"Wheels for the World"
A Disability Program of Jone and Friends
By Nicki Heyd

heels for the World was created to answer the cry of more than 18 million people worldwide in need of a wheelchair. Wheels for the World is part of the disability outreach of Joni and Friends founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, herself a quadriplegic for over thirty years, who knows firsthand the importance of a wheelchair and what the gift of mobility can mean to others. Wheels for the World is made up of three divisions.

COLLECTION: The first division of Wheels for the World is collection, which is handled by volunteers across the country known as Chair Corps Area Representatives. At this time, we have more than sixty-five people who have made a commitment to collect used but serviceable wheelchairs. Other friends of the ministry also hold local wheelchair drives, which may bring in hundreds more. In the year 2001, we collected over 5,000 wheelchairs.

RESTORATION: The second division of Wheels for the World is restoration. Searching for new and effective ways to restore wheelchairs is an on-going process. In 1996, the idea to use inmates to restore wheelchairs was suggested. In 1997, we opened our first wheelchair restoration center in a prison in Buena Vista, Colorado. Since that time, we have opened four other centers, two state run facilities and two in partnership with Corrections Corporation of America. This program has won praise from both the inmates and prison officials as contributing to the rehabilitation of prison inmates.

DISTRIBUTION AND OUTREACH: The third division of Wheels for the World is distribution and outreach. Since its inception in 1993, Wheels for the World has delivered over 12,000 wheelchairs to countries like Ghana-West Africa, Poland, Romania, Chile and China, just to name a few. Wheels for the World doesn't just deliver wheelchairs. Accompanying the wheelchairs are teams of disability specialists, who work through churches, mission organizations, social service agencies, government and other organizations that want to help people with disabilities. The goal of Wheels for the World is to raise up quality leaders from nations who will continue to carry the banner for the disabled in their country.

Our teams conduct disability-training seminars and distribute wheelchairs. Because our commitment is long term, we plan to establish a wheelchair repair and modification center in several countries that would reduce costs and offer job opportunities to the disabled in that country. We recently opened such a center in Ghana in July of 2000.

You can see the need is great, not only for collection of wheelchairs but for storage, transportation, and for team members to bring the gift of mobility to those most in need. Wheels for the World changes lives, one wheelchair at a time. If you would like to join us on an International Distribution Outreach, you may contact us at:

Joni and Friends WFTW PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376
You can also visit www.joniandfriends.org for more information.