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Your Support Brings Us Closer to One Million!

Isabella

The Wheelchair Foundation is proud to announce a milestone achievement towards our goal of providing at least one million wheelchairs to adults, teens, and children around the world.

The 850,000th wheelchair recipient received her life-changing gift on March 16th, 2011 at our recent distribution in Costa Rica. Joining us on our mission were Rotarians from Rotary Club Districts 5220 and 5230, who graciously contributed their time and money to help make this landmark number a reality.

Our lucky recipient was an adorable four-year-old girl named Isabella. Isabella was born with myelomeningocele, a birth defect of the backbone and spinal canal. She and her twin brother have been living in foster care for three years with their adoptive mother, Charlotte. Charlotte is determined to adopt Isabella’s nine other siblings, all living in foster care, so the family can stay together.

Isabella

Isabella, a bright, energetic girl, had been living without mobility and was dependent on her mother for almost every need. Like most children her age, she longed for the ability to play and move about on her own. Isabella’s dream came true as she was placed in her brand-new, shining red wheelchair. She immediately began moving around at the Rehab Center, wanting everyone to watch what she was able to do.

Bob Bitter of Madera Sunrise Rotary Club and Past District Governor of District 5220 describes the experience, saying, "To us, the most memorable moment of a wheelchair distribution is the hands-on ability to immediately change a person’s life for the better, and to experience the joy they feel with their newfound mobility.

We have helped people move themselves for the very first time, and witnessed the weight being lifted from their family members who were, until now, responsible for that person’s mobility."

Another Rotarian also commented that despite the fact that Costa Rica has one of the highest standards of living in Latin America, there is still a great need for wheelchairs. This need, however, is not exclusive to Costa Rica. There are thousands of children, just like Isabella, in countries around the world who are still awaiting the freedom and dignity a wheelchair can bring. Make a donation today and give a life-changing gift to a man, woman, or child desperate for mobility.

Visit our Facebook page to view videos of Isabella and more photos from Costa Rica!

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Our Continuing Efforts to Help Haiti

A young girl recovers in a wheelchair from the Wheelchair Foundation.

January 20th of 2011 marked the one year anniversary of Wheelchair Foundation’s Plane to Haiti relief flight. The opportunity to join among the world’s first responders to the catastrophic Haitian Earthquake, and to be granted permission to land our two plane loads of medical aid, doctors and nurses, is a testament to the work of Global Health and Education Foundation and all of its’ assets. As quickly as Haiti’s tragedy came to the public eye it soon faded, as other world news took precedence.

Just this week, a little over a year and two weeks following the earthquake, we received word from our partners that nearly all 2,600 wheelchairs we have sent to the people of Haiti have been spread across that country. With the help of CARITAS, the HHS Foundation of the Dominican Republic, Rotarians, The Carlos Slim Foundation and
CODETEL, our wheelchairs have reached Port au Prince, Cayes, Jacmel, Cap-Haitien, Fort Liberte, Jermine, Hinche, Port de Paix, Anse a Veau et Miragoane, and Gonaives.

Our efforts to assist the disabled in Haiti will continue, with 800 wheelchairs sponsored by Rotarians staged in Miami, Florida, awaiting transport to Haiti. We will continue to help, as long as there is a need.

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A LOOK BACK – East Bay Foundation Gives the Gift of Mobility

KGO-TV/DT – Written and produced by Ken Miguel, March 15, 2010.

A wheelchair can mean the difference between being bed-ridden or leading a productive life. But in many parts of the world, cost keeps them out of the hands of people who need them. One East Bay charity is hoping to make a difference two wheels at a time.

On the island of San Pedro in Belize, artist Kurt Jason Cruz was attacked in 2006. It left him completely paralyzed.

“I got stabbed in my lower back and neck and was paralyzed for four months and I couldn’t even move from neck down,” he said.

He has regained some mobility, and can now get around thanks to the Danville-based Wheelchair Foundation. The non-profit has given away hundreds of thousands of wheelchairs over the past decade to people in need all over the world. The idea began with developer Ken Behring. Now his sons have taken up the cause.

Read the Full Article on abc7news.com >>

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Chilean Rotarians Find Road to Purpose

When Chilean Rotarians Brigitte Kusch and her husband, Luciano, had the chance to meet Wheelchair Foundation founder, Kenneth E. Behring, at the Rotary International convention in Los Angles in June of 2008, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to purchase copies of his book Road to Purpose.  In fact, they had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Behring briefly, and have him sign and personalize their copies as well.

Both Brigitte and Luciano felt moved by Mr. Behring’s message of hope, and the personal trials he faced as he sought out the answer to the question of what his “true purpose in life” might be? Road to Purpose afforded them a glimpse into the life that would eventually lead Wheelchair Foundation and Rotary International together in support of helping men, women and children around the world who lack mobility. And both would have an opportunity to personally participate in wheelchair distribution, and witness the miracle of granting others mobility, and see the impact of their own work on wheelchair recipients and their families.

Their experiences with wheelchair distribution allowed them to better understand the significance of their role in caring for their Chilean brothers and sisters, and their fellow man, and brought greater meaning to the work they had already been doing with Rotary. It helped them better see the “purpose” of their efforts.

Flash forward to 2010, when Brigitte and Luciano would return home to Chile, after traveling abroad, to find their home burned to the ground.  An unfortunate mishap lead to a raging fire that consumed nearly everything they owned.  They arrived on site and were told that everything had been destroyed and that a lifetime’s worth of personal belongings were gone.  Still in a state of shock, together they searched through the still smoldering rubble of what was once their home, looking for some significant artifact or relic which they could keep.  Among the charred rubble, lay two slightly burned copies of Road to Purpose.  It caused them to pause and reflect on all of those individuals who had nothing who they were able to help, and realize that all had not been lost.  They both still had their lives, their health and each other.  And beyond any material loss, they had been lucky enough to have gained sense of their purpose here on earth.

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Letter from a Navy Lieutenant to Josh Routh

Hi everyone:

I am Renzo Llontop, the Navy Lieutenant who was with you for 2 days in Lima. I write to thank you for being here in Peru, the work you do around the world is really the best job It could exist, to help other people without asking anything in return. I know you’ve had a tiring journey, but I want you to know that really worth it, because you bring happiness to people with disabilities, without whose support would perhaps bedridden or unable to move as they should do. You are an exceptional group, you have a big heart and I know God will bless you for all your life. It was very exciting to see how your work is reflected in the streets, seeing that lady in the main square happy going back to work, with a chair of the Wheelchair Foundation, chairs that were given by you, and improved their life’s quality. Just like that lady must be other 850,000 people in the world who can now enjoy the comfort of being able to move without problems.

You have left a mark on my heart, a mark of generosity and charity for others, I will never forget these days and neither you, be sure about that. I just want to ask 2 favors for you, the first, send me the pictures!! Unfortunately I didn’t take my camera with me these days, so I’ll ask you to share some pictures from your stay in Lima. The second favor is, please never stop doing what you are doing, if there were more people in the world like you, the world would be much much better.

Thanks for coming, thank you for making dreams come true, thanks for sharing these beautiful moments with us, thank you for changing my way of thinking. When you return to Peru, do not hesitate to let us know, here we will receive you with open arms again. I hope to be always in touch with you and the work you do. I don’t have the e-mail of all of you, so please forward this mail to the others. I have nothing further to say that thank you again.

Kisses and hugs for everyone.

Renzo Llontop Espinosa

P.S.: sorry for my bad English, I hope you can understand everything I want to say.

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2010 Holiday Letter from David Behring, President of the Wheelchair Foundation

Dear Friends,

Jonathan, A Wheelchair Recipient

Imagine the possibilities that a new red wheelchair brings! During the entire eight years of his life in a small village in Yucatán, Mexico, Jonathan had never moved on his own. He waited and watched as his three sisters and older brother explored their worlds. Now that he is mobile, he too can go to school and socialize with other children. He no longer has to crawl and his mother no longer has to carry him everywhere they go. A new life awaits Jonathan and his family because of donors like you!

Jonathan is one of the 850,000+ people who have received the gift of mobility from the Wheelchair Foundation over the last ten years. Due to your generous contributions, we are fast approaching our original goal of distributing one million wheelchairs worldwide. Please help us continue to spread the joy that wheelchairs bring to recipients and their families. They all deeply appreciate your life-changing gifts.

You can make your holiday shopping meaningful, simple and quick. Celebrate the season with gifts of hope, mobility, freedom, dignity and independence for another human being. Donations of any dollar amount make a big difference to those who merely wish to move about in a self-determined way.

Sponsor a wheelchair in the name of a loved one for a $150 donation. You will receive a beautiful presentation folder with a photo of a wheelchair recipient and a personalized certificate, thanking you or honoring a special person in your life. Your gift of mobility in the name of a loved one will be received with heartfelt appreciation and will be remembered long after the holiday season. And in the process, you will be making dreams come true!

In these difficult economic times your support means more than ever, and we are offering these additional holiday incentives –

With each donation of $100+, you will receive a music CD titled “Holiday Around the World.”

And those who donate $500 or more will also receive the limited edition engraved paperweight.

    Please make your donations by December 1st to allow sufficient time for us to prepare and mail your customized presentation folder(s). Call us directly, donate online, or donate by mail.

    Thank you for sharing in the holiday spirit by helping us answer the prayers of physically disabled people worldwide who dream of mobility.

    Happy Holidays,
    David E. Behring
    President

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