[Sportsandrec] Challenged Athletes 2011 Grant Applications Now Available

[Everett Gavel]

Hi All,

The 2011 CAF Grant Applications are now available.
Find out more below.

Some here, I believe, have received this grant in
previous years.  Anyone care to share the
possibilities, pros, and cons for it?  It always sounds
geared very much towards athletes with wheelchair-type
disabilities and missing limbs and stuff.  But
blindness is a "physical disability" too and I know
that some here have gotten this grant.  Care to inspire
the rest of us with some details or tips?  ;-)

An article with some further details follows:

Strive On!
Everett




Challenged Athletes Foundation Distributes $1.311
Million in Funds to a Record 812 Physically Challenged
Individuals in 26 Countries
6/23/2010
http://www.xtri.com/features_display.aspx?riIDReport=6558&CAT=25&xref=xx

San Diego, Calif. – Challenged Athletes Foundation®
(CAF), a world leader in helping individuals with
physical disabilities get involved, and stay involved,
in sports announces the distribution of more than $1.3
million in funds to a record 812 individual grant
recipients in 26 countries, as part of its annual
Access for Athletes program grant distribution. The
funds will help pay for adaptive sports equipment such
as high technology Ossur running prosthetics, not
typically covered by insurance, training and coaching
expenses and competitions. Access to these resources
empower physically challenged individuals of all ages,
disabilities and ability levels to live life to the
fullest through sport.

“It’s thanks to our fundraisers, sponsors and donors
that the Challenged Athletes Foundation is able to
assist so many physically challenged individuals this
year,” said Virginia Tinley, CAF’s Executive Director.
“Through their support, CAF has become a beacon of hope
for people with physical disabilities, giving them the
opportunity to lead an active lifestyle for the first
time, take their sport to the next level or just be
able to keep up with their classmates. We’ve found that
when people can find success in sport, at any level,
they have the confidence they need to succeed in life.
I’m proud to say that together we are changing lives,
one athlete at a time.”

Thanks to the contributions CAF received in 2009
through its fundraising events, sponsors and donors,
hope and opportunity was delivered to a record number
of physically challenged athletes through CAF’s 2010
Access for Athletes grant distribution. Highlights of
the grant distribution include:

• 812 athlete grants awarded (30% increase over the
past two years)
• 63% were new grantees
• 48% reported an income of less than $20,000 per year
• Ages 4 to 78 were represented
• Most requested equipment items were: basketball
chairs (108); handcycles (83); and quad rugby chairs
(37)
• CAF-Florida distributed more than $73 thousand (of
the $1.3 million) to 52 challenged athletes in the
state of Florida alone
• Thanks to CAF’s ongoing partnership with Ossur, 33
prosthetic running feet and other sports components
were funded

“Since the first San Diego Triathlon Challenge, the
Challenged Athletes Foundation has distributed more
than 4,800 grants through its Access for Athletes
Program,” explains Jill Prichard, CAF’s Director of
Programs. “We’ve been fortunate enough to grow the
program simultaneously with the growth of Foundation,
enabling more individuals to find the life-affirming
benefits of fitness and sport each year. This year 63%
of the approved grantees had never received support
from us before, and we’re excited to welcome them into
the family.”

One such individual is six year old Madelyn “Mei Mei”
White, an above-knee amputee from Atlanta Georgia. Born
in China with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD),
Mei Mei’s future took a positive turn when she was
adopted by a family in the United States and had her
leg amputated to fit a prosthesis. She loves to swim
and run and aspires to be like her inspiration and role
model, Sarah Reinertsen. This year, Mei Mei received
her first CAF grant – an Össur Junior Flex-Run Foot.

“I want to run fast like my friend Sarah Reinertsen”
said Mei Mei when asked about why she needed the new
running foot.

“Össur Americas is proud to partner with the Challenged
Athletes Foundation in supporting the dreams of
individuals with physical challenges,” says Mary Nash,
Director of Marketing Communications for Össur
Americas. “Whether it’s a child like Mei Mei, or 71
year-old Andy Bailey, a below-knee amputee from Orange
County, California, our technology is designed to allow
leg amputees to perform their very best whatever their
goals may be. For over 15 years, Össur has proudly
partnered with CAF to provide access to advanced
performance prosthetics for people who desire to pursue
an active life through sport. Not only is Össur the
world leader in bionic and performance technology for
sport, but in everyday life as well.”

Thanks to CAF’s partnership with Ossur Americas, and
funds raised through events like the “Fund an Item”
auction at A Celebration of Heroes, Heart and Hope
gala, kids like Mei Mei won’t have to sit on the
sidelines, Juan Manuel Genry of Argentine can race
triathlons without crutches and Andy Bailey, who lost
his leg to a runaway service truck, can continue to
live life to the fullest.

Access for Athletes bridges the gap between physical
rehabilitation and a return to an active lifestyle.
Stepping in where medical treatment, rehabilitation and
health insurance ends, Access for Athletes provides
funding grants for adaptive sport equipment, training
and coaching expenses and competitions. Grant
applications are accepted once a year between September
1 and December 1, and evaluated and distributed
annually every Spring. Please visit
challengedathletes.org for more information.

For a printable PDF of the 2010 CAF Grant Distribution
Highlights & Summary, visit:
http://www.challengedathletes.org/pdfs/2010CAFACCESSFORATHLETESOnesheet.pdf.
For more information about CAF and its programs, visit:
www.challengedathletes.org.