Stephanie and Melanie with Their New Accessible Van

Once again The National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility has teamed up with the Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky and Superior Van & Mobility to assist Kentucky residents with the purchase of a mobility van. Each year the Financial Assistance Fund Committee selects a winner from their many applicants and awards them a $5000 grant.  This grant was matched by Superior Van & Mobility of Louisville, the mobility dealer who was working with the family. To secure the final amount needed for the purchase the family applied to The National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility during the latest funding cycle which ended September 30th.  On October 15th they received word that they had been awarded a grant.  Tina McDonald reports that her daughters, two members of a triplet birth were born with Spina Bifida.  For years the girls and their chairs had to be lifted into a van which was not accessible.  The new van enables both women to enter and exit the van with very little assistance.  Tina says she would like to send a big thank you to all three organizations for making this purchase possible.

The National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility was formed by Ralph Braun, who was the Founder and CEO of BraunAbility.  Mr. Braun passed away in February and the Foundation is striving to realize his dream of assisting individuals in obtaining accessible transportation. We just completed a funding cycle and will be publishing stories of the grant recipients periodically.  The Foundation is currently selling memberships for 2014 to assist with funding for a cycle next year.  If you are interested in being a part of the Foundation and wearing your support on your sleeve, please click on the “Support The Foundation” tab at the top of the page and click the” donate” button.