Administrative Information
Awake In America is a Pennsylvania-based national non-profit organization (501c3) focused on sleep and sleep-related issues, such as daytime sleepiness, insomnia, sleep deprivation and sleep insufficiency, drowsy/fatigued driving, and sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, among others. We strive to help others sleep well every night.
Activities and Programs
Outreach and Education
Working through a variety of avenues, Awake In America seeks to provide information to allied health care professionals about the importance of sleep, the proper diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, and the dangers and associated costs (economic, societal, and health) related to sleep deprivation and undiagnosed sleep disorders.
Sleep Study Relief Program
Awake In America’s Sleep Study Relief Program is a unique program that helps individuals without health insurance, with inadequate health insurance, and those who lack the financial means necessary to undergo a sleep study (polysomnography) on their own.
Through a partnership with Sleep Solutions, Inc., of Pasadena, Maryland, Awake In America is able to offer in-home sleep studies to diagnose sleep apnea to qualified individuals. Another extension of this program has assisted other individuals to undergo sleep studies at local sleep labs.
xPAP Donation and Relief Program
We launched the Awake In America xPAP Donation and Relief Program to assist individuals who lack adequate health insurance, such as a health plan that does not cover durable medical equipment; those individuals who lack any health coverage; and those without the financial resources necessary to obtain a CPAP or bi-level (BiPAP) device to treat their diagnosed sleep apnea.
Individuals who donate equipment to the xPAP Donation Program, as well as to our Disaster Relief program, are eligible to take tax deductions to the fullest extent allowable under law for all qualifying donated equipment, as well as shipping costs associated with the donation.
When equipment is received, it is inspected for usefulness, working condition, age, and other issues. All donors receive a receipt from Awake In America, showing the equipment received that indicates the donation status, such as Accepted, Rejected, or Destroyed. Typically, the only equipment that is rejected or destroyed is equipment that is non-functioning, that is too old to be considered for the program, or equipment, such as nasal masks or tubing, that show obvious signs of wear, or worse, long use. All receipts are sent to the donor by email or by U.S. Mail at the donor’s choice at the time of donation. For those who do not indicate a preference and supply an email address, the receipt is sent as a PDF file via email.
Anyone considering making an equipment donation to our xPAP Donation Program or Disaster Relief program is asked to review the guidelines for equipment donations in our Donate-Relief Program section. For specific questions about tax deductions, donations, Fair Market Value, and related issues, it’s suggested you consult with a qualified tax adviser and/or review the following non-exhaustive list of IRS materials dealing with the topic:
- Charitable Contributions-Substantiation and Disclosure Requirements (IRS Publication 1771)
- Determining the Value of Donated Property (IRS Publication 561)
- Non-Cash Charitable Contributions (IRS Form 8283 Instructions)
- Charitable Contributions (IRS Publication 526)
- IRS Tax Topic 506 – Contributions
Disaster Relief programs
Awake In America’s Board activates a stand-by Disaster Relief program at times when the situation warrants, such as following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Rita in 2005, and the California wild fires that ravaged large areas during 2007.
Modeled on our xPAP Relief Program, the Disaster Relief Program is the only program in the nation geared solely for individuals with sleep apnea who have lost their equipment due to disaster. While other organizations talk about raising money and collecting equipment to donate to the American Red Cross, where the equipment will likely sit in a warehouse for months before it’s inventoried, Awake In America, on the other hand, is the only sleep-related organization that reaches out directly to the individuals in need, replacing the lost equipment within days.
Awake In America has formed a network of partnerships and alliances with key organizations, health care providers, as well as the American Red Cross, the United Way, and various federal, state, and local government agencies to ensure our Disaster Relief program operates with military precision when receiving the applications, reviewing and verifying information, and getting equipment into the hands of the individuals who lost their equipment.
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