Mother Receives $3,500 Grant from Jackson EMC Foundation

Lift child from wheelchair. Lower child into car seat in backseat of car. Remove the wheels from the chair. Store wheels in trunk. Lift the chair frame onto a carrier attached to back of car, and secure with bungee cords. Arrive at destination and reverse this process.

Pam Moore isn’t complaining about the process it takes to transport Callie, her daughter who has cerebral palsy. In fact, she’s managed this way for 13 years. Now that Callie is 13 and weighs 90 pounds, the chance of injuring herself or dropping her daughter are too great for Moore to continue traveling with Callie in the same manner. Seated in a car seat she’s almost outgrown, the ride for Callie is no longer comfortable or safe. If it rains, travel has to be postponed because the wheelchair fabric gets wet. Exposure to the elements is also hard on Callie’s bones, muscles and joints during transfers out of her wheelchair.

“We have medical insurance; however, there are some things insurance doesn’t cover and a wheelchair-accessible van is one of them,” says Moore. “My church raised money to help purchase a used wheelchair-accessible minivan. Many people and organizations have been kind to us, and with the Jackson EMC Foundation grant, the van purchase was even closer to reality.” Between church contributions; donations from family and friends; and a number of grants, Moore was able to purchase a gently used wheelchair-accessible minivan. The van allows the floor and entry to be lowered to accommodate a ramp for Callie’s wheelchair, which can be anchored to the floor of the van.

Callie spends a lot of her travel time going to doctor’s appointments, so having safe transportation is a must for the family. Perhaps more importantly, the van allows Callie to do some things other girls can do. According to her mother, “Her first visit to the mall, with two friends riding along in her new van, was one of the happiest days of Callie’s life. Disabilities aside, Callie is just another 13-year-old with places to go.”