Improvements, Challenges, and Changes

Effective September 1, 2021, Free Wheelchair Mission will be updating our per-wheelchair donation amount for the first time in five years.

Did you know that over the past five years, Free Wheelchair Mission has made more than 20 enhancements to our GEN_2 and GEN_3 wheelchairs?

These changes have helped to improve the quality, comfort, safety, and flexibility of our wheelchairs.

From modifying the footrests to providing a range of sizes and optimizing the safety belts, our team has been hard at work to make our wheelchairs even more durable and effective while also striving to keep costs low.

At the same time, the worldwide pandemic has had a widespread impact on our manufacturing and distribution, increasing both production costs and shipping fees, which have risen by as much as 117% over the past year alone. (Read more about COVID's impact on manufacturing and shipping here.)

Free Wheelchair Mission has not increased the per-wheelchair donation amount in five years—the longest period without an increase in our 20-year history.

However, our costs have risen to the point where an update is needed.

Effective September 1, 2021, Free Wheelchair Mission will be updating the donation amount for one wheelchair to $96, up from the previously listed donation amount of $80 each.

GEN_3 and GEN_2 wheelchairs from Free Wheelchair Mission

The change, which reflects both the improvements made to the wheelchairs as well the cost changes caused by external factors, amounts to an increase of only about four percentage points per year, or 20% over five years. Many goods and services, unfortunately, have seen increases of much greater than 20% just in the past few months.

Still, it is less than $100 to transform the life of someone living with disabilities through the gift of mobility.

For just $1 a day, you can transform four lives per year with the gift of mobility, giving someone new opportunities to go to school, earn a living, attend church, meet with family and friends, and enjoy a bit of fresh air.

Many have been waiting for a new wheelchair for weeks, months, years, or even decades.

Imagine the impact you can make on someone's life by providing the gift of mobility for less than $100!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When does this change take place?
    The change to $96 per wheelchair is effective starting September 1, 2021. All donations received prior to this date will still have been under the $80 per wheelchair donation amount. All donations received on or after Sept. 1 will fall under the $96 per wheelchair donation amount.
  2. Why is the per wheelchair donation amount changing?
    Over the past five years, we have made more than 20 enhancements to improve the quality, comfort, safety, and flexibility of our wheelchairs. From modifying the footrests to offering a range of sizes to optimizing safety belts, our team has been hard at work to make our wheelchairs even more durable and effective while also striving to keep costs low.

    At the same time, the worldwide pandemic has had a widespread impact on our manufacturing and distribution, increasing both production costs and transportation fees. Like many companies and organizations, the impact of COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions in international shipping, causing sometimes dramatic increases in the costs to ship our wheelchairs.

    The change to the $96 price per wheelchair donation reflects both the improvements made to our wheelchairs and the cost changes due to external factors.

  3. Does this affect my prior gifts to Free Wheelchair Mission?
    No. There is no impact to any gifts made prior to Sept. 1, 2021. Gifts made between Sept. 1, 2016 and Sept. 1, 2021 will still reflect the $80 per wheelchair donation amount. Gifts made on or after Sept. 1, 2021 will be under the new $96 per wheelchair donation amount.
  4. How does this impact my monthly gifts made through Circle of Mobility or other recurring donations?
    Recurring gifts made prior to Sept. 1, 2021 will be under the $80 per wheelchair donation amount and gifts made after Sept. 1, 2021 will be under the new $96 per wheelchair donation amount.

    While it is completely optional, if you would like to change the amount of your monthly gift, for example to change it from $80 per month to $96 per month, contact us at info@freewheelchairmission.org or call us at 1-949-273-8470 for assistance in making this change.

    Your gift of $96 per month will provide a wheelchair every month—that’s 12 wheelchairs per year—to those living with disabilities who are waiting for a new wheelchair! If you would like to keep your monthly gift at $80 per month, that still provides 10 wheelchairs every year to 10 people living with disabilities.

    All donations of any amount are welcomed, and all go toward providing wheelchairs to those in need around the world. Partial wheelchair gifts will always be combined with the gifts of other donors to send complete wheelchairs to those living with disabilities!

  5. What if I give a partial gift that doesn’t equal an exact wheelchair donation amount?
    Thank you for your gift! We welcome gifts of any amount and all partial wheelchair gifts will still be combined with the gifts of other donors to be used to send complete wheelchairs to those living with disabilities!
  6. What if I want to give a large gift of a container, multiple containers, or partial containers of wheelchairs?
    Thank you for your generosity! To ship a full container of wheelchairs, the new donation amount is $49,000. As of this writing, the average number of wheelchairs per shipping container is 510. Here are the donation amounts per container level (effective Sept. 1, 2021):
  • $98,000 = 2 full containers (approximately 1,020 wheelchairs)
  • $49,000 = 1 full container (~510 wheelchairs)
  • $24,500 = 1⁄2 container (~255 wheelchairs)
  • $12,250 = 1⁄4 container (~127 wheelchairs)
  • $6,125 = 1⁄8 container (~64 wheelchairs)