3/14/2017
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA NORTH CENTRAL CHAPTER RECEIVES $5,000.00 GRANT FROM CHRISTOPHER & DANA REEVE FOUNDATION FOR 15TH ANNUAL PVA/FIREFIGHTERS
SIOUX FALLS, SD – March 2, 2017 – Paralyzed Veterans of America North Central Chapter is proud to announce that it has received a $5,000.00 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The award was one of 102 grants totaling $721,425 awarded by the Reeve Foundation to nonprofit organizations nationwide that provide more opportunities, access, and daily quality of life for individuals living with paralysis, their families, and caregivers. Conceived by the late Dana Reeve, the program has awarded over 2,900 grants totaling over $20 million since 1999. Funding for the grants is made available through the Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) operated by the Reeve Foundation under a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Paralyzed Veterans of America North Central Chapter will use the grant to cover the cost of lodging for all participants and volunteers in the event.
“The PVA North Central Chapter is very much honored to have received this generous award. The Annual PVA/Firefighters Walleye Fishing Event is the largest single event held by our organization and is the only one of its kind in our service region. This grant will continue to allow us to provide this unique, quality, safe and therapeutic recreational event to the Paralyzed Veteran community. The PVA North Central Chapter sincerely thanks the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for allowing us the ability to continue to offer this much-anticipated event, not only to our chapter members but to other individuals with disabilities,” Michael Olson, President, North Central Chapter PVA.
The grants awarded in the second cycle of 2016 were distributed among a wide variety of categories, including recreation, sports and leisure, advocacy, equipment and other independent living-related services. A significant number of projects focus on community re-integration initiatives such as assistive technology programs, home accessibility modifications, accessible transportation, and accessible playgrounds that create more community opportunities for those living with paralysis and their families.
“It’s important to find balance while filling the needs of the community, especially those living in underserved areas,” said Donna Valente, Director of Quality of Life Grants. “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. 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.”
About the Reeve Foundation
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. The Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) is the support side of the Reeve Foundation’s twin missions to provide “Today’s Care” and to strive for “Tomorrow’s Cure” and offers a free, comprehensive, national source of informational support for individuals living with paralysis and their caregivers. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability and hold the BBB’s Charity Seal. For more information, please visit our website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-539-7309.
Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members – veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
PVA will use that expertise to be the leading advocate for:
• Quality health care for our members,
• Research and education addressing spinal cord injury and dysfunction,
• Benefits available as a result of our members’ military service,
• Civil rights and opportunities that maximize the independence of our members.
To enable Paralyzed Veterans to continue to honor this commitment, we must recruit and retain members who have the experience, energy, dedication, and passion necessary to manage the organization and ensure adequate resources to sustain the programs essential for Paralyzed Veterans of America to achieve its mission.
For more information, please visit our website at www.ncpva.org or call 800-505-4782.
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Contact
Lisa Cummings
Paralyzed Veterans of America North Central Chapter
(605) 336-0494
LisaC@ncpva.org
Rita Gentles
(973) 379-2690 ext. 7123
media@ChristopherReeve.org
