Every day, hearing health practitioners hear about the challenges working Americans face in securing proper care. From battling insurance companies that refuse to cover the cost of treatment to the high out-of-pocket expense of purchasing hearing aids, financial barriers stand in the way of many patients who simply want to hear their loved ones, succeed at work and continue living the everyday lives they've enjoyed for decades.
The frustration for both these patients and the professionals working to help them can be significant. That's where hearing assistance programs like the Hearing Aid Project can make a meaningful difference, helping bridge the financial gap and ensuring more people have access to the hearing care they need.
Established in 2016 as a program of Sertoma International, the Hearing Aid Project (HAP) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit initiative dedicated to providing free hearing aids to qualifying low-income individuals who cannot otherwise afford them. By collecting donated hearing aids, refurbishing them to like-new condition and working with a network of hearing health professionals, the program breaks down barriers to hearing healthcare in the U.S.
In addition, HAP supplies hearing aids for use on international medical mission trips, extending the reach of hearing care to underserved communities around the world. Through collaborative partnerships, donor support and community outreach, the Hearing Aid Project helps restore the gift of sound to those in need—improving communication, health and overall quality of life.
The Hearing Aid Project is proud to work with professional provider partners to ensure quality care for its clients. Donated hearing aids from all over the country, including HearingLife clinics, are thoroughly sterilized and reconditioned before being professionally fitted. While the Hearing Aid Project proudly provides these hearing aids through its network of provider partners, neither the Hearing Aid Project nor Sertoma International currently offers direct financial assistance to individuals for any purpose.
What sets HAP apart from many other assistance programs is its greater income flexibility and the fact that there are no application fees. To qualify, applicants must have moderate or greater hearing loss, as documented by an audiogram completed within the past six months. They must also have a household income at or below 200% of the current federal poverty evel.
The added benefit of a program like the Hearing Aid Project is its commitment to sustainability. For hearing aids that cannot be reasonably reused, HAP partners with local electronics recycling centers and national hearing aid manufacturers to ensure they are disposed of responsibly. The resulting electronic scrap generates reimbursement funds that are then reinvested directly into client support.
In 2025, HAP responsibly recycled and repurposed more than 37,000 hearing aids. This is equivalent to more than 2,600 pounds of electronic waste, including 100 pounds of tiny hearing aid batteries. However, the project doesn't just collect hearing aids. It also receives donated hearing aid accessories, unexpired batteries and unopened cleaning supplies, which are distributed to the clients it serves as well as to other nonprofits across the United States and around the world.
With so many people in need, rest assured that the Hearing Aid Project is not alone in this important work. Other hearing assistance programs are operated or supported by Sertoma International clubs and affiliates, including the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida and HEAR Nashville. Additional initiatives have been established by partner providers, such as HoughAid in Oklahoma, and by respected nonprofit organizations like the Minnesota Lions Hearing Foundation. Many states also offer their own hearing assistance services, including workforce rehabilitation programs in Texas and Louisiana.
To learn more about HAP, discover additional assistance programs, donate your hearing aids or make a financial gift in support of its mission, visit HearingAidDonations.org.
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