An enthusiastic group of Help Hope Live clients, Ambassadors, and team members descended on this year’s Abilities Expo New York Metro May 1-3 as well as the Abilities International Accessibility Conference April 30 to May 1.
We rounded out our trip with a heartfelt adaptive bike giveaway. Here’s a recap!
“I thought this was going to just be about funding, but it turned out to be so much better.”
A great quote overheard at the Abilities International Accessibility Conference as we presented our trusted medical fundraising platform to a full house!
We know our mission represents a key resource that so many social workers, rehab professionals, and other members of patient support systems can lean on to help patients secure fundraising guidance and financial relief. We’re excited for the chance to make these regional industry conferences a new part of our Abilities Expo visits.
Joining us at the Help Hope Live booth as the Abilities Expo NY kicked off this year: Stacia Moak, a Client Services Coordinator, and our always-fabulous client Ambassador Kelson Williams with his mom, Stephanie, and beloved service dog, Gus.
We were so impressed with Gus and our dear furrend Dolly Pawton, service dog of our client Ambassador Amy Sherwood – they really made the place their own!
Pictured with Amy, far right, below: our client Lucas Towers and his dad, Randy, along with Kelly and Sonny. Lucas’s community has raised over $225,000 with Help Hope Live so far!
Stacia, Kelly, and Stephanie got the chance to connect with Ms. Wheelchair PA 2026 Jamie Clendening:
And Kelly grabbed some time with Speechless star Micah Fowler:
We reconnected with hardworking client Ambassadors Andrew and Zinke McGeady and Rebecca Koltun:
And we weren’t going to let our client Jeff Harris roll by without a selfie, either! (True Help Hope Live fans know Jeff from this 2018 video!)
We are so grateful to Jeff, Stephanie, Kelson, and Gus – they joined us on stage for our Abilities Expo workshop to explain how Help Hope Live had made a difference in their lives.
“It’s been a godsend for the past 18 years.”
“They have made this process not only easy but productive. It’s a national organization, but to us, it’s become a family.”
It was a truly special series of moments as we got to see all the progress and growth experienced by clients and Ambassadors with the support of their communities.
On top of that, we saw our Ambassadors come to life with dedication, passion, and compassion as they shared their experiences, giving other families a peer recommendation and lifeline they can trust.
Jeanney Gets Her Bike
Six-year-old Jeanney is active, joyful, and always excited to dance and sing. We knew an adaptive bike would be a game-changer for her family as Jeanney lives with symptoms that impact her vision, mobility, and ability to eat and speak.
As much as she’d love to ride a bike regularly, her unique mobility needs mean a regular bike is out of the question – Jeanney would become too tired to ride.
Jeanney’s school referred their family to Help Hope Live, and at Abilities Expo NY Metro, we got the chance to see hope in motion as we presented her family with a Freedom Concepts bike customized to her mobility needs.
Jeanney was especially excited to use the shiny bike bell. Look out, world, because here she comes!
Joining us were a few extra-special guests: James Wall from Freedom Concepts (in signature blue and orange below) and Denise Davis from the Rosenblatt Foundation with her husband, Don.
Bike giveaways like this one are only possible thanks to the generous ongoing support of our partners, including the Rosenblatt Foundation. We’re profoundly grateful for the impact they make!
