Brooks Rehabilitation Awarded Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation ‘Quality of Life’ Grant

Grant will Support Brooks Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program for Pediatric, Veteran and Armed Forces Patients

Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 10, 2019 – Brooks Rehabilitation, is excited to announce its selection as a recipient of Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) Expanded Effect Quality of Life Grants. The Quality of Life Grants Program supports non-profit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis. Brooks Rehabilitation will receive nearly $100,000 in grants.

The new Expanded Effect Quality of Life grants mark the first time the Reeve Foundation has specifically awarded a cohort of grants that support significant expansion of strategies and programs previously supported by the Reeve Foundation, that are evidence-based, have proven innovative practices, and/or best practices in the field they serve to improve quality of life for people with paralysis, their families, and caregivers.

“It is an exciting time for our grants program as we continue to innovate new avenues to provide greater opportunities to our applicants,” said Mark Bogosian, Director, Quality of Life Grants Program. “The Expanded Effect grants program promises greater impact. The program truly embraces both Christopher and Dana Reeve’s vision and legacy to advance the quality of life of those living with paralysis.”

The grant awarded to Brooks will be applied to two community benefit programs: the Brooks Adaptive Sports and Recreation (BASR) program and the Brooks Rehabilitation Pediatric Recreation program and will specifically benefit the veteran and members of the armed forces along with pediatric populations. 

The grant will enable BASR to provide weekly activities to a disabled veterans and members of the armed forces specific cohort for 36 weeks. As advised by veteran organizations on what activities to offer, BASR will offer weekly yoga sessions and rotate each week through cycling, golf, trap shooting, and kayaking clinics. Each clinic will serve 10-18 veterans and members of the armed forces.

As a past recipient of the Christopher and Dana Foundation’s Quality of Life grant, BASR received $3,900 in 2016 to purchase five pediatric sleds and 30 pediatric helmets to provide an ongoing activity for children living with paralysis who were interested in ice sports. The success of the inaugural 2016 Brooks On Ice event for children with disabilities served as a basis for continued expansion of the program.. The Brooks Rehabilitation Pediatric Recreation program plans to continue that growth with the Brooks Icebreakers Sled Hockey Team as well as support the Jr. Wheelchair Basketball Team – The Bullsharks, – which was formed in 2018 and is the first of its kind in Florida.

“It is an honor to be selected as a grant recipient by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Brooks looks forward to not only continuing to grow our successful pediatric hockey and basketball teams, but expand into the area of pediatric water sports. The ability to provide continued support of area Veterans and Armed forces in recreational Activities for our community is a privilege,” said Jessica Cummings, Executive Director of Community Health for the Brooks Health Foundation. 

 

About the Reeve Foundation The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information, and advocacy. The Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) is the support side of the Reeve Foundation’s twin missions to provide “Today’s Care” and to strive for “Tomorrow’s Cure” and offers a free, comprehensive, national source of informational support for individuals living with paralysis and their caregivers. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability and hold the BBB’s Charity Seal. For more information, please visit our website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-539-7309. 

About Brooks Rehabilitation For almost 50 years, Brooks Rehabilitation, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., has been a comprehensive source for physical rehabilitation services. As a nonprofit organization, Brooks operates one of the nation’s largest inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. with 160 beds, one of the region’s largest home healthcare agencies, 39 outpatient therapy clinics, a Center for Inpatient Rehabilitation in partnership with Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, the Brooks Rehabilitation Medical Group, two skilled nursing facilities, assisted living and memory care. Brooks will treat more than 50,000 patients through their system of care each year.  In addition, Brooks operates the Clinical Research Center, which specializes in research for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury and more to advance the science of rehabilitation. Brooks also provides many low or no cost community programs and services such as the Brooks Clubhouse, Brooks Aphasia Center and Brooks Adaptive Sports and Recreation to improve the quality of life for people living with physical disabilities. For more information, visit BrooksRehab.org. For more information, visit brooksrehab.org. Connect with us via Youtube, Facebook and Twitter.