Welcome to Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME)!
c/o Montebello Rehabilitation Hospital,
2201 Argonne Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218
Voice (410)243-7495
  Fax (410)467-3873

VME was created in 1982 by John H. Staehlin of Westinghouse 
in response to his desire to use his talents to help others. 
The VME Mission is to apply technology to the solution of 
problems faced by people with disabilities. Most 
requests are for the design and fabrication of unique 
solutions for specific problems. Our primary goal is to find 
solutions to these problems. We do this by mobilizing the 
special resources of the aerospace and defense industry to 
advance the state-of-the-art medical and rehabilitation 
service delivery.

Since its inception, VME has expanded from Maryland into 
numerous states with hundreds of volunteers from a variety 
of different backgrounds. Volunteers work primarily with 
unique challenges in their local chapter, but will follow 
national standards to ensure the highest quality of VME 
service possible.

VME is organized into a network of chapters around the 
United States which are supported by the national Volunteers 
for Medical Engineering Incorporated Office. VME provides 
insurance and risk management advice, volunteer and chapter 
training, a national communications network and newsletter, 
as well as national fundraising. In addition to supporting 
the chapters and volunteers, VME also runs an equipment loan 
center and a small prototyping center in Maryland to make 
inventions available to more people.

A volunteer may choose to work with VME in one or more ways:

     A Program Volunteer works indirectly in support 
of the general organization and not directly with clients 
This can include leadership and management, making 
referrals, doing mailings, organizing meetings, answering 
phones, raising money, public speaking, writing articles for 
the newsletter, keeping project records, and so forth

     A Project Volunteer works directly on technology 
intended for use by a client, providing advice, training or 
other services to a client. Both Program and Project 
Volunteers must contribute an annual insurance fee to VME.

     A Resource Volunteer contributes to the activities of 
VME, but is unable to get actively involved. This resource 
person would be available for short-term consulting on 
various projects or programs.

Contributions.

Besides cash, VME will gladly accept contributions of 
useable electronic equipment (especially computers), 
wheelchairs, and other medical equipment and devices that 
may be of use to the disabled.