In the second round of Quality of Life grants for 2016, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation awarded total of $721,425, disbursed among 102 nonprofit organizations nationwide.
“For the first time in the history of the grant program, we have received over 100 applications from medically underserved areas,” says Maggie Goldberg, vice president of policy and programs, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, in a media release.
“This cycle, specifically, we have funded multiple organizations focused on inclusion and universal design to increase accessibility and community engagement for individuals living with paralysis. We hope to fill the needs of our community in all areas and continue our progress in eliminating funding disparities,” she adds.
Among the wide variety of nonprofit organization categories that received grants in this round were recreation, sports and leisure, advocacy, equipment, and other independent living-related services.
“It’s important to find balance while filling the needs of the community, especially those living in underserved areas,” states Donna Valente, director of Quality of Life Grants, per the release.
“People may live only a few blocks from an outstanding adaptive recreation program, but if they don’t have a ramp to get out of their homes or accessible transportation to get to that location, they can’t participate in the activity, and we really aren’t meeting the overall goal of this program,” she adds. “That’s why we examine every proposed project to see the impact it will have in the community, and try to determine how we can best help them reach their full potential.”
[Source(s): Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, PR Newswire]
