2024 Recipients Announced
This year’s recipients bring our 26-year total to 140 people with disabilities who have received assistive technology from The Eric Fund thanks to your generous support. We’re proud of this achievement and remain dedicated to our mission of providing assistive technology to the disability community in the Washington metro area. The Eric Fund steps in to help when applicants have exhausted every other avenue of support, whether through insurance, school or personal resources. We know that the impact of these awards reaches beyond the individuals to their family, friends, teachers, colleagues and the community.
Live out loud.
We are a Washington, DC-based organization that purchases needed but often expensive assistive technology and equipment to help children and adults with disabilities live on their own terms in the community. Through 2024, the organization has funded more than $300,000 in grants.
Jeffrey
Jeffrey is an 11-year-old boy from Southern Maryland who is a wheelchair user with epilepsy and other disabilities. Jeffrey’s mother has been carrying him up and down the stairs for the last two years after the stair lift they received broke. With their benefits exhausted and no way to purchase a new stair lift which costs several thousand dollars, Jeffrey and his family turned to The Eric Fund for help.
Noveli
Noveli is a 7 year old from Northern Virginia with autism and intellectual disabilities. She will use the iPad and Proloquo2Go app she received from The Eric Fund to communicate with others. She has had success with the equipment at school and is excited to have access to it at home.
Eric's Story
During the last months of his life, Eric Savader's many friends sought a way to honor his life. Eric himself gave them the answer. His dream was to help children and adults with disabilities. He knew all too well how much some of the equipment they needed could cost, and Eric didn't like the idea of anyone missing the opportunity to live life out loud.
Silent Auction
The Eric Fund Grant Awards are financed exclusively from money raised from individual donors through fundraising appeals and events. The largest of which is the annual Silent Auction. Generously supported by local businesses and attended by friends and family of the Eric Fund, the annual Silent Auction is great way to help our recipients live life out loud.
Helping children and adults with disabilities fulfill their dreams.
Founded in 1998, The Eric Fund’s mission is inspired by the memory of Eric Savader who died from cancer in 1997 and who worked on behalf of several disability causes. Over the past two decades, The Eric Fund has assisted 140 people by granting over $300,000 worth of equipment and technology.
2024 YEar in Review
Dedicated to change.
Over two decades ago, The Eric Fund was launched to honor a young man who dedicated the last years of his short life to helping people with disabilities. Today, The Eric Fund is stronger than ever thanks to you, the fund’s generous supporters. With this year’s recipients, you will have assisted 140 people with $300,000 worth of assistive equipment in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.
We are deeply grateful for your generous contributions that make life-changing devices possible for adults and children in our community. Two decades ago, we had one recipient and our newsletter was one page long. Today, 140 recipients later and over $300,000 in donated equipment, we are the same small band of volunteers committed as ever to The Eric Fund mission. We hope you will continue to support the work of The Eric Fund and share our story with your friends and family.
Ezra - 2024 Eric Fund Recipient
