Family and friends of Melinda Thornton are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund expenses associated purchasing a newer wheelchair conversion van. A newer conversion van with lower miles is going for roughly $40k so with the taxes it’ll be roughly $45k.

Her van is a 2010 Honda Odyssey with almost 180k miles. Mechanically it’s is still in decent condition for the age. The conversion components are the issue. The ramp is a fold out style that is warped and bowing. This was caused partially because the van doesn’t knell, lowering the van decreasing the slope. She was told upon receipt of the van that it wasn’t needed because she is in an electric wheelchair. The components that are secured to the floor of the van have rusted off causing the ramp to jump or freeze and not deploy. There is 3 buttons inside to van plus the fob. The only one that works partially is the fob, which only opens the door, which then the ramp needs to be pulled out manually if it will. Then the only way to get the ramp back in the manual override buttons, when they work.