DONATE YOUR CRUTCHES TO CHILDREN IN NEED AROUND THE WORLD
New York, New York (May 12-18th, 2014) – Crutches 4 Kids is planning an inaugural city-wide crutch drive May 12-18th with drop-off locations in all five boroughs, as well as select sites in the tri-state 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.
There are millions of children worldwide who are in need of crutches due to disease, physical trauma or poor healthcare. Without this basic but valuable tool that provides mobility, they struggle to walk, attend school, play and lead fulfilling lives. While crutches are rare and valuable commodities in many parts of the world suffering from extreme poverty, war or natural disasters, there are in fact millions of crutches across the United States sitting unused in closets, garages, and attics.
Crutches 4 Kids collects crutches from local communities and works with renowned international aid organizations to redistribute them to underserved communities. While promoting sustainability and bringing communities together, they empower children by enabling them to play, go to school and gain access to food and clean water. Watch their short video to learn more.
Just one example of how Crutches 4 Kids has changed a child’s life is sixyearold Justine's story. She lost her right leg after being hit by a car in her native Uganda at the age of one. For years she used wooden crutches that were too small and offered no traction, causing her to walk hunched and fall frequently. Her family could not afford to buy her a new pair of crutches. With a pair donated by Crutches 4 Kids, Justine has been afforded the opportunity to do the things we and our children may take for granted on a daily basis – like playing and gaining access to an education. She has subsequently avoided chronic disfigurement caused by the hunching, and is advancing towards her future both mobile and confident.
“What we do has a life-changing impact on a child at an early age. A simple pair of crutches helps them plug back into life,” Dr. Ken Shubin Stein, Co-Founder of Crutches 4 Kids. “We’ve collected over 7,500 mobility devices thus far, impacting thousands of childrens’ lives in over 20 countries. We hope people in the tri-state area will join us in donating their gently used crutches, and help these kids run, jump, and kick their way back to life.”
Crutches 4 Kids has joined forces with two exemplary humanitarian aid organizations, MedShare and Americares, to help ship and distribute donated crutches to children in need in countries such as the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nigeria, Ghana, and Bangladesh, to name a few. Crutch drive sponsors include the Hospital for Special Surgery, MedShare, UBER, and NY Cargo Taxi. If you'd like to support their mission and do not have crutches to donate, a $10 donation will purchase a brand new pair of crutches for a child in need. For those who may require transportation to a crutch drop-off location in NYC & NJ between May 12-18th, Crutches 4 Kids has partnered with UBER to provide free rides (valued up to $30) for new users (promo code: CRUTCHES4KIDS) or 10% off for current users (promo: CRUTCHES10). Crutches 4 Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in New York City and can be reached at info@crutches4kids.org.
###