Free Wheelchair Mission Strives to be World Leader in Wheelchair Distribution

Irvine, CA, August 29, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Free Wheelchair Mission’s Leader Partner Program is one of the most ambitious steps towards empowering partners in regions where the organization serves people with disabilities worldwide. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission (FWM) has provided more than 700,000 wheelchairs to persons with disabilities living in poverty in 88 countries around the globe. With growth, it became apparent FWM needed to do more to provide the partners with better training to properly fit and maintain the wheelchairs in the developing world.

With the assistance of Susan Shore, PT, PhD, Azusa Pacific University, Free Wheelchair Mission piloted their Leading Partner Program in Vietnam in July 2012. Since that time, intensive five day training has taken place in Mexico, El Salvador and Chile. The program educates the partners in proper wheelchair assembly, trains partners on the correct prescription wheelchair models, adjustments for each recipient, and user training for the wheelchair’s recipient and their family. Plans are already underway for training in India and China, two of the countries with great needs in the world.

The Leading Partner Program is taught to volunteer physical and occupational therapists in a train-the-trainer system at Free Wheelchair Mission’s headquarters in Irvine California. If interested in learning more about the program, please contact Noelle Simpson at nsimpson@freewheelchairmission.org.

About Free Wheelchair Mission: Free Wheelchair Mission (FWM) is a humanitarian, faith-based 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to “provide the transforming gift of mobility to the impoverished disabled in developing countries, as motivated by Jesus Christ.” Wheelchairs are distributed fully-assembled free of charge to recipients and are given regardless of race, gender, religion, or ethnicity. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has provided over 700,000 specially-made wheelchairs to individuals with disabilities in 88 countries around the world. They provide not only mobility, but share the gifts of dignity, independence and hope.