Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Reeve Foundation focuses on relief efforts in Haiti

From Joe Canose, VP, Quality of Life at the Reeve Foundation:


Over the last couple of days, the Reeve Foundation has focused on supporting relief efforts that are directed at the people of Haiti with existing and newly acquired disabilities. Portlight Strategies and UCP Wheels For Humanity are a perfect match for our mission and are mobilizing rapidly.

Both of these organizations are known to the Reeve Foundation from previous Quality of Life Grants and are already in motion shipping medical supplies and wheelchairs to Haiti.

Portlight Strategies of Charleston, South Carolina focus is going to be providing medical equipment, shelter, and food for people with disabilities. They have a "Go" container in Atlanta which will ship out in a few days. They have an ongoing relationship with a community of Catholic sisters in Port au Prince who will be opening shelters.

Any funds they raise will be used to defray shipping costs of medical and clinical equipment and for the purchase of food and other shelter supplies. They are shipping everything from beds and water filtration units, to wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, catheters, wound care kits, and other clinical supplies.

UCP Wheels For Humanity of North Hollywood. CA is shipping wheelchairs. They have a working relationship with Partners in Health for on the ground distribution. Sam Maddox, the Paralysis Resource Center Knowledge Manager, sits on the Advisory Board for UCP Wheels For Humanity.

Please take a few minutes to make a contribution to these groups.

Portlight Strategies, Inc.

UCP Wheels For Humanity

The Reeve Foundation is immediately awarding out of cycle Quality of Life grants of $10,000 each to support their Haiti relief efforts.

You may also contribute to our ongoing Quality of Life grant program, that allows us to take such quick action.