We are excited to share another amazing example of how the crutches our volunteers are collecting are helping another vulnerable population - disabled and impoverished elderly patients. Read about how a pair of crutches transformed Henrik's life, a 75-year-old man from a remote village in northern Armenia.
Kisi is a 12-year-old girl who, in addition to a leg amputation, has leg paresis (partial loss or weakness of voluntary movement) and kyphoscoliosis (a congenital deformity that results in abnormal curvature of the spine). As a result, her father abandoned her at birth, leaving Kisi's mother to care for her and her two brothers. Working as a porridge vendor, her mother could not afford mobility aids for her daughter and Kisi relied on others to move about. But when she was brought to the Orthopedic Training Center in Kumsai, Ghana, she received a pair of crutches donated by Crutches 4 Kids at no cost. Read more.
Our partners at the Hospital for Special Surgery are hosting another crutch drive this Fall to benefit Crutches 4 Kids! You can drop off your gently used crutches, canes, and walkers from Monday, October 20th to Friday, October 31st. Many thanks to The Employee Activities Committee for spearheading this effort and helping us raise awareness about the need for crutches in underserved communities around the world. (Click to see official flyer and drop-off locations)
We are excited to announce that we have FIVE new permanent drop-off locations in Connecticut with Moore PT- Darien, Southport, 2 locations Stamford, and Wilton. They participated in our NYC Crutch drive earlier this year and will now be taking donations year round!
Thank you for your ongoing support of our cause to help mobilize kids in need around the world!
See location details HERE!
Crutches 4 Kids has partnered with AmeriCares India Foundation (AIF) to bring mobility to children in need of crutches in impoverished communities across India. There are hundreds of thousands of children that are being underserved and we believe that we can help close the gap in partnership with others who share our mission and commitment to empowering those without! (Click on title to read more...)
Connecticut student Jeremy Perillo participated in his second annual crutch drive. Jeremy, a Life Scout with Troop 42, collected dozens of mobility aids from his community, including hundreds of dollars in monetary donations.
Some of the staff at Kipnis Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine
We were honored to work again with Kipnis Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine during their recent Crutches 4 Kids crutch drive which took place from April-June. This is the second year in which Kipnis Physical Therapy has been a significant source for the collection of hundreds of crutches, canes and wheelchairs for the charity. The three locations in New Jersey were convenient gathering places for the collection, along with staff members who volunteered to retrieve crutches from offices who had posted flyers provided by Kipnis PT. Overall, Kipnis collected 62+ pairs of crutches, 34 walkers, and ten canes (with donations continuing to flow in after the drive). These mobility devices will enable children to attend school, play, and create a bright future that they may not have had otherwise.
We would like to thank the patients, staff, surrounding doctor’s offices, and businesses who participated in the crutch drive! Kipnis PT will continue to accept gently used mobility aids at all three of its locations moving forward (Secaucus, Cliffside Heights and Hackensack). We look forward to continuing to build our partnership in helping mobilize children around the world!
THANK YOU!
Seven-year-old Diego* is a recent recipient of a pair of a pair of crutches in El Salvador. Diego was left with a serious hip injury after falling from a playground slide as a toddler. He will need hip replacement surgery to correct the walking impediment once his body stops growing, but until then must rely on crutches to walk. Diego’s mother brought him to Clinica El Carmelo, an AmeriCares-supported clinic in Soyapango, where he received a pair of our donated pediatric crutches. Diego is now able to move about independently and without difficulty. (Click to read more)
Do you have a pair of crutches taking up space in your garage, attic or basement? Jeremy Perillo, a Boy Scout with Troop 42 has organized his 2nd annual Crutches 4 Kids crutch drive taking place in New Fairfield, CT. We are so grateful for Jeremy’s efforts and are lucky to have such an encouraging and passionate advocate for our cause. (Read more for details)
We are so proud of our ongoing relationship with Americares to ship and distribute many of the crutches we collect to areas in need around the world. Although Crutches 4 Kids' primary focus is helping children walk, some of our aids are donated to adults in need as well. Here is a story of how a recent shipment through our partnership with Americares benefitted patients at a hospital in Malawi:
New York, New York (May 1218th, 2014) – Crutches 4 Kids is planning an inaugural citywide crutch drive May 12-18th with dropoff locations in all five boroughs, as well as select sites in the tristate area. With your support, they can reach their goal in collecting over 1,000 gently used pairs of crutches for kids in impoverished communities around the world, giving them the gift of mobility, independence and hope. (Click on title to read more)
We are pleased to announce that Kipnis Physical Therapy in NJ is hosting it's second crutch drive for Crutches 4 Kids April 4th - May 18th, 2014. Help us spread the word to all your friends and colleagues in Seacucus, Hackensack, Cliffside Park, and surrounding areas. (Click to learn more)
We are excited to join forces with UBER to make it easier for you to donate your crutches during our inaugural NYC crutch drive May 12-18th. All you have to do is sign up for UBER and take a free UBER ride (promo code CRUTCHES4KIDS, up to $30 per ride) to one our drop-off their crutches collection sites in NYC or NJ. Ride in style, donate your crutches, and transform a life! Read more for details.
Crutches 4 Kids is planning its inaugural city-wide crutch drive May 12-18th with numerous drop-off locations in all five boroughs, as well as select locations in NY, NJ and CT. With your support, we aim to collect as many gently-used crutches as possible. We are very grateful for all the volunteers, collection site partners and sponsors that are coming together to make this event a reality. A special shout out to our crutch drive sponsors: the Hospital for Special Surgery, MedShare, and UBER, for their commitment to helping us raise awareness, stimulate action, and make a direct impact on the lives of disabled children across the globe.
We are thrilled to host a blog from Rebecca Sorrell who is currently working in Uganda for Show Mercy International. She contacted Crutches 4 Kids last month about Justine's need for a new pair of crutches and we sent a pair along with her sister-in-law Kelli who was traveling there soon thereafter. We are grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of helping Justine live a more fulfilling life. (Click to read her story)
CONGRATULATIONS to our amazing NYC Half-Marathon Team for fundraising over $12,327 for Crutches 4 Kids. We are so grateful for their support and enthusiasm to helping those in need. Their efforts will provide 1,232 pairs of crutches to kids in underserved communities around the world who need but do not have access to crutches due to extreme poverty, war or natural disasters. (Read more)
Have you ever thought about getting involved in your community, but aren’t sure how? Do you want to make a direct, lasting impact on the lives of those in need? Do you have colleagues, family and friends who feel the same? If you answered yes to any of those questions, Crutches 4 Kids needs your help. (Read more)
On Saturday, March 8, the JCC in Manhattan hosted a viewing of Reel Encounters 2014, a collection of short disability-themed international films. One of the short films, titled “The Commute”, particularly caught my interest, as it relates to Crutches 4 Kids’ mission. The film takes the viewer through a day in the life of a man who is bound to a wheelchair. It captures the struggles and hardships involving wheelchair mobility throughout New York City. (Read more)
We are pleased to announce that Moore Physical Therapy and Coastal Orthopaedics are hosting a crutch drive for Crutches 4 Kids March 18th- May 18th, 2014. We are so grateful for their support and look forward to working with them to collect hundreds of crutches for children who need crutches but don't have access to them due to extreme poverty, war or natural disasters. (Click to learn more)
On Friday, February 28th, our Board of Director’s member Jeme Cioppa-Mosca hosted a cocktail party at her Westchester home for Crutches 4 Kids. The fundraiser was a huge success, with more than 40 guests attending. Everyone was engaged and excited to learn more about our mission. (Click to read more).
