Evergreen Reuse Coalition
April 11, 2012
In Attendance: Carolyn Phillips (Pass It On Center), Sam Murphy (WATAP), Irene Robertson
(HSDC), Gerry Barney(Bridge), Jack Staudt (Bridge), Frances Pennell (WA Access Fund), Alan
Knue (WATAP), Mike McGlone (KC Help), Lisa Melvin (Catholic Community Services), Holly
Morgan (Easter Seals WA), Steve Just-Steve (HSDC)
Where we were & where we are
 The Evergreen Reuse Coalition
Vision: A statewide coalition enriching the lives of Washingtonians through effective
reuse of assistive devices.
Motto: Tools for life, independence for a lifetime.
 Two proposals selected from RFP process: Bridge and HSDC
o Three reuse programs receive funding through the AT Act Program.
o Broadening array of AT available in the state
Where are we going (Increasing Acquisition)
 Outcomes Discussion
o Increasing Capacity – How do we Measure?
o Statewide – AT Act
 Reaching all corners of the State
 Don’t assume people over the boarder are being served
o Comprehensiveness – AT Act
 Working together to provide the widest array of equipment
needed
 At the table, DME, CCTV’s, Hearing Aids and hearing equipment,
iPads at Autism Centers
 How do we increase what is available to people with disabilities
and functional needs?

Outputs Discussion
o How many people will be positively changed? - 1 to 3 – Caregiver Stat
o How many people will receive equipment?
 125 – 130 pieces of equipment (KC Helps)
 150 people a month (Medical supplies a month 25000) (Bridge)
 2011 – 27 hearing aids/12-16 were reused (HSDC)
 2011, 150 computers (ES)
 (KC) still growing in ppl served and donated
 Bridge – moved to larger area able to serve more people
20% growth per year since the move
o How many people will donate equipment?
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100-125 pieces of equipment (KC Helps)
300 pieces for equipment a month (Bridge)
10 HA a month (HSDC)
Amount of equipment coming in equates to equipment going out
and ppl served
o How much equipment will be kept out of landfill?
o Impact on individuals life
 people maintaining employment Access Fund has a Survey they
use
o How much money will WA save?
 (Bridge - $1,000,000 last month)
 Look into DHS discretionary fund
 DVR
 Roads to community living
o Measures of Success:
 Being in our infancy making sure people know who we are.
 Who are we partnering with, outreach and marketing. Getting up
a website.
 Increasing number of people receiving equipment
 Bringing on new equipment that isn’t typically reused.
 Micro loans getting set up for reused equipment services.
 Abandonment: Tracking if the equipment is working for them
 Donations (HSDC): 30-40 people waiting, only 10 reused HA.
 Larger/broader network of social workers
 Leverage relationships – look at Medicaid as funding stream
 Contact through PIOC (Kansas AT program)
 Be purposeful in growth
 Think about Capacity!
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Logistics Discussion
o Transportation
 Holly – Safeway – trucks to move equipment…Hwy 90.
 Drop Location – Spokane - Easter Seals
 Volunteers to move equipment
 List volunteer opportunities on ERC website
o State policy
 1-800 Number sticker, Medicaid discussion
o Evaluating new partners
 MOUs within Coalition (?)
 Site visits and vetting process
 How to join the Coalition information on website
o Inventory System – NEED – KC Helps

WATAP will work with Bridge to update current system and
make available to all programs
o Junk – metals, ankle braces
 Do we want to get $$ from end-of-life recycling?
 Talk with Interconnection, talk with Alex
o AFP – Matching Program & Loan Program
 Jack – get $5000 + operation costs for Access Fund to manage
loans
 Hearing Aid association
 Credit Builder’s Loan is $500
 $200-$500 loans
 Train folks at centers
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Modify brochure and loan application for Evergreen Reuse
Program
Sustainability
 Vendors – part of the conversation
 Volunteers – without a workforce can’t operate
o IRS published information on volunteer hour reimbursement
o Create volunteer index for national volunteer days and subsidized
volunteer work through companies
o Microsoft will pay $17 an hour for volunteers plus get the labor
o Safeway and Target requires employees to do community service
o Target directs people to volunteerMatch.com
 Funding: diversified funding across the board
o WATAP is able to fund two of the partners but with federal funding the
way it is, it becomes a concern
o Looking at shared and focused fund raising as a group – shows
partnerships,
 Telling story, unified outlook
o Funding sources are looking at different priorities (i.e.: food/housing)
 Making the links between green community – this is a green
activity, seek funding there as well as human services
 What data to collect to make our case that communication and
mobility are equally important
 PIOC has resources of data being collected nationally
 Getting letters of support from diverse groups
 Internal communication
o Finding the best way for the group to have a sounding board and place to
problem solve ideas.
o Member forum section on ERC website
 Structure of the organization: governance
o Is there a fiscal agent if we are writing grants and going after money.
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Spread the responsibility and workload; the organization that has
the relationship with the funder.
 WATAP can contract easily with the state
 Easter Seals has national relationship with Safeway
o Who is providing leadership
 WATAP is the sponsoring organization
o The sooner we can present a united front
 By laws, MOUs (?)
 Website
 Statement of who we are and what we do
 Members: innovation catalysts
 Reusers
 Points of Access
 Community Partners
 Vision, plan
Communication Plan
 Website – 6 weeks
o Part will be brainstorming of what coalition members would like to see –
discuss at next meeting
o communication tool where we can post equipment - ?
 That needs to be transported across the state (?) or
 Online inventory system for reuse programs (?)
o Member forum to share ideas and work on solutions
 WATAP has access to a tool currently being developed, secure
login for members only
o How to volunteer with the Coalition
o Members information
 Location, equipment being reused, link to website, link to
inventory (?)
o Photos and stories for the website of people who have benefitted
 Sam will send out photo release form
o Use internet to screen/ direct individuals and organizations
 “Send us an email and we’ll get back to you.”
 Screening information in email form
 WATAP can share 1-800-number once we are further established
o How do you join the Coalition –
 Member agreements
 Vetting process
o The EverGREEN AT Exchange – 3rd party exchange site
 Rebrand exchange site to match the Coalition so all reuse is done
under the same banner
 Offer a place for groups that collect small or specific equipment to
list online
 Place for individuals looking to exchange
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Place to list items for long term loan to be used by case managers
when discharging from hospital or reuniting families
List unwanted items, i.e.: C-paps, boots
With whom do we need to tell our story?
o NPR – Green Beat Reporter
o Recycling Mailer
o Waste Management – “Call 1-800”
o Ask Evelyn
o get on list of places to call when looking to get rid of equipment
o Green volunteer community
o DSHS programs – when we have data about cost savings
o Falls prevention – for funding
o Vendors
o unitedspinal.org
o usersfirst.org
Next Steps Website: 6 weeks.
 Data collection – what and how
 Inventory tool
 Finding resources for outreach and points of communication
 Strategic plan review
 Set up webinar with Access Fund micro loans
 Other attendees – get up a website, start bringing in other resources.
Next Meeting- Wednesday-May16th 10:00am
AFP Webinar –