Free Wheelchair Mission Sending 2,500 Wheelchairs to Haiti in Response to Devastating Earthquake
IRVINE, Calif., August 19, 2021 – In response to the massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti last Saturday, Free Wheelchair Mission, a humanitarian nonprofit based in Irvine, California, will be shipping five containers with a total of more than 2,500 wheelchairs to Haiti. The first shipment is expected to arrive in the hands of local distribution partners within weeks with the remaining containers shipping over the following months.
With a rising death toll in the thousands and thousands more injured, the need for assistance is significant and growing. The earthquake hit when the country was already reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, political strife, and economic hardship, along with the long-term effects of the massive 2010 earthquake.
“We have a long history and special connection with the people of Haiti, so it has been heartbreaking to see the devastation caused by the recent earthquake,” said Nuka Solomon, CEO of Free Wheelchair Mission. “I am hearing from my family in the area that the needs are urgent, with some towns in the affected peninsula almost completely destroyed,” she continued. “Our team has been quickly mobilizing resources, in conjunction with our partners, to provide wheelchairs and potentially other medical supplies and resources.”
Since 2005, Free Wheelchair Mission has provided more than 15,400 wheelchairs to those living with disabilities in Haiti, making the organization one of the largest providers of wheelchairs to the country. After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the nonprofit responded by sending several shipments of wheelchairs.
Those living with disabilities are especially at risk in the aftermath of disasters like the massive Haiti earthquake. Without the mobility provided by wheelchairs, they may not be able to flee from danger, seek refuge, or travel to receive medical care.
As was the case with the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, falling debris during earthquakes usually causes many more people to sustain spinal cord damage and other injuries resulting in the loss of mobility, creating an even greater need for wheelchairs.
To support the urgent needs in Haiti through Free Wheelchair Mission’s Medical and Mobility Emergency Fund, visit:
FreeWheelchairMission.org/Haiti
About Free Wheelchair Mission:
Over the past 20 years, Free Wheelchair Mission has provided 1.3 million wheelchairs to those living with disabilities across 94 countries. Founded in 2001 by Don Schoendorfer, Ph.D., Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit based in Irvine, California that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries. In collaboration with a worldwide network of like-minded partners that facilitates wheelchair distribution, the charity provides renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, all at no cost to the recipient.
Connect with Free Wheelchair Mission:
Website: FreeWheelchairMission.org
Facebook: facebook.com/freewheelchairmission
Instagram: instagram.com/fwmission
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/free-wheelchair-mission
Media Contact:
Brad Cooper
Head of Marketing
949-529-1984