Obviously the Starkey Hearing foundation is Fully For Profit. They do not want to change the current market (they own it). This is a very sophisticated business managing a 60+ year hearing aid market - again they are the leaders. Naturally the business model is protected and very alive . Starkey claims they give away 60,000 plus hearing devices annually, yet they required proof of income and many questions are answered on their site.
Yet when I asked Starkey for help after reading that hey receive 60,000 used hearing devices from donations annually! ( asked for one of them ).
I have also sent email to them asking where I might donate my deceased partners hearing aids? Here is what the web site replied to my ask: " One of the most popular places to donate old hearing aids, as well as hearing aid parts from listening devices, is the Starkey Hearing Foundation “Hear Now” recycling program, which collects around 60,000"
here is the URL for this: {https://www.google.com/search?q=what+does+starkeyhearingfoundation+do+with+the+60+thousand+used+donated+hearing+aids+they+receive+annually%3F&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS857US857&oq=what+does+starkeyhearingfoundation+do+with+the+60+thousand+used+donated+hearing+aids+they+receive+annually%3F+&aqs=chrome..69i57.51342j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8}
Obviously Starkey tightly controls incoming and outgoing hearing aids - in the above link they are controlling 60 thousand used perfectly good working hearing aids, but its a mystery as to where they actually send them. it makes sense that they want used good hearing aids NOT available & OFF the market!
Here is the questionnaire ui received today! After i [71 years of age], sent the Starkey site a email message asking if they could provide a used hearing aid for my hearing loss:
Q: How many people are in the household?
Q: How much is the take home income for the household?
Q: How much do those in the household have in checking accounts?
Q: How much do those in the household have in saving accounts?
Q: Do any people in the household have any Certificate of Deposits?
Q: What is the current value of those CD?
Q: Do any people in the household have any annuities?
Q: What is the current value of those annuities?
Q: Does anyone in the household have any IRAs, 401Ks, Stocks or Bonds?
Q: If so, how much is currently held in any/all of these?
Q: Are you a Medicaid recipient in your state?
Q: What is the Medicaid benefit for hearing aids?
Q: Is there any health insurance coverage that provides a benefit for hearing aids?
Q: If so, what is the amount for the benefit offered?
I went thru their process of getting hearing aids. I'm 70 years old and my income is way below the poverty level. I called Starkey and they said I did qualify for their Hear Now Program. They sent an application with a list of things I had to return with the application. Past six months of my bank statement, proof of my income from Social Security and the hearing test from a doctor that participated in the Hear Now Program. They told me I had to find the doctor on my on, they would not tell me one in my state. I searched for days and finally a doctor said they did participate in the Hear Now Program and made a appoint for me and told me I had to have my doctor to do a referral to them. I had everything I needed except for the doctor part of the application and the hearing test. Well 10-13-2016 at 10:00 AM I was there for my test knowing I was getting closer to "HEARING" (again). They took me back to do the exam and I showed them the application from Starkey. The lady left and brought back the doctor who promptly told me they did not do the Hear Now Program, and didn't know of a doctor in all of South Carolina that participated in the the Hear Now Program. All along me sitting there looking at a big chart of things that could cause hearing loss, the chart was from "STARKEY". Anyway the doctor still wanted to do the hearing test which would do no good. They I would be stupid enough to pay them for a hearing test.
This was all a lot of crap. I should have known something was wrong when they wouldn't tell me a doctor to see. They are not who they say they are. All the pictures showing them helping people. Just try to get some help from them and see what its all about.
The rumors and inaccuracies about the company making money off the foundation and the tax benefits to donors are simply mind boggling. First, the company does not make money off the foundation. In fact, there is a whole section of the factory where paid employees strip donated hearing aids of parts that can be used for re- builds. As for the tax benefits for donors, the donors do not receive anything in return, so the charitable donation is legitimate. Get your stories straight, folks.
Amazing Organization that continuously donates over 100,000 Hearing Aids per year Worldwide!
Do the work, build the dream, let the results speak for themselves!
SO THE WORLD MAY HEAR
They use donations to fund their for-profit business, Starkey Hearing Technologies. This should be considered a marketing arm of Starkey and NOT a charity. If he were being charitable, Bill Austin would purchase the best hearing aids available for these folks - not just hearing aids from his own company. I've heard rumors they charge the Foundation higher-than-market prices.
A major source of revenue for this organization is in the form of "donations" from people who receive hearing aids from them. The people receiving the hearing aids are told that they may deduct the amount of the donation from their taxes without consideration of the value of the hearing aids. This is tax fraud because the situation is a perfect example of a quid pro quo donation, in which the fair market value of what was received in exchange for the donation needs to be subtracted from the amount of the donation. They are well aware of what they are doing and the consequences of these actions and continue to operate in this manner. Also, take a look at how much money this organization is "donating" to other unrelated foundations. For example, the Elton John Aids Foundation has received approximately $1 million from them over the years that he has "volunteered" to play at their fundraisers. Also, under another conflict of interest situation, the majority of the expenses are for the purchase of hearing aids from the company that started the foundation, and not simply at the compan's cost, but a higher value, resulting in increased profit for the company.
Review from CharityNavigator