SayWhatClub March 2007 Newsletter

PEARL: We all know Starkey as a hearing aid manufacturer but what many people may not realize is that Starkey provides free hearing aids worldwide. Justin, tell us a little bit about the Starkey Foundation and how it works.

JUSTIN: The Starkey Hearing Foundation was founded in 1973 by William F. Austin, also owner and CEO of Starkey Labs, Inc. He has a golden heart with a burning desire to help those who can't help themselves. So he took his area expertise, that of hearing aids and decided to dedicate his life to helping the underprivileged ... So the World may Hear! This has become our foundation motto and continues to be carried throughout the world.

The Foundation has grown rapidly and is now in high demand by any who simply cannot afford hearing help. Our domestic program "Hear Now" was set up to exclusively help those who many not have the financial capabilities to afford hearing aids. The patient simply fills out an application and, if they qualify, they get a new set of digital/programmable hearing aids depending on the hearing specialist's request. Some of the qualifications are:

1) Must have a documented hearing loss.

2) Must meet the financial guidelines.

3) Must be a resident of the United States.

We also have the largest "All-Make Repair" facility in the world. Here we can take in any brand/model of hearing aids, whether they're broken, obsolete, etc. ... and we can recondition them so that they're like brand new. This is what we call "The Salvage Hearing Aid Program." We can take these in as donations and then we'll utilize them to help someone in need.

We also have an international program where we do more than 100 humanitarian missions every year, providing more than 20,000 hearing aids to children and adults alike in underdeveloped countries worldwide. We have visited more than 100 countries and will continue to expand our outreach program to help so many more.

One of our fundraising programs that we use to help sponsor these kids is the "HearO Angel" Program. Become a HearO and sponsor a child. As a result of the sponsorship, the patient receives a new set of hearing aids, a year's supply of batteries, an educational booklet and cleaning tools as part of their hearing kit.

Every year, we have our annual "So the World May Hear" Gala. Here, many supporters such as Elton John, Larry King, Garth Brooks, Donny Osmond to name a few come and support our great cause. This year, Jay Leno has agreed to come back and help raise awareness to the world that with your support, we can help so many more. This year's event will take place on June 23rd at the St. Paul Rivercenter.

I am very fortunate and honored to be associated with such a great organization! I don't know of any other hearing aid manufacturer or foundation that comes even close to donating their time and efforts to help the world be a better place to hear and live.

In the words of my motto, these kids may have a hearing loss, but that hearing loss no longer has them ... because someone gave them an opportunity to hear.

PEARL: The Hear Now program sounds terrific. Is there a cap on how many hearing aids the Foundation gives out annually?

JUSTIN: We give out more than 20,000 hearing aids a year.

PEARL: Is there a difference between the "Salvage Hearing Aid Program" and the "Hear Now" program? In other words, do people who apply for the Hear Now program receive "new" hearing aids or "reconditioned" hearing aids that look brand new?

JUSTIN: The Salvage Hearing Aid program is part of the "Hear Now" program... Anyone who simply wants to donate their salvage hearing aids would go to the Hear Now Program, the domestic program of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. People who apply and qualify for the Hear Now program get "new" hearing aids.

PEARL: Will the individual receive the hearing aids that are needed for the type of hearing loss they have? Or does the hearing specialist only have a specific list to choose from that has to be best matched to the individuals hearing loss?

JUSTIN: We now provide digital hearing aids, so yes, the individual will be able to get the aids that are needed for their type of hearing loss. The hearing specialist simply puts down his recommendation for the patient. Hear Now pretty much provides everything except CIC models.

PEARL: How long does the process take for someone in the U.S. applying for a hearing aid(s) thru the Hear Now Foundation?

Justin: It usually takes a couple months due to the high traffic of requests that come in. All the paperwork, submitted information, etc...

PEARL: Justin, most people reading this are most likely not aware of your background. Tell us about yourself, how and why you became involved with the hearing impaired/deaf communities and what motivated you to get involved with the Starkey Foundation?

JUSTIN: My name is Justin Osmond, son of Merrill Osmond (Lead singer of the Osmond Brothers). I am the only one in the Osmond family in the 2^nd Generation that was born with a moderate to profound hearing loss. I started with a body aid, then on to a BTE, then an ITE, and now CICs. I feel very blessed to be a recipient of better hearing through better and more advanced technology.

From the beginning, my doctors have encouraged my mom to get me a cochlear implant. I am not opposed to or against a CI, but if there is more advanced technology out there that can remedy a severe/profound hearing loss without a surgical procedure, then that might be something people ought to search into.

As a young boy, I had a desire to be an Eagle Scout, but to do so I had to do a community service project. I decided to raise money to purchase a new set of hearing aids for a close friend of mine who had a similar hearing loss. I'll never forget the day when he came into the doctor's office and for the first time in my life, I experienced my very first glimpse of a better hearing smile. Ever since that day, I committed myself to help others who couldn't afford hearing help.

This is exactly what I'm doing today with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. As the Spokesperson/Public Relations Director for the Starkey Hearing Foundation, I'm humbled to be able to be a part of such a great organization giving back to humanity the gift of better hearing.

Justin, I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with us. I also want to thank you and all those in the Foundation who help those who have limited financial means in gaining access to hearing aids. And to all our members and visitors, if you're interested in donating your used hearing aid(s) and/or interested in filing an application for a hearing aid(s), click on this site: http://www.sotheworldmayhear.org/forms/hearnow.php