Virginia Lions HEARING AID BANK FOUNDATION (DISTRICT 24-A)

The Virginia Lions Hearing Aid Bank (HAB) Foundation is a Virginia chartered non-profit, tax exempt foundation organized under the provisions of Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Its purpose and mission are to:

• Educate the Lions and public on all aspects of the use of hearing aids for the improvement of hearing loss of hearing-impaired persons.

• Facilitate and promote the collection of used hearing aids through the Lions and Lioness clubs of District 24-A and other established capabilities.

• Facilitate and promote the recycling of used hearing aids through established capabilities as an affordable alternative for persons with financial needs.

• Encourage all District 24-A Lions and Lioness clubs to assist, where possible, hearing impaired persons with financial needs to obtain required hearing aids.

• Serve as the safety net for hearing impaired persons who require a hearing aid and a District 24-A Lions or Lioness club is not available to provide it.

• Solicit and raise the necessary funding from all available sources in support of the above to insure that all needy hearing impaired persons requiring a hearing aid are served.

LIONS AFFORDABLE HEARING AID PROGRAM

• Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) made a substantial grant to develop and bring to market an affordable hearing aid.  The HAB Foundation is one of the first organizations to take advantage of the new affordable hearing aids as a part of our program in Northern Virginia

• Where appropriate, we will use a new Lions affordable hearing aid for needy individuals, instead of using a reconditioned hearing aid.  Reconditioned hearing aids will continue to be used where they are most appropriate.

• The Lions affordable hearing aid is a state-of-the-art, digitally programmable behind-the-ear hearing aid.  LCIF has plans to develop a similar in-the-ear hearing aid in the near future.

• In addition to using the Lions affordable hearing aid in our local HAB Foundation program, the HAB Foundation will assist the Rural Area Medical (RAM) project in providing Lions affordable hearing aids as a part of the RAM project.

WE COLLECT AND RECYCLE USED HEARING AIDS

• District 24-A Lions and Lioness clubs collect and recycle used hearing aids in conjunction with their ongoing efforts to collect and recycle used eyeglasses.

• Used hearing aids can be sent to the HAB Foundation Committee Chair (see address below),  or to the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, 212 N. West Street, Falls Church, VA 22046-2422. The donating club will be given proper recognition.

• Used behind-the-ear style hearing aids are reconditioned by the manufacturer and reissued to hearing impaired persons referred  to the Sonus Arlington Hearing Center or to Audiology Office, LLC.

• Used in-the-ear style hearing aids are used to obtain credit towards repairs made on the behind-the-ear style hearing aids.

The District 24-A HAB Foundation Committee Chair or the Foundation officers are available upon request to present information programs. Contact Lion Mike McLaughlin, District 24-A HAB Foundation Committee Chair, at 8971 Colesbury Place, Fairfax, VA 22031, telephone 703.471.6150 (work) or 703.280.0403 (home), or via email at mmclaughlin@annandalelions.org.

• Requests for financial assistance may come directly to the HAB Foundation Chair after they have been processed by a social worker for the Department of Human Services of the county or city in which the individual making the request resides.   The HAB Foundation Chair contacts the individual making the request, and authorizes them to contact the appropriate hearing center to make an appointment.

• Some Lions and Lioness clubs have a direct working relationship with social workers in the Department of Human Services in their area and have the resources to provide the requested assistance. In these cases, the clubs work directly with the organization providing the hearing aid(s).

• In each case, the local Lions Club is involved in providing service to the individual making the request.  Some clubs donate all of the funds required, and other clubs make a donation to the HAB Foundation as they are able.  Many Lions Clubs in District 24-A support the work of the HAB Foundation, despite having few if any needy individuals in their immediate service area.

• When a club is approached by an individual requesting financial assistance the club should refer the person to the office in the Department of Human Services that handles hearing aid requests for the Lions clubs in its area. If the office does not have a Lions Club Hearing Aid Request Form, the HAB Foundation Chair will provide a copy.

• Many of the hearing aids provided by HAB Foundation are through Sonus (formerly the Arlington Hearing Center), 3260 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201, telephone number 703-525-1898. The sponsoring Lions or Lioness club(s) or the Foundation, as appropriate, will pay the cost involved. The established price includes: an audiological evaluation; fittings for ear mold(s); and, reconditioned behind-the-ear style hearing aid(s). The price does not include the cost of any required follow-up visits.

• The University of Virginia, Division of Audiology, Charlottesville, VA, provides hearing assistance for indigent individuals. A nominal fee is charged for Lions and Lioness club sponsored individuals, which covers the cost of a new behind-the-ear style hearing aid, warranty, the ear mold, and follow-up fitting. The service is supported by the Virginia Lions Hearing Foundation and Research Center, Incorporated, Box 800477, University of Virginia Health Services Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, at telephone numbers 434-296-LION (5466) or 800-251-3627, Extension 4-9805.

• In the Northern Neck or Middle Peninsula area, Audiology Offices, LLC provides assistance to Lions.  They are located at 45 North Main Street in Kilmarnock, VA 22482, telephone number 804-435-0758.

• The Blue Ridge Hearing Center, 602 South King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175, telephone number 703-777-5050, is another option for Lions and Lioness clubs; particularly those clubs in Loundon County where the Center operates under a County grant for its residents.

Last Update: 2/16/2005