Kristyn Herbert

If you can’t help, could you please forward this to people who maybe can help? Thanks.

My name is Kristyn Herbert and I live in Boise. I have Cerebral Palsy and I use a power wheelchair. I had a wheelchair accessible van that had broken down beyond repair, and I am in need of a working van so I can get to my appointments as independently as possible.

The following is the narrative of my needs, as I have written it for https://helphopelive.org/campaign/20278/, which is a crowd-source fundraising platform similar to GoFundMe. I invite you to read through my narrative and decide if my story is one you would help me share with our valuable community, as I need others’ help to purchase a new van.

“I am unable to speak by conventional means because of my Cerebral Palsy, and it doesn’t stop me! I’m a huge self advocate in my community! I’m very independent and I’m in a power wheelchair. I’m able to use one knuckle to type on my cell phone and computer. I must have personal assistance for cooking, phone conversations, oral and tube feeding, administering meds, shopping, housekeeping, bathing, dressing, getting in and out of bed, bathroom duties and getting in and out of my chair. I require a wheelchair to get around. I’m on the Self-direction program in Idaho, and my yearly budget allows me to have 24/7 staff (care givers). I had always had them transfer me into their cars and I had to used my manual wheelchair until 4 years ago.

In 2018 I had a 1999 Caravan donated to me. My staff has used it since then to transport me. It was a whole new world for me because I was free and independent in ommunity and I was able to use my power chair to go wherever I wanted to go. This van was requiring a minimum of $7,000 for repairs. This doesn’t even cover but a small portion of all that would be required to have everything running well. I live on month to month benefits, (ssi/ssdi) which don’t allow me to cover any of these repairs so I got rid of it. The van and it’s wheelchair ramp gave me much needed safety, as I transfer to and from my chair. I badly need a new wheel chair accessible van. The safety of myself and my staff depend on this. I truly appreciate your help with this quest.”

A new van would give me independence and the freedom in the community in my power chair again. Sincerely,

Kristyn Herbert