Mission: Project MEND is committed to improving the quality of life for individuals living with disabilities and illness through the refurbishment, reuse and distribution of medical equipment and other assistive technology.


Our Vision: Believing that mobility and independence are basic human rights, Project MEND promotes the health and self-sufficiency of people living with disabilities or life-altering illness by providing innovative solutions that assist in overcoming obstacles and barriers.

Medical Equipment Reuse Program

Through Medical Equipment Reuse, Project MEND collects donations of previously used medical equipment from nursing homes, medical equipment companies, partner agencies and individuals. After being evaluated for its safe use, the equipment is professionally refurbished, sanitized to the State standard, repaired and logged into available inventory. Once available, Project MEND distributes the equipment to individuals in need.


Assistive Technology

We assist in the purchase of items not available for immediate distribution from our inventory and often more specialized/unique to the individual in nature. Through established partnerships with various medical equipment and assistive technology companies, prosthetic and orthotic agencies and labs, we provide a maximum of $1000 per person (when funding is available), paid directly to our vendors, for the purchase of these items.

PROJECT MEND

5015 Wurzbach Road

San Antonio, Texas 78238


Phone: (210) 223-6363 ext. 3

Fax: (210) 223-6441

Hours: M-F 8am-5pm

Project MEND

Cathy Valdez is the CEO of Project MEND. It was formed by Murlin Johnson and became a nonprofit 501(C)3 in 1993. Mr. Johnson did a lot of volunteering and heard social workers state the need for wheel or power chairs for individuals who could not afford them. He decided to give his unused equipment away, but made sure the used equipment first met State Health Standards. The Health State Department has specific rules that Project MEND meets in order for them to provide used medical equipment.


Cathy stated that donated medical equipment can be contaminated, so they have to appropriately sanitize and disinfect equipment before it can be provided to a client. Later, Mr. Johnson purchased a warehouse to store and clean used equipment and in January 2022, Project MEND built a new location at 5015 Wurzbach Road. The new location brought all departments under one roof. It is 16,000 square feet with a donation area, where monthly there are over 1,000 pieces of equipment donated.

First, the equipment is determined whether it is safe and if so, it is sent for repair, sanitization and disinfection and when it passes all necessary tests, it is sent to a ready-to-go area, where equipment is given out to customers daily and can average up to 900 pieces a month. Depending on the client’s needs, Project MEND could give 25 wheelchairs to one organization or give four different pieces of equipment to one client. They service over 1,900 people annually. Besides their current location, they have a donation site in New Braunfels and people can schedule equipment to be picked up from their home when donating large or multiple items. Project MEND can also schedule deliveries of large or heavy equipment that may need to be setup in the client’s home. Cathy stated the client needs a doctor’s prescription to request equipment, because they do not have medical professionals to prescribe for a client’s specific needs. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit www.projectmend.org or call (210) 223-6363.

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