Professionally-fitted hearing aids can be very expensive, and for many people, they are simply unaffordable. However, there are organizations, companies, government agencies, and service clubs that offer financial support and, in some cases, provide free hearing aids and accept donated hearing aids.
It’s important to note that several options are available to Americans, and each state offers different assistance programs.
National organizations
- Hearing Aid Project helps low-income seniors who have been diagnosed with hearing loss by a licensed professional, have no insurance coverage, and are residents of the United States.
- Help America Hear Program provides hearing aids to men, women, and children who could otherwise not afford them.
- Lions International accepts donations of used hearing aids and donates them to people in need. This is typically done through local Lions Club chapters but it also accepts donations through Walmart Vision Centers.
- Miracle-Ear Foundation offers its “Our Gift of Sound” program to individuals and families that meet the income criteria, cannot afford hearing aids, and have exhausted all other options for getting them.
- A.G.Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing focuses on supporting children and their families. It offers education, support services, and financial assistance.
Donating to hearing aid manufacturers
Some manufacturers have programs to help those in need acquire hearing aids. Starkey, for example, offers assistance through its Starkey Cares program, part of the international Starkey Hearing Foundation. Others, such as Sonova (Phonak, Unitron), make donations via its Hear the Word Foundation.
Eligibility requirements vary, and the best way to learn more about access to these programs is to consult your audiologist or specialist.
Local service clubs
As with Lions Club International, many service clubs offer financial assistance for both audiology services and the purchase of new or refurbished hearing aids. It’s important to note that these are usually provided by local chapters. The following are the clubs’ national websites from which you can search for your local chapter.
- Civitan International
- Optimists International
- The Benevolent Protector Order of Elks
- Knights of Columbus
- Quota USA
- Sertoma
- Travelers Protective Association
Other local options
In most locales, there are clinics and hearing care offices that accept donated hearing aids and then pass them along to people in your community, schools, hospices, “hearing aid bank/lender” programs, as well as the charity programs listed below. Some even run their own charities; for example, Audiologist Christopher Scot Frink established the Frink Foundation in honor of his late father (who was also a hearing care professional). The Foundation sends many of the devices to mission programs in other countries, most recently Belize, Guatemala, and Ukraine.
Donating hearing aids to Costco
Costco does not have a formal nationwide program for accepting used hearing aid donations, and their corporate giving focuses primarily on monetary grants rather than product recycling. However, some local Costco Hearing Aid Centres may informally accept used devices or help facilitate their reuse, especially if the aids were originally purchased there. It's best to call your local center to ask if they can assist with a donation or help reprogram the devices for someone you know.
More resources
While we strongly encourage you to donate your hearing aids to a good cause, you should be aware that there are also consignment options.
Canadians who need financial assistance can consult this guide.
HearingTracker also provides related information in its Guide to Paying for Hearing Aids and Paying for Hearing Aids with Health Insurance.
You may also be interested in these related topics:
- HLAA: State Agencies for People with Hearing Loss
- What to Do When a Loved One Passes Away After Recently Purchasing New Hearing Aid
