Mobility aids such as wheelchairs and scooters give many people vital access to their communities, but new ones have high prices in money and natural resources. Wonderful Wheelchairs, an Ithaca-based organization, repairs, loans out, and sells donated mobility aids at low prices, improving equity of access to them and keeping used ones out of the waste stream. It allows its patrons to try out devices, determining what best suits their needs. In March 2018, Wonderful Wheelchairs received a Neighborhood Mini-Grant from Sustainable Tompkins to buy a motorized Pride Folding Go-Go Scooter – an item in high demand and not locally sold – for patrons to try out before deciding whether to buy one from a faraway vendor.

The scooter has been in use since May 2018, displayed and loaned out onsite at Wonderful Wheelchairs and at local social service venues and events such as the annual Senior Living Expo and the first annual Community Carnival at Stewart Park. Wonderful Wheelchairs will continue to spread the word about it, at these venues and beyond.

The Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program provides seed money to diverse initiatives to build environmental, economic, and social resilience and well-being in Tompkins County. The program is sponsored by the Park Foundation, Beck Equipment, Craig Riecke, Natural Investments, Fingerlakes Wealth Management, and local donors. We need your support so we can help more citizen leaders act on their values. Please donate today and help us support more wonderful citizen-driven projects to improve life in our community.