Mobility changes everything.
The World Health Organization estimates that 80 million people need a wheelchair, the vast majority of whom do not have access to one.
Without mobility, people living with disabilities in developing countries may be confined to their homes, forced to crawl or be carried. They may be hindered from going to school, earning a living, and connecting with others in the community.
Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian organization that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed more than 1.4 million wheelchairs in 95 countries around the world, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, all at no cost to the recipient.
The Free Wheelchair Mission Story
In 1979, while on vacation in Morocco, a young engineer and inventor named Don Schoendorfer witnessed the agonizing plight of a woman struggling to drag herself across a busy thoroughfare.
Unable to forget the scene, Don would eventually leave a successful career in the biomedical field and design a durable, comfortable, and cost-effective wheelchair. His unique design became the cornerstone of Free Wheelchair Mission, the nonprofit organization he founded in 2001.
Since that time, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed 1.4 million wheelchairs to individuals in need in 94 countries around the world, in collaboration with a network of like-minded partners.
This holiday season, give meaningful gifts that will make a difference in the world.
Our Mission and Vision
We believe in a world where everyone who needs a wheelchair has one.
Our mission: to provide the life-transforming gift of mobility in developing nations, as motivated by Jesus Christ.
Our wheelchairs are simple, cost-effective, and highly functional. They are designed to be resilient enough to withstand regular use in rugged terrain commonly found in developing countries.
Because of our unique wheelchair designs and our distribution network, we are able to maximize our impact and provide wheelchairs to individuals living in some of the most remote regions on the planet.
For under $100, a wheelchair can be manufactured and shipped to a person in need.
Your Impact
When you give someone a wheelchair, you give someone the chance to breathe fresh air, visit friends and neighbors—or even go to school or get a job.
The transforming gift of mobility changes everything. Mobility means independence, the ability to participate in society and earn a living. It means renewed dignity, leaving behind the days of being on the ground.
Since 2001, more than 1.4 million lives across 95 countries have been transformed by the gift of mobility from Free Wheelchair Mission.
Yet, there are still an estimated 80 million people worldwide who are waiting for a wheelchair but cannot get one on their own.
Will you get involved today and help transform a life forever?