HELP Services History

The idea of a service organization designed to help persons in need of expensive health care equipment was conceived by Fred Larsen in the early 1970’s. A committee of community residents was formed to pursue the idea resulting in September 1973 with the establishment of Help Services as a non-profit corporation. It was during that same month that Help Services loaned its first piece of equipment. Today we currently have some 92 categories of loan equipment in inventory which accounts for over 1,400 individual items. On an average, nearly 800 of these items are out on loan at any given time. Annually, over 1,500 pieces of equipment are checked out and returned by just under 1,100 clients. That amounts to a savings in health care costs of over $ 75,000 per year.

During the first two years Help Services worked out of space donated by the Dreamland Villa Community Club. Velda Rose Estates often provided space for meetings of the Board and the general membership. It wasn’t long, though, until it became apparent that more space was needed to house the business operations and the numerous items acquired for loan. In 1975, a number of fund raising events were held to fund the purchase of a building that then existed at our present location. Space again became a problem in the early 1980’s and in 1984, with the help of the Farnsworth Construction Co, the building we presently occupy was built.

In 1978, Help Services began offering a free weekly blood pressure clinic for its clients and in 1989, we were awarded a plaque by Mesa Community College honoring the organization “For Outstanding Volunteer Service, Senior Group”.

Over the years Help Services has saved our clients and the health care reimbursement system an estimated one and a half million dollars by supplying health care equipment to the residents of the two communities. And all of this has been accomplished with the many hundreds of hours of volunteered time provided by many dedicated individuals and the generous donations from the people who appreciate the service we offer.