Mobility Aids Lending Library

04/21/2026

Do you have an old wheelchair taking up space in your garage? MALL accepts donated medical equipment and gives it for FREE to people in need.

Right now, MALL has too much and not enough. Our room is very full, but we are short on some critical types of medical equipment. Please check out our needs list and let us know if you can help!

Urgently Needed:

--Manual or transport wheelchairs: all sizes
--Knee scooters
--Folding/portable mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs

We are currently not accepting:

--Large, non-folding mobility scooters or electric wheelchairs, especially if they need batteries or major repairs
--Standard walkers. Rollator walkers with seats are still welcome.

04/04/2026

Pediatric medical equipment available at MALL! All items are free. We can deliver in Bloomington or the surrounding counties, otherwise you can come pick it up at our office here. 

Photos 1 and 2: Stander with tray, move person from sit to stand with a lever. Fits a large child or even an adult.

Photos 2 and 3: Etac brand positioning chair for small child. Has pink upholstery. 

11/06/2025

This weekend, join The Persisterhood Workshop, Inc. at the Bloomington Handmade Market. They'll be selling gifts to benefit MALL!

10/05/2025

The MALL room was not damaged! We are accepting new donations and clients.

10/01/2025

As you may have heard, there was a fire today at First Christian Church on Kirkwood Ave., where MALL stores our larger items such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Some of our volunteers were there when the fire started, and we are thankful that everyone escaped without injuries.

One of our volunteers was able to briefly enter the room after the fire was put out and did not see any damage. However, there is notable damage to other rooms in the basement as well as the main hallway of the church, and possibly other areas. So at this point, we don’t know when it will be safe for us to fully assess the situation, determine whether there has been any damage that wasn't obvious, and resume scheduling appointments. If you already have an appointment with us, we will be in touch as soon as we know more.

First Christian Church does so much for our community, including hosting MALL, the winter homeless shelter, and many other important programs that aid those in need. As soon as we have more information about how we can all help, we will share it here. 🙏🏻

09/23/2025

Reggie is a long time client who is very active and has tried out a few different power devices to see what works best for him. He loves any wheelchair or scooter that comes in his favorite color, red!

If you need a power wheelchair or scooter, please reach out to us as we often have them available.

09/04/2025

MALL Needs Manual Wheelchairs — please help!

MALL provides free medical equipment to people in need. We are completely out of manual wheelchairs, except for this creature, which we have dubbed the Frankenchair. As you can see, we put it together using pieces of three broken wheelchairs. Yes, we are all about recycling here at MALL, but this is taking it a little too far.

Our clients deserve better equipment, and right now, the need is great. We have four people waiting for manual wheelchairs, and we expect to get more requests daily. Here's how you can help.

09/02/2025

Anita Cameron, disability rights and ADAPT icon, invited our co-president, Karin, to be a guest on her TikTok and discuss MALL!

272 likes, 16 comments. “I chat with Karin Willison about her organization, Mobility Aids Lending Library, in the first episode of Community Spots, where I feature grassroots organizations in communities around the nation that are small, led by disabled, folks of color, q***r and women or nonbinar...

06/07/2025

Disability Access Is Under Threat — Comments Due by June 15

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to eliminate a long-standing rule that protects the right of people with disabilities to access buildings constructed or altered with federal funding. This rule—10 CFR 1040.73—has been in place since 1980. It requires that new construction and renovations funded by federal dollars meet federal accessibility standards. In short, it ensures public dollars don’t fund buildings that exclude disabled people.

The Department now calls this rule “unnecessary” and burdensome.” But let’s be clear: Accessibility is not a burden. It’s a right. Removing this rule would:
• Eliminate enforceable accessibility standards for new federally funded buildings.
• Allow renovations that leave out ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and more.
• Undermine the civil rights protections of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This isn’t just about physical access—it’s about dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

This is a “direct final rule”—meaning it will automatically go into effect unless enough people submit meaningful comments opposing it. Deadline: Sunday, June 15, 2025

If we don’t flood the public record with strong opposition, the rule becomes final. Period. Full stop.

TWO dockets are open for public comment, and it’s important to submit to BOTH: Go to: www.regulations.gov
#1: Search for DOE-HQ-2025-0015 - click “Comment”
#2: Search for DOE-HQ-2025-0024 - click “Comment”

Each docket is part of the same harmful rollback, and both must be opposed in the public record. You don’t need to be a policy expert. Just share why access matters, and why federally funded spaces must include everyone.

PLEASE SHARE WIDELY TO YOUR NETWORKS

PS If you want an example, here’s what I wrote:

"I am appalled by and strongly oppose this proposed change in the requirements for accessibility to federal buildings and federally funded buildings. Access is crucial for alll Americans to participate in civil society. I am a wheelchair user with a chronic illness. For the past 25 years, ramps and elevators have been my way into libraries, hospitals, universities, post offices, rehabilitation centers, to name just some of the federal and federally funded institutional buildings I regularly access. DOE has been responsible for this mandate since 1980 for a reason: we need everyone to have access to participatory democracy if the U.S. is to remain a democratic country and a model of democracy for other nations.”

Forgot in this one to mention polling places...And of course tailor to your own relationships to disability access!

Thank you friends,

06/06/2025

Disability Access Is Under Threat — Comments Due by June 15

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to eliminate a long-standing rule that protects the right of people with disabilities to access buildings constructed or altered with federal funding. This rule—10 CFR 1040.73—has been in place since 1980. It requires that new construction and renovations funded by federal dollars meet federal accessibility standards. In short, it ensures public dollars don’t fund buildings that exclude disabled people.

The Department now calls this rule “unnecessary” and burdensome.” But let’s be clear: Accessibility is not a burden. It’s a right. Removing this rule would:
• Eliminate enforceable accessibility standards for new federally funded buildings.
• Allow renovations that leave out ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and more.
• Undermine the civil rights protections of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This isn’t just about physical access—it’s about dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

This is a “direct final rule”—meaning it will automatically go into effect unless enough people submit meaningful comments opposing it. Deadline: Sunday, June 15, 2025

If we don’t flood the public record with strong opposition, the rule becomes final. Period. Full stop.

TWO dockets are open for public comment, and it’s important to submit to BOTH: Go to: www.regulations.gov
#1: Search for DOE-HQ-2025-0015 - click “Comment”
#2: Search for DOE-HQ-2025-0024 - click “Comment”

Each docket is part of the same harmful rollback, and both must be opposed in the public record. You don’t need to be a policy expert. Just share why access matters, and why federally funded spaces must include everyone.