Emily Progin, Content Manager
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Release: Immediate
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST NEEDS HELP TO KEEP GIVING BACK
Nonprofit Founder Toña Rivera Is Fundraising for an Accessible Van
ALBEQUERQUE, N.M.—44-year-old Toña Rivera has spent her life managing the complex challenges of life with cerebral palsy. In the midst of these challenges, she sees hope for a bright future: the artist and nonprofit founder spends her time advocating for children with disabilities and giving back to her community. Now, her community has a chance to provide help and hope to Toña through a medical fundraising campaign with the national nonprofit Help Hope Live.
Toña was born with cerebral palsy. She spent two weeks in the hospital hooked up to machines—and her parents were told she would not survive, or if she did, that she would have no independence or mental capabilities.
Toña defied those odds. “They were wrong. Here I am, enjoying life.”
Now 44 years old, Toña is an artist who paints using her left foot. She’s the founder and Executive Director of a unique nonprofit called the Every Ability Plays Project that purchases accessible playground equipment for children with disabilities for neighborhood parks, schools, and home use. The nonprofit turns 10 in 2024.
While Toña has poured her heart and mind into solving accessibility issues in her community, she is now facing an accessibility challenge of her own.
Toña needs a wheelchair accessible van to continue working and giving back to her community, but insurance won’t cover the cost. That leaves her with an out-of-pocket financial burden of over $45,000.
Just this month, Toña encountered a transportation barrier to spend her sister’s 40th birthday with her at a Chicago Bears game in Arizona. “An accessible rental van cost over $900 for a single day,” Toña explained. “I have to travel around the state for my work frequently, and that’s why I really need an accessible van of my own.”
Because she is receiving SSI, Toña can’t have over $2,000 in “personal financial resources” or she will lose her benefits.
That’s why she started fundraising with the trusted national nonprofit Help Hope Live: because the nonprofit manages all funds raised, the funds don’t jeopardize her eligibility for SSI.
Tax-deductible donations can be made at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/23903/
The community’s generosity has already raised over $3,000 towards her fundraising goal for accessible transportation.
Unlike a GoFundMe campaign, donations to Help Hope Live are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.
Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $188 million to pay patient expenses. ###
