350 Runners, 115 Volunteers = 2,400 Wheelchairs Donated to Free Wheelchair Mission

On February 4^th, Paragon participated in Huntington Beach’s Surf City Run for Mobility Marathon. The marathon drew 350 runners with 115 volunteers and raised enough funds to donate 2,400 wheelchairs to people with disabilities in developing countries.

Developing nations with poverty and economic isolation have an estimated 100 million people who need wheelchairs…yet cannot afford one. Unfortunately, these people are suffering from not only the inconvenience and pain associated with their disability, but exclusion and indignity of having a physical disability in the first place. Without a wheelchair, many of them face cumbersome burdens. As stated on the Free Wheelchair Mission’s Web site, “Some are forced to crawl on the ground or wait to be carried by loved ones to reach their most basic of needs. They are subjected to danger and disease. Many succumb to hopelessness. Safety nets are few, and available social services are scarce. Families strain to care for their disabled loved one within an already overburdened existence.”

At Paragon, we believe in helping others when we can. We were happy to participate in this effort. It was a great day to run, especially since it is by the beach. On Paragon’s behalf, we were excited to raise enough funds to add 109 chairs to the 2,400 donated in total. To learn more about the Free Wheelchair Mission, check out this video: Run for Mobility. To learn more or donate, visit the Free Wheelchair Mission Web site.