A Wheelchair Van for Benjamin

Benjamin is a fun-loving, energetic 11 year old boy. He loves many of the things that kids his age do: superheroes, Phineas and Ferb, Lego Video games, and making new friends. He was also genuinely upset this year when he did not receive a letter from Hogwarts. He is your typical boy, except for one thing:
 

Benjamin has Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). This means that he can no longer walk, and is in a wheelchair full-time. Thankfully he has a wonderful power wheelchair that allows him to have some independence in mobility. Unfortunately the wheelchair is very large, and is difficult to transport without a specialized vehicle. These are not cheap, but Benjamin’s family has found a used van with a wheelchair modification on it, but need help with the high cost of purchasing the van. Currently the family of 5 has to all fit into a Ford Focus. This also means that Benjamin, who weighs 145 pounds, must be lifted by one of his parents. It is hard for all involved, and then requires Benjamin to use a manual wheelchair when he goes out. It is not easy for him to maneuver it, and requires the assistance of others to move around.

 
Being able to take his powered wheelchair outside of school and the home will provide Benjamin with a lot of opportunities that are otherwise currently unavailable to him. The sad fact of DMD is that, in the not so distant future, Benjamin may be unable to even leave the house. We would love for Benjamin and his family to be able to have a chance to make some great memories, while also allowing Benjamin a feeling of independence.