ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT LIBRARY
We're excited to announce the launch of our adaptive equipment library, which helps get adaptive equipment, accessibility tools, educational materials, and toys to new homes.
How it works
We make our adaptive equipment library easy to use and put as few limitations as possible on who can rent adaptive equipment. Follow the guide below and reach out if you have any questions!
100% Free
Our adaptive equipment library is a completely free resource! We do ask that if you lose or break a rental item you please try to make a contribution to having the item replaced or find a replacement for the library. However, this is on a case-by-case basis and we will never harass a family for money for any reason.
Open to anyone in Santa Cruz County
Anyone residing in Santa Cruz County can use our adaptive equipment library. We serve individuals across the lifespan with short-term and long-term disabilities. The only eligibility requirement you must meet to rent equipment is living in Santa Cruz County.
First come, first served
We operate purely on a first come, first served basis. Just as a book library doesn't require proof of need to rent a book, we don't require proof of need to rent equipment. We will never ask you for proof of income, proof of citizenship, or proof of diagnosis. If you reach out to us with a need, we will do our best to help!
Used and new items in stock
Our library is stocked through community donations of used items and through new equipment purchases made with monetary donations. If someone requests an item we don't have, we will add them to our waitlist and begin the search for their needed item or purchase the item with existing funds.
We accept most equipment, tools, books, and toys
We strive to keep the library stocked with a broad range of items to meet diverse needs. This includes educational materials, communication devices, mobility aids, accessibility and adaptive tools, development-focused toys, books, and more. The only items we cannot accept are perishable medical equipment, medications, single-use medical supplies, or anything related to invasive daily care needs, such as syringes, catheters, feeding tubes, and needles.
We work with individuals, organizations, and businesses
If you are part of an organization, school, or business that supports neurodivergent and disabled community members or if you want to make your service more accessible, you can rent equipment from our library for use in your space. If you are a provider, we make it easy to refer clients to The Rainbow FRC, where they will receive quality support and guaranteed confidentiality. You can make a referral using the button at the top of this page!
How to donate equipment
To donate items, please do the following:
1. Fill out our super quick donation form. This form tells us what you're donating and where/when we can pick it up or expect a drop-off: https://forms.gle/DreZVQx4jJ6zyGxLA
2. Make sure your item is in good working condition. Items in used condition are totally acceptable! We don't expect perfection. However, please do not give us broken or otherwise unusable items. We are not a dump and having to spend money throwing away someone else's trash takes time and money that we'd prefer to spend serving the community!
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3. Make sure your item is clean. Please give your donations a wipe down before passing them off to us so that dirt and other stains have been cleaned off to the best of your ability.
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4. You're ready to donate! Once you've followed the steps above, you're all set to donate your items. Thank you! Someone will be in touch to collect your donation.
How to rent equipment
To rent items, please do the following:
1. Fill out our intake form. Like any library, we rent to members. By signing up, you'll be able to access adaptive equipment as well as all of our other services! It's always free to belong to The Rainbow and our client information is kept confidential: https://forms.gle/oy8w1Bq7cm8LRrYm7
2. If we don't have an item in stock, we will search for what you need and inform you when we have it. We serve clients on a first come, first served basis. So, we will search for items in the order they are requested provide items to renters in the order they are received.
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3. Your item can be reserved for pickup or delivery. Once your item has been reserved, we can make it available for pickup or delivery. We will deliver anywhere in Santa Cruz County free of charge.
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4. Keep your rented items clean and safe. You are responsible for keeping your rental in working order. If your rental is lost, stolen, or broken, let us know and we will work together on a solution for getting the item replaced.
5. Return your items on their due date or when you're done with them, or request a renewal. Once you are in possession of a rental, you can keep hold of it until you are ready to return it. For certain items, we check in every few months about renewing the rental and returning the item. Our team can also help you apply for grants or make requests with your insurance for purchasing personal equipment to keep.
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6. Stay in good standing to continue renting from our library. To stay in good standing with the equipment library, please be communicative about any issues with your equipment, request renewals in a timely manner, and return items when they are due.
Support the adaptive equipment library
Our adaptive equipment library costs time and money to run! The most common expenses for the library are needed item purchases, equipment storage, and equipment transport. There are also some administrative fees.
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If you'd like to support our adaptive equipment library, consider donating towards our library fund, purchasing an item from our wishlist, or volunteering your time to be a library driver!
Donations and Volunteering
​All cash and Venmo donations are graciously accepted and processed by The Rainbow FRC directly.
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*In order to qualify as a charitable donation for your own tax purposes, you must donate directly through our fiscal sponsor. For instructions on writing a paper check to our sponsor or to submit an online donation, select from one of the above options.
Our wishlists include tangible items that we need in order to operate a successful family resource collective. These items range in price and we're working on expanding our wishlists to include local retailers!
Getting involved with The Rainbow FRC as a volunteer or leadership member is a great way to help the cause! We're currently looking for delivery drivers, event organizers, educators, administrators, and folks interested in offering peer support.
If you have a business or organization and would like to dedicate a percentage of your earnings to our cause, we will link your shop on our website! You set the parameters for your donations, including amount and duration. Click the image above to apply.