Thanks to the generosity of its donors, The Eric Fund was able to help six Washington, DC-area children and adults with disabilities move toward brighter futures by funding the assistive technology they need to lead more independent lives.
The Eric Fund – a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that purchases needed but often expensive assistive technology and equipment to help children and adults with disabilities live on their own terms in the community – granted nearly $10,000 to help six award winners achieve their goals.
The winners are using the equipment to help them communicate with others, pursue careers and improve physical access to the community.
The Eric Fund has continued to make a difference for area children and adults with disabilities for 13 years.
“The Eric Fund is honored to fund life-changing equipment that helps people with disabilities in our community advance their independence and pursue their dreams,” said Mary Hanley, President of The Eric Fund.
“The vital technology and equipment purchased by The Eric Fund is often not covered by other funding streams. Even in tough economic times, The Eric Fund is proud to be able make a difference for people with disabilities in our area thanks to the generosity of our donors.”
Founded in memory of Eric Savader, who died in 1997 from cancer and who worked on behalf of several disability causes, The Eric Fund has helped 49 winners to date by granting more than $112,000 since it began in 1998.
Read on and meet our 2011 Eric Fund Grant Award winners and catch up with some past winners and see how their lives have changed thanks to your donations.
Dear Friends of The Eric Fund,
Wow! Thanks to you, our very generous donors and a very successful fundraiser, we are able to add six new awardees to The Eric Fund family. This makes 49 people with disabilities in the Washing- ton area who have now received assistive devices worth more than $112,000 in the 13 years since the fund was founded. This year’s awards total nearly $10,000.
This year, we’ve helped Anthony “Tony” Green, a 22-year-old with cerebral palsy who is also deaf, take steps toward employment and living independently by providing specialized software and a laptop. Joseph Moore, a 54-year-old with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), now has a voice-activated remote dial telephone to make emergency calls and to contact anyone else without assistance. Delores Dabney, a 61-year-old wheelchair user with quadriplegia, can now come and go as she pleases thanks to an automatic safe door opener.
Cali Willcockson is a 15-year-old with a brain injury sustained in a severe car accident that left her mother physically disabled and unable to work, leaving the family homeless and without insurance. Cali, who has always loved to write stories and poems, will use an iPad and accessible applications from The Eric Fund to help her in school and to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Emily Scott, 14, who has a rare chromosomal syndrome, received an iPad with a chat application to help her communicate at home and at school. Keith Butler, a 5-year-old with severe developmental delays, will be able to get around more easily thanks to a folding portable ramp.
The positive impact of these devices will reach far beyond Tony, Joseph, Delores, Cali, Emily and Keith. Their families share their dreams of greater opportunity and ability to more fully integrate their lives in their community of friends, family and classmates.
We are deeply grateful for your generosity in helping people without insurance or funding streams for essential life-changing equipment. We only wish we could assist each compelling applicant we hear from. We assure you that this small band of volunteers will continue to put every dollar to work to enhance the lives of people with disabilities. You can help by spreading the word to your friends and family about The Eric Fund cause.
From all of us at The Eric Fund, please enjoy a wonderful holiday season.
Sincerely,
Mary Hanley
President, The Eric Fund
2012: What’s New
Eric Fund Grants Advance Independence
For Six Adults and Children
The Eric Fund website is produced by The Eric C. Savader Memorial Disabilities Fund (d/b/a The Eric Fund), a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to assisting persons with disabilities in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area to lead more independent lives.
