Free Wheelchair Mission

Free Wheelchair Mission is a Christ centered non profit organization that seeks to help disabled people in developing countries by providing them with free wheelchairs. This organization was founded in 1999 by Don Schoendorfer, who has a PhD in mechanical engineering. The funds for the wheelchairs are provided by private or group donations. To save on costs, the wheelchairs are assembled in the country in which they will be used. Right now, the total cost of producing the parts for a wheelchair and shipping them to the place they will be used is under $50.00. As of April 2008, they have shipped 310,000 wheelchairs. Their goal is to ship at least 20 million wheelchairs over the next decade. Free Wheelchair Mission Founder and President, Donald Schoendorfer, received Above and Beyond Award during Medal of Honor Day on March 25, 2008, at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

However, the Free Wheelchair Mission has many complaints from the field due to their design. They fall apart quickly and often lead to serious injuries to the recipients. [http://www.whirlwindwheelchair.org/standards/stop_earmarks.doc ] [http://www.disabilityworld.org/01_07/bangalore.shtml]

References

* [http://www.freewheelchairmission.org/ Free Wheelchair Mission Homepage]
* [http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/10204.htm Charity Navigator Rating for "Free Wheelchair Mission"]

External links

* [http://www.freewheelchairmission.org/ Free Wheelchair Mission]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-18-wheelchair_x.htm USA Today: "Charity meets ingenuity"]

* [http://www.rd.com/content/free-wheelchairs-for-the-poor/ Readers Digest: "Free Wheels"]
* [http://www.transworldsurf.com/surf/pressrelease/article/0,19929,1589774,00.html Transworld Surf: "Robert August & Free Wheelchair Mission"]