Fundraising for an Accessible Van
In the heart of Kaufman, Texas, the Manning family’s life revolves around love, faith, and the daily challenges of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive neuromuscular disorder causing a lack of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. Cooper, their 14-year-old son, has lost his ability to move independently and relies on a power wheelchair to get around.
Cooper, despite his shyness, has a gentle, creative spirit and a deep love for his community. He enjoys going to church with his family, outdoor adventures, and hunting. Right now, those passions are difficult to participate in–the family’s biggest hurdle is transportation.
The family’s current vehicles are not equipped to accommodate Cooper’s heavy power wheelchair. Every trip, whether it’s to church, a doctor’s appointment, or even a quick outing, requires his parents to lift him in and out of the car. At 14, Cooper is growing, and the physical strain of these transfers is becoming increasingly difficult for his parents.
“It’s getting harder and harder,” his mother, Stacey, admits. “We’re afraid we’ll hurt him, or ourselves, trying to lift him. We just want to keep him safe.”
The lack of an accessible vehicle limits Cooper’s ability to participate in the activities he loves. He often misses out on church events, outdoor excursions, and even simple trips to the store. The family dreams of a future where Cooper can move freely, where he can join his friends on adventures and explore the world around him without the limitations imposed by their current transportation situation.
“He’s getting too heavy for us to manage safely. We need a way for him to simply drive his power wheelchair into the van, to give him back some of his independence.”
The Mannings heard of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund program through another organization, Finn’s Friends, who encouraged them to apply. As part of the program, the Mannings will aim to raise half or more of the necessary funds for their new accessible vehicle before Jett Foundation covers the remaining expenses and purchases the vehicle outright. The future now holds the promise of family outings and accessible transportation for them.
The Manning family has met their fundraising goal and received accessible transportation thanks to supporters like you! You can still support our program and future program participants with a gift to Jett Foundation today:
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All donations to Jett Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed under applicable law and is an unrestricted contribution to the Jett Giving Fund. The family is working to raise half the funds needed for their van or more; when they reach their goal, Jett Foundation will cover the remaining costs and coordinate purchase and delivery of the vehicle.
