The Wheelchair Foundation provides and distributes standard manual wheelchairs only. Learn more about our wheelchairs.

It is estimated that at least 100 million children, teens and adults worldwide need a wheelchair but cannot afford one. Some international organizations believe that the number could be as high as 6% of the population of developing countries. The number in Angola is 20% of population of 12 million people. Other “landmine” countries such as Afghanistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bosnia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Mozambique have extremely high physical disability rates.

$200 helps purchase, ship, and deliver a new wheelchair to a person in need and supports the mission of Wheelchair Foundation. To sponsor a container of 240 to 280 wheelchairs, please see our Program page.

We distribute wheelchairs worldwide through a network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that have ongoing humanitarian relief missions in the countries of wheelchair destination. These distribution partners handle all aspects of the importation and distribution of the wheelchairs to children that can now go to school, adults that can now go to work, and seniors that can once again become an active part of family life and society.

We collect donations and then send containers of 240 to 280 wheelchairs each to our distribution partners in countries that have been identified as in great need. For sponsoring a container, you can pick a developing country from our list of approved destinations where we enjoy established and successful distribution relationships. There are currently 157 countries on the list.

For every $200 tax-deductible donation, you will receive a personalized certificate of appreciation with a color photograph of a wheelchair recipient, a person who had their quality of life greatly improved by the gift of a wheelchair.

No. The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Catholic Charities, and other relief organizations are working with us here in the U.S. to distribute wheelchairs to people that need one but cannot afford one. Some groups and organizations do sponsor 280 wheelchair containers to the US, at a cost of $56,000 per container.

Our goal is to distribute 1 million wheelchairs in the next 5 years, and to further the awareness that a wheelchair is no longer an unaffordable item for delivery in developing countries throughout the world.

You can help in the following ways.

• Corporate Sponsorship. Help us find corporations that have interests in countries that need our help. We can target their sponsorship to specific countries and needs, and we will put their logo on the wheelchair identifying them as sponsors of an entire wheelchair container. They will be heroes, and so many people will be given a new lease on life.
• Your tax-deductible donation can make transform someone’s will to survive into a chance to thrive.
• Get the word out! Tell your friends that you are now a part of the most ambitious relief mission of its kind in the history of our civilization!
• Have a fund-raiser! A dinner or cocktail party in your home can serve as a venue to tell people about helping others. Local businesses, organizations and schools can all help. We will supply everything you need to help us change the world.

Please visit the Events page of our website.