SANTA ANA, CALIF. – (February 17, 2023) – Goodwill of Orange County is proud to announce it has been awarded $21,750 as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) 2022 Priority Impact Quality of Life grants.
The grant will directly support Goodwill’s Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC), a comprehensive assistive technology program that provides a variety of services, including assessment and training; consultation; technical support; and equipment installation, delivery, and repair, to enable individuals to increase their independence at school, home, or in the workplace.
Thirty-four grants totaling $1,029,908 were awarded. The Quality of Life Grants Program supports nonprofit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis. Since the Quality of Life Grants Program’s inception, more than 3,600 grants totaling more than $37 million have been awarded. Funding for this program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living
“We are honored to be a recipient of The Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants program,” said Nicole Suydam, President and CEO, Goodwill of Orange County. “This important funding will allow us to serve more individuals with disabilities through our Assistive Technology Exchange Center, and provide both the technology equipment and one-on-support to help them reach their personal goals and achieve greater independence.”
The Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center has several grants under the Quality of Life program awarding grants in different category areas, varying in different amounts. The Priority Impact Quality of Life grants program funds one-to-two-year grants with three increasing levels of grant funding: Respite and Caregiving, Assistive Technology and COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation (Up to $30,000), Nursing Home Transition, Racial Equity, and Rural Unserved & Underserved Populations (Up to $40,000), and Employment (Up to $50,000). Each tier is targeted to focus on a high-priority issue to increase access to services and increase the independence or inclusion of people living with paralysis, their family members, and caregivers.
“We recently launched two new grants programs – one focused on Racial Equity and the other on serving Rural Unserved & Underserved Populations,” said Mark Bogosian, Director, Quality of Life Grants Program, Reeve Foundation. “We were blown away by the response to these two new areas of funding and are incredibly proud to be the only organization in the United States awarding grants to address these issues and improve outcomes for people living with paralysis in all marginalized racial groups, and communities that are diverse and/or historically underserved.”
About the Reeve Foundation:
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. By uniting the brightest minds in the field, we are working tirelessly to accelerate scientific discovery across the field of spinal cord research by investing in labs across the globe. Additionally, through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living, the Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) promotes the health, well-being, and independence of people living with paralysis, providing comprehensive information, resources, and referral services assisting over 100,000 individuals and families since its launch in 2002. The Reeve Foundation is committed to elevating our community’s voices and needs to achieve greater representation and independence. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability and hold the BBB’s Charity Seal. For more information, please visit our website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.
About Goodwill of Orange County:
Goodwill of Orange County helps people achieve their goals through a journey of personal support, work experience and career development. Since its inception in 1924, Goodwill has connected hundreds of thousands of individuals to opportunity through quality training and education programs, supportive employment services for people with developmental and physical disabilities, on-site job coaching, community integration programs, veteran employment services, and more. As a nonprofit employment social enterprise, Goodwill operates a collection of 23 retail venues throughout Orange County, including five OC Goodwill Boutiques and its e-commerce platform ShopGoodwill.com, to support these transformative programs and services. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.
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