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WESTCHESTER INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (WIHD) RECEIVES GRANT FROM CHRISTOPHER AND DANA REEVE FOUNDATION

Grant of Almost $15,000 Received To Support Important Services and Equipment for Children and Adults Living with ALS

Valhalla, NY, September 5, 2007 – The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) is proud to announce that it has received a $14,698 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF) to support its Assistive Technology (AT) Loan Program.  The award was one of nearly 100 grants totaling approximately $900,000 awarded by CDRF to nonprofit organizations that help people living with disabilities become more fully integrated members of society.

Westchester Institute for Human Development’s AT Loan Program offers programs that support greater independence and participation in the community for individuals with disabilities by providing them with information on devices and services, demonstrations and tutoring in the use of software.  Assistance is available for evaluations, acquisition, maintenance and customization of AT devices, coordination with other services, and training for professionals involved with individuals using AT.    

“We are very thankful and honored to receive this very important and generous grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation,” said Kate Franklin, director of the Assistive Technology (AT) Loan Program at WIHD.  “This grant will not only support the ongoing communications needs of patients with ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, it will also fund the development of a lending/device training library and its equipment, as well as a mechanism to provide long-term comprehensive evaluation/intervention services. We are also planning to allocate funds to provide outreach and education to family members and professionals who work with ALS patients to encourage timely referral for evaluations and interventions.”

“Across the country, countless organizations are dedicated to improving the quality of life of people living with disabilities such as paralysis, and are essentially, unsung heroes,” said Peter T. Wilderotter, president of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. “The Westchester Institute for Human Development is one such organization who shares CDRF’s passion to enable people living with paralysis to overcome everyday challenges.  We are honored to award the Westchester Institute for Human Development with a Quality of Life grant that will help the organization ‘Go Forward’ and accomplish their critical mission.”

Begun in 1999 by the late Dana Reeve, the CDRF Quality of Life grant program recognizes the unique and numerous needs of people living with disabilities, primarily paralysis, and their families, and the importance of providing services and programs that enable them to participate in all areas of life.  To date, CDRF has provided 1,262 Quality of Life grants totaling over $10 million to organizations nationwide that help improve opportunities, access and day-to-day quality of life for these individuals and their families.

Health Promotion grants, a special category of Quality of Life grants, are funded through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (number U10/CCU220379).  Funding is awarded to non-profit organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries and other diseases and birth conditions that result in paralysis.  Health Promotion grants strive to remove societal and environmental barriers that limit the abilities of individuals living with paralysis to participate in life activities.  Participation in these activities improves physical and emotional health and prevents secondary conditions for persons living with paralysis.  Health Promotion grants this cycle totaled $643,373 and were awarded to 58 organizations.

About CDRF

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.  For more information, please visit our website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.

About the Westchester Institute for Human Development

For more than 50 years, WIHD has played a critical role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.  As one of only 67 University Centers of Excellence in the country, the Institute is committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families through research, education, and innovative services.  WIHD programs focus on the development of children, the safety of vulnerable children, and the support of families and communities to promote the health and well-being of people of all ages. 

For more information about the Westchester Institute for Human Development, please call Dr. Kate Franklin at  914-594-4852, or visit www.wihd.org.

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