About Us
Lending Hands is an all-volunteer, Michigan, nonprofit social service organization located in Portage, Michigan. We lend home durable medical equipment, for free for seven months, to residents of the Southwest Michigan counties of Allegan, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties and beyond. Lending Hands of Michigan is a 501-c-3 tax-exempt organization.
Since our start in 2005 Lending Hands has served over 40,000 clients with over 80,000 pieces of medical equipment. We have saved our clients, the health care system and various entitlement programs over $12 Million in out-of-pocket expenses. Volunteers have contributed over 70,000 hours of service. In 2018, we saved Kalamazoo County residents over $700,000.
Our Mission
To serve and support people during health transitions with assistive devices without barriers to access.
Our Values
- Provide quality service to those in need
- Give thanks and goodwill to our donors
- Provide care, recognition and support to our volunteers
- Build lasting relationships with our communities
Board of Directors
Tracey Hatch
Chairperson
Kelly Quardokus
Vice Chair
Dan Story, R.N.
Treasurer
Jay Asher
Secretary
Dale Hein
Director
Demetra Lafayette
Director
Helen Palleschi
Director
Art Roberts
Director
Judy Sivak
Director
Tim Stowers
Director
Julie VanderNoot
Director
Anne Zemlick, R.N.
Director
Lucinda M. Stinson, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
2018-2021 Opportunity
In mid-2018, a generous challenge pledge/gift of $25,000 was awarded to Lending Hands of Michigan, Inc. in the form of a planned endowment to be housed at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, named the John Hilliard Endowment Fund for Lending Hands of Michigan, Inc. The donor agreed to provide a $1 for $1 match up to $25,000 of donations to the John Hilliard Endowment Fund as long as the gifts occur between now and June 30, 2021. It was the hope of a small, volunteer committee, who agreed to raise the matching funds, that the endowment donations would far exceed the needed $25,000 match as this endowment will help to insure a strong future for Lending Hands of Michigan, Inc.
After one year of effort, we are pleased to report that just over $100,000 has been pledged/gifted to the Kalamazoo Community Foundation for the John Hilliard Endowment Fund. Then in October 2019, John and Rosemary Brown awarded Lending Hands with another $100,000 challenge gift to grow the endowment. The committee has begun efforts to secure the matching $100,000 in funds ($-for-$ match) to help provide a secure future for this important non-profit organization in Southwest Michigan.
Endowment Committee Members
John Hopkins
Chairperson
Tracey Hatch
Lending Hands Board Chair
Art Roberts
Lending Hands Board
Cindy Buist
Lending Hands Volunteer
Lucinda M. Stinson
Lending Hands CEO