Toys and equipment for kids with special needs can carry a high cost and incur quick turnover, oftentimes making such devices prohibitive for families. Now, a St. Louis group is offering specialized items on loan for no charge.

A library-style program allows families to check out everything from a $500 chair that helps a child learn to sit to toys with big buttons or sensitive controls for kids who have trouble with motor skills. When a child outgrows or no longer needs a particular item, it is turned back over to the Capable Kids and Families program at the St. Louis Arc to be checked out by another family.

The program, which received state funding to launch late last year with 50 families, already has a waiting list. Participating families have access to a stash of 1,700 items and program administrators visit each family’s home to help determine what’s needed. There’s no time limit on how long a family can keep a toy or device.

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Parents say the equipment exchange is a lifeline, allowing them to free up funds to help their child in other ways, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. To read more click here.

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