Maria's Miracle Home
Donation protected
** A special "thank you" to the anonymous donor who gave $2,375 to unlock our $5,000 matching pledge! We've now raised $12,000 in total! **
Please watch the two-minute video below to learn Maria's story:
Meet our niece, Maria Jose. She is 28 years old and lives in Bogotá, Colombia. As a child, she was diagnosed with a very rare disease called Friedreich's Ataxia. Since the age of 15, she has been non-ambulatory and using a wheelchair.
Her rare, genetic disease has no known cure. Friedreich’s Ataxia causes progressive loss of coordination in the arms and legs, fatigue, muscle loss, vision impairment, hearing loss, slurred speech, aggressive scoliosis, diabetes mellitus, and serious heart conditions (including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia).
Accessibility in Maria's home and city are very limited. Her current second-floor apartment has no elevator, so she needs another person’s assistance simply to leave or return home. This makes it difficult to buy food, see friends, and meet other basic needs. These impediments also prevent her from being an active member of society.
Fine arts, especially painting, are her passion. She dances in an inclusive company (people both with and without disabilities dancing together) and writes for an arts journal (see her writing here). With her mother's help, she has completed three semesters studying Plastic (Visual) Arts in an Academy in Bogotá, Colombia. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to finish her studies for financial and accessibility reasons.
Because of physical confinement, she cannot work. Her family cannot afford to help her with more than a small part of the equipment and medical services she needs. She lives with her mother, who raised her alone, in a 500-square-foot apartment. They do not own a car, instead relying on the sidewalks and city buses. Her mom is developing chronic back pain and muscle spasms from carrying Maria up and down their apartment stairs. If her mom falls ill, Maria won't have anyone to care for her.
+ With your help, we aspire to buy her an apartment, in a building that has accessibility ramps and/or an elevator, so she can come and go in her wheelchair without assistance.
+ This space would also act as a study space, so Maria can finish school, and a studio to create and sell artwork.
+ A basic, one-bedroom apartment that would meet her needs, in Bogotá, Colombia, costs $80,000 to own.
Having such an apartment would change her life and be a dream come true: a chance to reconnect with social / civic groups, develop her art, finish college, and begin a career.
Maria has great vision and potential. She is a dedicated, capable artist (see her work below), gifted dancer, and passionate educator (currently teaching dance to children with autism as a way to help them overcome touch-sensitivity).
Please help us to offer Maria the opportunity to live a fulfilled life and bring her gifts to the world!
Our deepest intention is to gift Maria this apartment by this summer (2019). As the campaign proceeds, we will post text and video updates. Once we have gathered enough funding, we will engage the community here, and move through the apartment selection and buying process together!
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your time and consideration. Please reach out if you have any questions about Maria, us, or this campaign.
Our Love and Gratitude,
Deanna and Andrew Taylor (Maria's aunt and uncle)
Please watch the two-minute video below to learn Maria's story:
Meet our niece, Maria Jose. She is 28 years old and lives in Bogotá, Colombia. As a child, she was diagnosed with a very rare disease called Friedreich's Ataxia. Since the age of 15, she has been non-ambulatory and using a wheelchair.
Her rare, genetic disease has no known cure. Friedreich’s Ataxia causes progressive loss of coordination in the arms and legs, fatigue, muscle loss, vision impairment, hearing loss, slurred speech, aggressive scoliosis, diabetes mellitus, and serious heart conditions (including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia).
Accessibility in Maria's home and city are very limited. Her current second-floor apartment has no elevator, so she needs another person’s assistance simply to leave or return home. This makes it difficult to buy food, see friends, and meet other basic needs. These impediments also prevent her from being an active member of society.
Fine arts, especially painting, are her passion. She dances in an inclusive company (people both with and without disabilities dancing together) and writes for an arts journal (see her writing here). With her mother's help, she has completed three semesters studying Plastic (Visual) Arts in an Academy in Bogotá, Colombia. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to finish her studies for financial and accessibility reasons.
Because of physical confinement, she cannot work. Her family cannot afford to help her with more than a small part of the equipment and medical services she needs. She lives with her mother, who raised her alone, in a 500-square-foot apartment. They do not own a car, instead relying on the sidewalks and city buses. Her mom is developing chronic back pain and muscle spasms from carrying Maria up and down their apartment stairs. If her mom falls ill, Maria won't have anyone to care for her.
+ With your help, we aspire to buy her an apartment, in a building that has accessibility ramps and/or an elevator, so she can come and go in her wheelchair without assistance.
+ This space would also act as a study space, so Maria can finish school, and a studio to create and sell artwork.
+ A basic, one-bedroom apartment that would meet her needs, in Bogotá, Colombia, costs $80,000 to own.
Having such an apartment would change her life and be a dream come true: a chance to reconnect with social / civic groups, develop her art, finish college, and begin a career.
Maria has great vision and potential. She is a dedicated, capable artist (see her work below), gifted dancer, and passionate educator (currently teaching dance to children with autism as a way to help them overcome touch-sensitivity).
Please help us to offer Maria the opportunity to live a fulfilled life and bring her gifts to the world!
Our deepest intention is to gift Maria this apartment by this summer (2019). As the campaign proceeds, we will post text and video updates. Once we have gathered enough funding, we will engage the community here, and move through the apartment selection and buying process together!
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your time and consideration. Please reach out if you have any questions about Maria, us, or this campaign.
Our Love and Gratitude,
Deanna and Andrew Taylor (Maria's aunt and uncle)
Organizer
Deanna Taylor
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
