HERO, Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
We do healthcare supplies. Affordably!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
HERO exists to address the issue of environmental impact and affordable healthcare equipment and supplies. We address these problems by providing access to affordable healthcare equipment and supplies for all, through the collection and distribution of donated materials. We increase accessibility of affordable supplies through environmentally responsible programs and partnerships that promote recycling through local and global distribution.Our environmentally responsible efforts of recycling through distribution saves thousands of pounds of reusable medical material from landfills each year. HERO’s unique service of providing these durable, donated supplies through our local retail center is helping to improve the quality of life for many. We serve all age demographics and income levels, offering waived fees for those in financial need. We equip medical mission teams with life changing supplies to assist individuals and families all over the world. HERO is changing lives.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Local
HERO serves people locally, regionally and globally. Primary recipients are residents of North Dakota and Minnesota. HERO is open Monday through Friday to provide individuals and agencies with medical supplies and equipment and accept equipment donations to redistribute to those in need. HERO has 3 staff and hundreds of volunteers that sort, clean, and pack donations to give to those in need. Many college and high school students are provided volunteer service opportunities at at HERO.
Environmental
Recycle and refurbish healthcare equipment otherwise destined for the landfill. Collect and distribute those materials to benefit those in need.
Domestic Redistribution
To provide donated healthcare materials to those in need in our local community for low and no cost.
Global Redistribution
Provide needed healthcare materials to medical mission teams traveling all over the world to provide healthcare assistance to those in need. The supplies are provided at low and no cost to mission teams.
General Distribution
HERO supports a local retail store in Fargo, ND offering affordable healthcare equipment and supplies to our local community and region.
General retail distribution
HERO supports a retail center located in Fargo, ND offering affordable healthcare equipment and supplies to all in need.
HERO retail store
Supporting a retail store in Fargo, ND offering affordable healthcare equipment and supplies for all.
Where we work
Awards
Small Non-Profit of the Year 2010
2010 Fargo-Moorhead ChamberChoice Award
Friend of the Red Cross Award 2011
American Red Cross ND/Western MN
External reviews
Photos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Operations/Executive goals:
Demand for HERO’s services continues to grow. Our statistics show a 20% increase in growth in each of the last three years. With this growth, comes special needs. To keep pace with incoming equipment donations and product demand, fundraising efforts are underway to purchase and maintain a new Medco Equipment Washer to help us sanitize donated equipment such as wheelchairs, shower chairs, and walkers more quickly and efficiently. This technology will make a dramatic difference in day to day operations by assisting our volunteers and staff to clean more items in a fraction of the time which helps keep waiting lists shorter and the retail center stocked.Our long-term goal is to increase efficiency in product turnover and distribution to serve more individuals.
Communications goals:
Over the years, our brand has changed a number of times. Creating consistency with our brand identity and marketing materials is top priority. Doing this will make communications easier, smoother, and allow for the overall message to be heard. Our second goal is to increase sustaining donors. Communications and Development are working together on the sustaining donor program and communications will cover tangible items (brochures and marketing supplies). The third goal is to increase online capabilities: through increase in social engagement, website engagement, e-mail signups, and online donations.
Development:
Development's goals are to first secure the format of our Heart of HERO sustaining donor program and to increase corporate giving throughout this year.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Operations/Executive:
Work with new and existing donors and explore new grant opportunities to purchase a medical equipment washer. Along with securing funding for the new washer, increased fundraising to improve operational efficiency for product turnover.
Communications:
Work with marketing to create brand consistency. Communicate guidelines with staff and volunteers/interns who will be creating documents on behalf of the organization. Have meetings with Development to come up with sustaining donor program (in line with our fundraising plan). Create documents and use them for communications. Come up with communications plan/events needed to kickstart the program. For increasing online awareness, implement better SEO practices for website, utilize new technology (widget created by local foundation we work with for Giving Hearts Day), create messaging with more calls to action, reasons to donate, and easy ways to get involved online (share e-mail, retweet, etc...)
Development:
Create strategy for sustaining donor program (when/how to introduce program, calls to connect and meet one on one, practicing the ask, asking, etc...). Reach out to corporate sponsors leading up to year end and giving hearts day. Find ways to have employees of businesses easily donate to HERO (jeans day, online, through paycheck, etc...).
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
In order for our goals to come to fruition, we rely on staff, board and committees, relationships with partnering businesses, foundations, individual donors, and connections with supply chain.
HERO has six full time staff, twelve board members, and committees for the following: executive, development, financial, public relations, as well as an army of volunteers.
HERO has received support from numerous businesses, service organizations, religious groups, and agencies for general operations, specific projects or programs, and needed items. We're continually expanding our local support and are working on gaining more national support through grants and businesses.
In 2017, HERO received donations from 559 donors.
We're working on expanding our resources for excess supplies we have when our warehouse becomes full. We're reaching out to more MSRO's (Medical Surplus Recovery Organizations) along with businesses. These partnerships allow us to save more supplies and serve more through creating room in our warehouse to collect donations.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Operations:
Fundraising is underway and three supplemental grants have been secured towards the washer. Individual donor solicitation continues to cover the costs of installation and maintenance.
Communications:
We're working on developing a full communications plan including social media guidelines for staff, volunteers, and brand. E-mail newsletters have proved to be effective in spreading the word and this year, over 1,500 people are currently receiving our newsletters. Online donations have increased due to Giving Hearts Day, and continued appeals.
Development:
We've selected the name of our sustaining donor program and are working on finalizing brochures and ordering small gifts for each level of giving.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
HERO, Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
Board of directorsas of 11/06/2019
Brandi Rostad
Hogue Vein Clinic
Brandi Rostad
RN - Hogue Vein Clinic
Ann Miller
Attorney - Anderson, Bottrell
Terry Kraft
COO - Swanson Health (Retired)
Kristin Hauschild
Occupational Therapist - Sanford Health
Tammy Lopez
Community Liaison - Ethos Home Care
Catherine Pladson
RN - Hogue Vein Clinic
Allan Rostad
Dentist (Semi-Retired)
Peter LimVere
VP Sales & Marketing - Results Unlimited
Anthony Molzahn
CEO - Project Phoenix
Tally Tinjim
Assistant Professor of Nursing - Concordia College
jon Norberg
physcian
Rachel Schmitz
RN, BSN
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/06/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.