Volunteer
The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. If you are interested in volunteering, click the button below to find out more.
PMHDC Southwest Medical Aid (PSMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing durable medical equipment and supplies for free to the community, through our partner charitable organizations.
Our supplies come from excess inventory at hospitals, private practitioners, ER's, clinics, thrift stores and individuals. Donated medical supplies and equipment – which can range from personal hygiene items to wheelchairs and hospital beds – are then primarily distributed through our network of partner nonprofits, hospitals, churches and other agencies.
Anyone can be a recipient of our aid - those who have become marginalized through poverty, fixed income, natural disasters, physical or financial hardship, loss of a job, home, or family member, incarceration, homelessness or other life events.
Based in Tucson, PSMA primarily serves Southern Arizona and Pima County, as well as areas in Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Yuma. We also work in California, New Mexico and Mexico, and occasionally, PSMA is called upon to help internationally!
Over 100,000 pounds of medical supplies and equipment are distributed each year through our partner organizations:
-PPEP
-El Rio Health
-Gospel Rescue Mission
-South Tucson Lions Club
-Tucson Collaborative Care Community
-Tucson Fire and Police Departments
-Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports
-Tucson Medical Center
-Northwest Medical Center
-Differently Abled Entertainment
-Arizona Diaper Bank
and many more!
In our nearly 20 years of existence, we have distributed over ONE MILLION POUNDS of medical material that may have otherwise ended up in landfills. Instead, they have a second life and will continue helping people in need.
Southwest Medical Aid (SMA) was founded in 2004 by Jan Izlar, who noticed the growing need for accessible medical supplies. Her husband Jim (1937-2021) and a small team of enthusiasts started at their house, and we have since grown into two warehouse spaces.
SMA, working with the Society of the Divine Savior (the Salvatorians), took many mission trips to Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Peru and Ecuador. There, we distributed medical supplies and assisted in the building and renovation of local schools and churches.
Cheryl Cecil led the organization for a number of years until Jose Ralls took the reins in 2018. Under his leadership, SMA was acquired by PPEP Microbusiness & Housing Development Corporation (PMHDC) in 2019, creating PSMA.
PMHDC itself is part of the Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. (PPEP) family, started by Dr. John David Arnold in 1967.
Copyright © 2020-2024 PSMA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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