Reverend Vinnie's MiniVan Quest
Donation protected
Thank God for allowing the opportunity and ability to share this message! We are raising money and awareness for medical and financial needs for Reverend Vinnie Yancey, who has been battling with stage 4 kidney disease for 3 years.
Specifically, we are raising awareness for
1)Down payment towards purchasing a wheelchair accessible minivan
2)Additional medical expenses/ needs
3)Finding a compatible kidney donor
A little bit about why we are asking for your help.
Who is Reverend Vinnie Yancey ?
To know Rev. Vinnie is to love him. He has a bright beaming smile, infectious laugh and constant word of encouragement.
This has always been true.
You can find him most late afternoon sitting on the porch, playing Jazz and greeting strangers and neighbors alike.
He is a proud and resilient God fearing man who has overcome so many things that would have stopped most people in their tracks.
It was incredibly hard to get him to set up this page to ask for financial help. Thank you sooo much for taking the time to learn about his story.
What is his story?
Rev. Vinnie grew up during the 1950’s in Roxbury, Massachusetts part of a big family, last son of 7 boys and 2 girls.
When he was 6 years old he contracted to polio. He lost his ability to walk and was initially wheelchair bound, but worked hard to walk again with the aid of crutches and a brace.
Losing his mobility did not stop his movement in life. His parents enrolled him in a school for the disabled where he excelled and became student body president and all around beloved member of the school.
After graduating high school he went on to college at Northeastern University, completed his BA and pledged as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.
While at school he reconnected with his childhood sweetheart, a girl named Roxanne he fell in love with long ago on Savin street. He wooed and romanced her, then made her his wife. They have been married for over 45 years.
Nothing could slow him down, especially with his soul mate by his side. Together they had 4 children. He went on to create a successful small business as an accountant.
They joined Bethel AME Church where Vinnie traded in his party moniker as “Disco Vinnie” for the blessed role as Reverend Vinnie, becoming an ordained minister.
Roxanne has also been very active in the church. She was elected to the trustee board for many years and even being honored as “Layperson of the Year” in 2015 for her years dutifully serving meals and organizing events at the church and annual conference.
Why does he need help?
Reverend Vinnie fell ill in 2014. It took some time to figure out what was the cause of the issues. He was finally diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure requiring dialysis and eventual transplant.
Getting this diagnosis is devastating to anyone, the reality of multiple dialysis session every week, going thru the process of finding an organ donor…. for Rev. Vinnie it had deeper consequences.
Dialysis requires a port to be placed in the arm,under the skin, weakening that arm’s ability to bear weight. When you use your arms to walk as Rev. Vinnie does, it threaten mobility as well.
We have been doing everything we can to help Rev. Vinnie be as mobile as possible, we bought a scooter that could fit in the trunk of the car.
As time went on the dialysis port in his arm continued to weaken his left arm to the point where he could no longer use his crutches to walk. He was back in the wheelchair he fought so hard to get out of when he was a little boy.
With God’s grace we were able to obtain a fully automated wheelchair way for him to get around.
This wheelchair does not disassemble ( it is quite large and heavy) so for Rev. Vinnie to leave the home or go to dialysis 3 times a week we have to order transportation through the state.
Why are we asking for help now?
This illness had a hard impact on his accounting business as well. Due to these hardships he’s lost 40% of his client base.
God’s grace showed up again and with Rev. Vinnie’s work ethic he has been able to reclaim many clients and even new ones.
His wife Roxanne has been by his side thru all these times, good and bad, but her ability to physically help has been diminishing over the years.
Even when Rev. Vinnie can manage to stand long enough to make it to the car to use the scooter, Roxanne can no longer remove, assemble, disassemble the scooter and place the scooter in the back of trunk.
Unfortunately this had a terrible impact on his credit and been unable to fully finance the purchase of a mini van.
This is why we are asking for help.
We found a reasonable priced used 2011 Toyota Sienna with less than 40,000 miles already equipped with ramp/wheelchair accessibility from the amazing Mobility Works company based in Natick.
The only additional modifications needed is a electronic mounting system that will all Rev.. Vinnie’s wheelchair to be secured to the minivan with a push of a button.
Without it, his wife Roxanne would have to bend down and place hooks on it before they can safely drive. She has also had her share of health crises, including a hip replacement in 2016.
Having to manually secure the wheelchair would almost erase the benefit of having the van at all.
He has applied for a loan and have been approved for $30,000.
Praise God!!! Unfortunately it is not enough for the full purchase price of $50,000.
What does he need?
1)Remaining amount needed to purchase a wheelchair-accessible minivan ($20,000)
2)Pay for automatic wheelchair lock modifications to minivan ($5,000)
3)Support for the expensive financial needs associated with numerous medical needs that are present daily.
4)We also are in search of a compatible kidney donor.
Rev. Vinnie has already gone thru the screening process and has been listed on the national organ recipient list through Massachusetts General Hospital.
If it is on your heart to be that donor please let us know. We will send all information to be screened to see if you are a match.
Any dollar amount is deeply appreciated, even $25 can help with the daily medical expenses.
Your support, financial and moral, is truly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
Specifically, we are raising awareness for
1)Down payment towards purchasing a wheelchair accessible minivan
2)Additional medical expenses/ needs
3)Finding a compatible kidney donor
A little bit about why we are asking for your help.
Who is Reverend Vinnie Yancey ?
To know Rev. Vinnie is to love him. He has a bright beaming smile, infectious laugh and constant word of encouragement.
This has always been true.
You can find him most late afternoon sitting on the porch, playing Jazz and greeting strangers and neighbors alike.
He is a proud and resilient God fearing man who has overcome so many things that would have stopped most people in their tracks.
It was incredibly hard to get him to set up this page to ask for financial help. Thank you sooo much for taking the time to learn about his story.
What is his story?
Rev. Vinnie grew up during the 1950’s in Roxbury, Massachusetts part of a big family, last son of 7 boys and 2 girls.
When he was 6 years old he contracted to polio. He lost his ability to walk and was initially wheelchair bound, but worked hard to walk again with the aid of crutches and a brace.
Losing his mobility did not stop his movement in life. His parents enrolled him in a school for the disabled where he excelled and became student body president and all around beloved member of the school.
After graduating high school he went on to college at Northeastern University, completed his BA and pledged as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.
While at school he reconnected with his childhood sweetheart, a girl named Roxanne he fell in love with long ago on Savin street. He wooed and romanced her, then made her his wife. They have been married for over 45 years.
Nothing could slow him down, especially with his soul mate by his side. Together they had 4 children. He went on to create a successful small business as an accountant.
They joined Bethel AME Church where Vinnie traded in his party moniker as “Disco Vinnie” for the blessed role as Reverend Vinnie, becoming an ordained minister.
Roxanne has also been very active in the church. She was elected to the trustee board for many years and even being honored as “Layperson of the Year” in 2015 for her years dutifully serving meals and organizing events at the church and annual conference.
Why does he need help?
Reverend Vinnie fell ill in 2014. It took some time to figure out what was the cause of the issues. He was finally diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure requiring dialysis and eventual transplant.
Getting this diagnosis is devastating to anyone, the reality of multiple dialysis session every week, going thru the process of finding an organ donor…. for Rev. Vinnie it had deeper consequences.
Dialysis requires a port to be placed in the arm,under the skin, weakening that arm’s ability to bear weight. When you use your arms to walk as Rev. Vinnie does, it threaten mobility as well.
We have been doing everything we can to help Rev. Vinnie be as mobile as possible, we bought a scooter that could fit in the trunk of the car.
As time went on the dialysis port in his arm continued to weaken his left arm to the point where he could no longer use his crutches to walk. He was back in the wheelchair he fought so hard to get out of when he was a little boy.
With God’s grace we were able to obtain a fully automated wheelchair way for him to get around.
This wheelchair does not disassemble ( it is quite large and heavy) so for Rev. Vinnie to leave the home or go to dialysis 3 times a week we have to order transportation through the state.
Why are we asking for help now?
This illness had a hard impact on his accounting business as well. Due to these hardships he’s lost 40% of his client base.
God’s grace showed up again and with Rev. Vinnie’s work ethic he has been able to reclaim many clients and even new ones.
His wife Roxanne has been by his side thru all these times, good and bad, but her ability to physically help has been diminishing over the years.
Even when Rev. Vinnie can manage to stand long enough to make it to the car to use the scooter, Roxanne can no longer remove, assemble, disassemble the scooter and place the scooter in the back of trunk.
Unfortunately this had a terrible impact on his credit and been unable to fully finance the purchase of a mini van.
This is why we are asking for help.
We found a reasonable priced used 2011 Toyota Sienna with less than 40,000 miles already equipped with ramp/wheelchair accessibility from the amazing Mobility Works company based in Natick.
The only additional modifications needed is a electronic mounting system that will all Rev.. Vinnie’s wheelchair to be secured to the minivan with a push of a button.
Without it, his wife Roxanne would have to bend down and place hooks on it before they can safely drive. She has also had her share of health crises, including a hip replacement in 2016.
Having to manually secure the wheelchair would almost erase the benefit of having the van at all.
He has applied for a loan and have been approved for $30,000.
Praise God!!! Unfortunately it is not enough for the full purchase price of $50,000.
What does he need?
1)Remaining amount needed to purchase a wheelchair-accessible minivan ($20,000)
2)Pay for automatic wheelchair lock modifications to minivan ($5,000)
3)Support for the expensive financial needs associated with numerous medical needs that are present daily.
4)We also are in search of a compatible kidney donor.
Rev. Vinnie has already gone thru the screening process and has been listed on the national organ recipient list through Massachusetts General Hospital.
If it is on your heart to be that donor please let us know. We will send all information to be screened to see if you are a match.
Any dollar amount is deeply appreciated, even $25 can help with the daily medical expenses.
Your support, financial and moral, is truly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
Organizer and beneficiary
Kim Mariko Simmons Moss
Organizer
Boston, MA
Vincent YANCEY
Beneficiary
