure) that does not allow one to set themselves up as a non-profit charity if there is only a single recipient....i.e., a charity for Autism is fine, a charity to help Justin's Autism is not. And the big chains understandably don't make donations to persons who are not registered as non-profit. It's been the local lumber and building material suppliers, and the local contractors who have graciously donated. The newspaper story has generated good…ummm….press(!) and I produced a CD-ROM for her and several hundred discs that have been mailed out. She's gotten good support in getting the building built (I hope anyway, we're having a pretty good snowstorm here today and the contractor that is donating his company and construction team leaves for the season on Monday for Florida), but it's on to Phase II (interior and eqpt.) where she's hitting some walls.

She has had contacts with reps from equipment manufacturers who have all basically told her "we don't do donations or we would have to do them all the time"…. So no-luck with any of the manufacturers.

There are a few local charities that are doing some small stuff…..one local telethon is going to donate one hour to Justin. It just seems though, that between the hurricanes and now the Holidays, many companies are already tapped out. There is interest from the local Lion's Club, Rotary, some churches, etc… as well, but nothing concrete as of yet.

Thanks again for your input, though! Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Thanks Sutter!
I'm not sure how realistic it would be to ship a hot tub (??!!??) but any help is appreciated!

Hope you're feeling better! The flu sucks worse than the acoustics in my room! LOL..

from your reports nothing sucks worse than the acoustics in your room. lol

Mark, I wanted to respond even though I unfortunately don't have any helpful suggestions. Yes, it's a basic provision of tax law that a charitable contribution has to be to a recognized charitable organization to be deductible. A contribution to even a very worthy individual doesn't qualify, so any business or individual contributing does so just as a good deed.

John:
Thanks for the post... and sorry for my late response. I was gone for the weekend.

Yes, the fact that her son can't be considered a charity has been a hindrance even though, as I mentioned, I do understand why the laws are in place.

All of the large "chain" stores/suppliers can't contribute if it' not a registered non-profit, and some of the smaller mom and pop suppliers have had concerns that it won't be tax deductible. Still, she's made excellent progress and when she comes into work in an hour, I'll find out if the frame, doors and windows went up this weekend despite the snowstorm!