convalescent aid society

What convalescent aid society does

Convalescent Aid Society (CAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1923 in Pasadena, California, that provides free loans of reusable durable medical equipment (DME) to residents of the San Gabriel Valley and, since expansion into San Fernando Valley, the broader greater Los Angeles region. The organization loans wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers, rollators, bath chairs, commodes, canes, crutches, patient lifts, wheelchair ramps, and related mobility and convalescence equipment at no charge to eligible clients, retaining the equipment in circulation as long as needed. CAS serves individuals recovering from hospitalization or surgery, those with chronic mobility limitations, and residents of senior housing and assisted living facilities via a dedicated FORM 115 program with facility cosignature requirements.

The organization's core operational technology is the Business Engine platform, developed in partnership with Mighty Ant DataWorks since 2012, which manages the full equipment loan lifecycle — applications, account creation, inventory, sanitization scheduling, loan follow-ups, delivery tracking, and donations. Equipment is processed through Hub Scrub industrial autoclave machines for hospital-grade sanitization before redistribution, and donated gently used equipment is repaired and recirculated, diverting 65 tons of material from landfills to date. CAS currently maintains 28,748 pieces of equipment in client homes, distributes 12,000+ pieces annually (including 2,430 wheelchairs in the most recent reported year), and serves over 14,000 active clients.

CAS operates entirely without government funding, relying on individual donations across six tiers (Advocate $5-$250 through Angel $5,000-$25,000), foundation grants, planned giving through the 1923 Society (in partnership with Pasadena Community Foundation, with $10,000 minimum gift annuities), an annual Garden Party fundraiser with corporate sponsorships up to $5,000, designated equipment campaigns ($25 cane through $1,000 hospital bed), and modest delivery/service fees on hospital beds and mattresses. Two physical locations — Pasadena (3255 East Foothill Blvd) and Burbank (1305 W. Magnolia Blvd) — anchor a community-led go-to-market model with online applications, hospital referrals, health fair outreach, and a substantial video testimonial library used for awareness. Distribution is direct-to-client via pickup, curbside service, and distance-based delivery.

Name

convalescent aid society

Legal name

Convalescent Aid Society

Website

https://cas1.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Convalescent Aid Society is a Pasadena-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1923 that loans durable medical equipment free of charge to residents of California's San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys, operating two locations and recycling equipment through hospital-grade sanitization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Durable Medical Equipment Lending

NAICS

Home Health Equipment Rental (532283), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospital Bed, Lift & Transfer Equipment (Beds, Hoyer Lifts, Slings) (HSABAKAF)

Keywords

• Durable medical equipment
• Medical equipment loans
• Home mobility aids
• Medical equipment refurbishment
• Nonprofit healthcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Private Donations: Individual donations at various levels (Advocate $5-$250, Community Sponsor $250-$500, Supporters Circle $500-$1,000, Visionary Circle $1,000-$2,500, Presenting Sponsor $2,500-$5,000, Angel $5,000-$25,000). Clients often make voluntary contributions.
2. Foundation Grants: Support from private foundations through grants ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. CAS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives no government funding.
3. Equipment Campaign Donations: Designated donations for specific equipment: Cane $25, Bath Bench $50, Rollator Walker $100, Wheelchair $250, Heavy Duty Wheelchair $500, Hospital Bed $1,000. Donors can have names placed on equipment.
4. 1923 Society Planned Giving: Legacy giving program including bequests through wills and Charitable Gift Annuities through partnership with Pasadena Community Foundation. Requires $10,000+ minimum for gift annuity.
5. Annual Garden Party Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities at annual fundraising event at various levels: Sustaining Circle $750-$1,200, Executive Circle $2,500-$5,000. Includes tickets and recognition.
6. Delivery and Service Fees: Free equipment loans but delivery fee for hospital beds based on distance. Optional mattress purchases available. 15% processing fee for refunds on cancelled deliveries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Convalescent Aid Society provides free loans of reusable durable medical equipment—including beds, wheelchairs, walkers, bath chairs, commodes, canes, and crutches—for as long as residents need them. It accepts donated equipment, repairs and sanitizes it, and recirculates it through the loan program.

Product overview

Convalescent Aid Society operates a free durable medical equipment (DME) loan program serving the San Gabriel Valley and San Fernando Valley since 1923. The organization provides equipment loans at no cost to clients who need medical equipment for home use. The core offering is the Free Durable Medical Equipment Loan Program, supplemented by an Equipment Donation Program (accepting gently used equipment), a Financial Donation Program, and a Volunteer Program. Equipment categories include bathing aids (bath chairs, tub transfer benches), hospital beds (full electric and semi-electric with delivery), mobility aids (canes, crutches), patient room equipment (bed rails, lifts, IV poles), toileting aids (commodes, toilet safety frames), walkers and rollators (various types and weight capacities), wheelchairs (transport and standard, pediatric to bariatric), and wheelchair ramps (threshold to multi-step). The organization recycles donated equipment through sanitization and repair, having kept 65 tons of equipment out of area landfills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Durable Medical Equipment Loan Program Provides wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers, bath chairs, commodes, canes, and crutches to residents of the San Gabriel Valley and San Fernando Valley at no cost for as long as needed.
• Hospital Bed Delivery and Pickup Service Provides distance-based delivery, setup, and pickup of hospital beds and mattresses for eligible residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ pieces of medical equipment loaned annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mighty Ant DataWorks (Business Engine)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Develops and supports the Business Engine operations management system used by CAS for equipment loans, donations, appointment scheduling, and delivery management. The most comprehensive system available for DME loan organizations.
• Pasadena Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Charitable Gift Annuity program through the 1923 Society. Allows donors to make gifts of stock or cash and receive a secure fixed annuity for life.
• Huntington HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership dating to CAS's founding year 1923 when 12 wheelchairs were provided to post surgery patients. Ongoing relationship with hospital for patient referrals.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): National nonprofit providing assistive equipment, mobility aids, and care services to individuals with neuromuscular diseases. Operates regional equipment loan and support programs similar in function to CAS, with broader disease focus.
• Apria Healthcare: National home medical equipment provider offering hospital beds, wheelchairs, mobility aids, and respiratory equipment. Comparable in equipment offering and home-use focus, but operates commercially rather than as a free-loan charity.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability and rehabilitation services, including medical equipment lending and accessibility programs. Comparable as a community-based equipment and support services provider, though with a much broader service portfolio.
• American Cancer Society (Road to Recovery and Equipment Programs): National nonprofit providing a range of support services to cancer patients, including referrals to medical equipment resources and direct support for mobility needs. Comparable as a disease-mission-driven nonprofit addressing post-treatment home equipment needs.
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Large national nonprofit that funds and coordinates durable medical equipment assistance, mobility aids, and home modifications for people with MS — comparable in mission and equipment lending model, though covering a far broader national footprint.

Direct peers

• Numotion: A for-profit provider of complex rehabilitation technology and home medical equipment (wheelchairs, patient lifts, beds) — directly comparable in product category to CAS, but operates on a paid commercial/insurance-reimbursement model rather than free donation-funded loans.
• Lions Clubs International (Medical Equipment Loan Programs): Local Lions Clubs across the U.S. operate free 'loan closets' of durable medical equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds). Highly comparable grassroots nonprofit model, though typically smaller in scale and not regionally consolidated like CAS.
• ALS Association (Golden West Chapter): A nonprofit that provides durable medical equipment loans and assistive technology to people with ALS in California, operating a similar regional equipment-loan model with sanitization, refurbishment, and free loan programs.
• Goodwill Industries International (Home Medical Equipment Programs): Several Goodwill affiliates operate home medical equipment lending and refurbishment programs for low-income and disabled clients. Directly comparable in the donation-funded, free-loan DME model, though embedded within a broader workforce and retail mission.

Regional players

• Area Agencies on Aging (DME Assistance Programs): Public-private regional agencies providing aging-in-place support including medical equipment referrals and lending programs. Comparable in serving elderly populations with mobility needs, though primarily publicly funded and varying widely by region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/convalescent-aid-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about convalescent aid society