Aspire Employee Arranges Drive for Haiti

02/16/2010

With the devastation in Haiti being shown on every television station, Kim Lawson had an idea. “I watched as someone with a broken leg was carried by his friends to get from one place to the other," said Kim, OT supervisor of adult services. "I immediately thought that we as an agency could help."

Kim sent an agency-wide e-mail requesting that unused wheelchairs, crutches, walkers or other durable medical equipment be donated to Haiti. Collection sites were set up at 7 Community and Brock day programs.

Kim called the American Red Cross, hoping that they would be able to transport the donations. The Red Cross told her they were not transporting donated goods to Haiti and instead referred her to Senator Antoine Thompson’s office. When Kim called the senator’s office she was able to speak to Fritz Tondreau, who was very happy to hear of the items Aspire was collecting. Kim was told that the senator’s office was collecting donated items from the community and they would transport the donations via a commercial airline.

On February 8, two Aspire vans were loaded up with donations for transport to Senator Thompson’s office in Buffalo. In total, 23 walkers, 5 pairs of crutches, 17 wheelchairs, 6 wheelchair cushions, 3 canes and 8 boxes of miscellaneous supplies were donated.

“Because of Aspire’s donations, over the next couple of weeks 48 people in Haiti will gain their mobility back," Kim said. "Thank you to everyone who helped!”