The Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center Foundation has received a of $34,460 Quality of Life Grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to expand the Center’s driving evaluation and instruction program for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
The Neilsen grant enabled the WWRC Foundation to purchase a new car that was then equipped with six types of hand controls as well as instructor controls and brakes. Hand controls make driving possible for individuals who cannot use their feet or legs when driving.
WWRC driving instructor Mary Breister says, “Having six types of hand controls allows our clients to find the best equipment for their circumstance so they can safely return to driving.”
The grant will also provide a temporary instructor to help address the four-month waiting list for the Center’s driving program. People with disabilities come to the Center from across Virginia for driving evaluations and instruction, allowing them to have independence and transportation to work.
The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation is a private foundation located in Encino, California, that is dedicated to supporting cutting-edge research and life enhancing programs for individuals with spinal cord injuries. Their Quality of Life Grants support innovative rehabilitation and recreation programs as well as independent living and educational opportunities that improve the life of people living with spinal cord injuries throughout the United States and Canada.
The WWRC Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1960 to provide funds and resources that support vocational and medical rehabilitation at Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center, leading to independence and employment for Virginians with disabilities. Clients are referred to the Center’s Fishersville campus through the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). For additional information, go to www.wwrcf.org.
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