Editor's note: This story is part of Sioux Falls Simplified's second annual "A Little Help" give-back effort. We're sharing stories all month long about Owen's Outfitters with the goal of raising $5,000 to support this fast-growing nonprofit. You can learn more here and donate here.
Simplified: Owen's Outfitters is a medical device lending library that works with dozens of community partners, including many other local nonprofits, to help connect people with the medical supplies they need.
Why it matters
- Owen's Outfitters works with dozens of other nonprofits who refer along people who might need medical devices or, conversely, who might have some available to donate.
- The partnerships are essential, and Owen's Outfitters has been intentional about making connections from day one, said co-founder Eleanor Turner.
- It's more than just the community partnerships, though. It's about filling a broader need. The medical system is big and complex, and as Owen's Outfitters Board Member Elizabeth Hanson said, people will inevitably fall through the cracks.
"No matter how good services are, no matter how well-managed big organizations are, there are gonna be cracks for people to fall through," Hanson said. "Owen's Outfitters is one of those entities that is there to catch those people that fall through the cracks."
Can you share an example?
Yeah, there are a ton of them. Take, for example, a story shared by Glory House Program Manager Kelly Cleveringa.
- She shared a story of a person who arrived at the Glory House with an immediate need for ostomy supplies.
"He was sent here with zero supplies, which is an emergency and a major concern for his health and cleanliness," Cleveringa said.
In years past, Cleveringa said case workers would've had to call around various clinics to see if someone would "take pity" and help out.
- But then, she discovered Owen's Outfitters. Cleveringa said the case manager who went to pick up the supplies was almost in tears she was so moved by the experience.
"She was really emotional about how easy it was and how life changing it would be for people to just be able to get what they need instead of having to jump through so many hoops," said Cleveringa, who now serves on the board for Owen's Outfitters in addition to her work at the Glory House.
Is it really that hard to get medical supplies?
In some cases, yeah.
Jamie Halvorson, an occupational therapist with the Brookings Health System, said she's seen it firsthand. People get denied insurance claims for equipment that would help them – including everyday household things like a toilet frame riser or a pressure support cushion to sit on.
Imagine, for example, that you're having trouble getting around, so you go to the doctor and they suggest getting a walker. You get the walker, and it helps. But after a few months, you have another medical incident that limits your mobility even further.
- Now, your best option to get around is a wheelchair, but insurance won't cover it.
"You can only get one mobility device every five years," Halvorson said. "That's all your insurance will pay for."
So you got the walker, but a wheelchair won't be covered by insurance. Enter Owen's Outfitters.
- Halvorson said she's referred quite a few people to the nonprofit, and even though it's a bit of a drive from Brookings, it's still often worth the trek for people.
"If we can help even one person get what they need and not have to worry about how they're gonna pay for it, or if they're even gonna be able to get it, that feeling is very powerful," Halvorson said.
How exactly does getting supplies work?
Owen's Outfitters makes it as simple as possible.
There's a simple one-page form to fill out before accessing equipment, but there are no application forms, no income restrictions, no geographic restrictions, etc.
- If you show up saying you need a wheelchair, and the nonprofit has one it can give you, it's yours.
"It comes back to the people who helped us with Owen," Turner said. "This is our extension of that. This is our way of paying that forward."
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Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
