Extending the Way

"Having a manual wheelchair gives me peace of mind knowing that if I was unable to charge my power wheelchair, I could still get out of bed & be mobile. Being able to be mobile also enables me to be productive & helpful to others which makes me very happy and improves my mental health. A manual wheelchair allows me to be flexible in my transportation options, and allows me to have more physical activity and exercise. Insurance does not always cover the mobility equipment needs of disabled people. CPRF’s wheelchair clinic has always helped me in a very timely manner, and has come through for me every time which is very reassuring. The wheelchair clinic benefits me physically & comforts me mentally."

When a student first enrolled in their program, they struggled severely to connect, engage, and interact with others appropriately. With very little social skills and an inability to manage negative emotions and impulses, this student was largely unable to participate with peers in most activities. The continual support from attendant care that United Way helped fund, this student is now able to spend most, if not all, of their time engaging in classroom activities. While they once struggled to connect and interact with peers in any capacity, they are now able to seek peer connections and demonstrate appropriate social-emotional responses. This added care has allowed the student to flourish, continually showing staff they have an academic comprehension beyond that of a typical preschooler.

Junior (4th-5th grade) Girl Scout says, "Girl Scouts gives girls a chance to be social with other girls, chances to find new passions through earning badges and patches, chances to learn about their community and history, and to just have fun."