Since its first equipment placement in 2006, Kids Mobility Network has provided hundreds of children with DME.  Durable Medical Equipment is critical to the social and physical development of a child.  Appropriate DME allows a child to interact effectively with his/her peers and develop interpersonal skills, self confidence and self-esteem.

Children with physical disabilities have a unique, recurring need for durable medical equipment (“DME”) such as wheelchairs, walkers and other equipment.  Due to their rapid growth, existing DME becomes ineffective in meeting their needs and hinders their ability to effectively participate in their community.  All families must purchase outgrown shoes and clothing - special needs families must replace new DME – at great expense.

Kids Mobility Network, a 501(c)3, non-profit organization, is like no other non-profit organization.  It provides a resource for children with disabilities and their families to obtain DME.  Kids Mobility Network gathers outgrown DME and reconditions the equipment.  Reconditioned DME is then matched to a child’s specific needs - just like new equipment.

Christina and Peter Kopp are the founders of Kids Mobility Network and the parents of Kayla, a young lady with various disabilities.  The Kopps, understand the DME situation well.  Kayla’s physical needs require a number of DME/CRT devices to optimize her safety, mobility, and most importantly her independence.  The use of appropriate DME is critical to children’s social interaction with peers and helps to establish self-esteem and self-confidence.  As all children do, Kayla has outgrown walkers, wheelchairs and other equipment that was perfectly adequate to meet her needs – just too small for her.  The Kopps, like many families, purchased additional DME at great expense to accommodate Kayla’s needs.

The Kopps saw a need in the community for a resource that would match surplus equipment with children that could benefit from this DME.  “We looked for a non-profit organization that was doing this so that we could volunteer our time towards making a difference.  When one didn’t exist, we felt like we needed to build one ourselves,” stated Christy Kopp, Executive Director of Kids Mobility Network.  As entrepreneurs, the Kopps know what it takes to build an organization so that’s exactly what they have done.