Hi, I'm Charlie. I've been a wheelchair user for about five years. The wheelchair that I have now is too large/heavy for me to use it on my own--I can't leave the house by myself because I need someone else's help to manage it.

This new wheelchair is smaller and lighter, which means I could handle it on my own (in and out of the car, pushing it manually for longer periods, etc). It'll give me freedom and make me less constantly dependent on other people. (~ $5000)

We're also going to get a "power assist" feature that attaches to the chair and allows it to become a power chair without forcing us to buy a power chair and a vehicle that could transport it. That means I can spend full days out with my family without completely exhausting myself--pushing a wheelchair isn't all that easy! On days when my energy or mobility is severely limited and even as my disability progresses, I'll still be able to use the chair thanks to this attachment. (~ $7500)

Finally, we need to make our house more accessible. We rent, so we can't make permanent changes, but we're going to invest in ramps for both the front and back doors that will allow me to get in and out of the house in the chair safely. Right now, I can't go out back with my kid unless someone else is home to help me; ramps will open the doors to the freedom I want quite literally! We're also going to look at putting in a path through the backyard to let the wheelchair access the whole yard a little easier. If/when we move, we'll be able to take these with us to make any other house more accessible, too. (~ $1500)

My son and I are at home all day together but don't have the option to go outside because I'm trapped in the house until another adult is around to help me. Even when I can go out, my abilities are limited by my strength and energy levels. This new chair and accessibility features would change my life.

Thank you for anything you can give.