The Eric Fund is honored each year to help incredible children and adults with disabilities maximize their potential and live their dreams
What an incredible year it has been for The Eric Fund and the people we serve thanks to your generosity! For 26 years, we have provided needed assistive technology devices and equipment to help people with disabilities in the Washington metro area live life on their own terms and pursue their dreams. With the equipment we provide with your support, many people can more easily communicate with their family, friends, fellow students and workplace colleagues. They can travel more freely, participating in their community activities. Some technology provides people and families with a safer home environment.
We had a record number of applications this year. With your continued generosity, we were able to provide 17 award winners with life-changing assistive technology and equipment worth more than $33,000, our biggest award year ever. As you know, The Eric Fund steps in to help when applicants have exhausted every other means of support, whether it’s insurance, workplace, school, or family resources. These awards have immediate impact, not only on the applicants but also on their families, friends, teachers, and colleagues. This year’s awards include iPads with specialized apps, computers, screen readers, adaptive equipment and devices, and a stair lift.
We remain dedicated to our 26-year mission of providing assistive technology to the Washing- ton metro area disability community. We reach out to parents, therapists, social workers, teachers, medical professionals, and disability organizations to identify and fulfill the requests and needs of our applicants. This year’s 17 awardees bring our total number of people whom The Eric Fund has assisted to 140! We are so grateful for your continued support and could not have achieved this without you. Our mission is inspired by Eric Savader, an advocate for people with disabilities who died of cancer in 1997 and was determined to see the playing field leveled for them.
We hope you will continue to support our efforts and share The Eric Fund story with your friends and family. We wish you very Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
President
Jefferson is a 16-year-old boy from Southern Maryland with cerebral palsy. His new wheelchair needed a tie-down device that will allow him to ride safely on the school bus. The device is not covered by insurance so his care coordinator reached out to The Eric Fund for $50, the amount needed to complete payment for the device. The Eric Fund happily filled the $50 gap.
The Eric Fund purchased more than $33,000 worth of vital assistive technology for 17 people throughout the DC metro area, making 2024 the biggest award year in its 26-year history. The organization received a record number of applications. Award winners live in all three regions (Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland) served by The Eric Fund.
Twelve award winners received Apple devices (nine iPads, two Macbooks, one Apple tool to use with an iPad) often with specific apps, software and equipment to help them communicate and work more effectively at school, their workplace, at home and in the community. Two award winners have visual disabilities and received screen readers and adaptive devices to help them read and communicate, with one using the equipment to continue pursuing his college degree. The remaining award winners received adaptive equipment to help advance their independence, including an adaptive bicycle and a stair lift to help with mobility issues at home.
The Eric Fund is a Washington-based nonprofit organization that purchases needed but often expensive assistive technology that helps children and adults with disabilities live on their own terms in their communities. We are grateful that we’ve been able to continue this work for more than a quarter century and are acutely aware that it is only possible with your generosity and enthusiasm for the cause. With this year’s award winners, The Eric Fund is honored to have provided 140 people with more than $300,000 in life-changing assistive technology and equipment since it began, thanks to your support.
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.
Please read on to meet The Eric Fund’s 2024 award recipients and learn how the equipment you helped provide is making a difference in their lives. With so many winners this year, we will update you on past awardees you have supported in future communications.
Elodia is an 11-year-old girl from Northern Virginia who has Down syndrome, autism and does not communicate verbally. She received an iPad and apps from The Eric Fund to help her communicate at home and at school. Elodia also received apps on her new device to help improve her motor skills.
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. Jeffrey’s mom said she and the family were very grateful for the new stair lift, as she has been struggling to take Jeffrey up and down the stairs, especially as he has grown over the last two years.
Marshall is 29 years old and lives in Northern Virginia. He was born with traumatic brain injury and other disabilities. Through The Eric Fund, Marshall has received a “FitMi” bundle including a Music Glove, hand therapy device and a Flint Tablet with software which will help him regain function in his right limb and hand allowing him to achieve independent living.
Rodrigo is a 22-year-old student from Northern Virginia with autism who relies on a speech generating device to communicate. The Eric Fund provided Rodrigo with an iPad, and an app called LAMP Words for Life so he can have access to this vital equipment at home to communicate. Rodrigo loves to go on walks. He always has his sweatshirt ready to go. When not on the move, he enjoys relaxing in a bean bag with sensory tools or fidgets like sequined pillows. He enjoys being with others especially in small groups.
Brandon is a 22-year-old young adult from Northern Virginia. Brandon has autism and intellectual disabilities. Brandon received a new iPad and the LAMP Words for Life app to help him communicate and learn at home. Brandon loves going for walks, seeing nature, going to shopping malls, and visiting airplane museums. With the help of the iPad, he can engage more with his peers and community.
Oscar is a 21-year-old student from Southern Maryland with ADHD, autism and a condition affecting his nervous system. Oscar is now starting his second year in college and having an iPad and keyboard will greatly improve his ability to take notes, do his homework and enhance his comprehension skills. Oscar loves spending time with his friends and is an avid fan of the Buffalo Bills NFL Football team.
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. Outside of school, Noveli loves to listen to music, read books and watch nursery rhymes. She also enjoys long car rides and playing with her older sister and cousins on the trampoline or at a pool.
James, 40, from Northern Virginia has chronic pain from fibromyalgia, as well as back and mental health conditions. The Eric Fund provided James with a detachable laptop and stand to allow him to work and engage in activities from different postures and positions. James said he hopes having the convenience of a computer at home will help him communicate more and build confidence.
Jeremy is a 15 year old living in Northern Virginia and has CHARGE syndrome, a genetic disability affecting many parts of the body, as well as autism and anxiety disorder. An iPad and app provided by The Eric Fund will support Jeremy’s independence for self-care, home living and leisure activities. Jeremy does not communicate verbally so having access to assistive technology will improve his inter- action with others, particularly at home and during time spent outside of school. Jeremy enjoys swimming, walking and taking things apart, especially things like ceiling fans or anything with screws.
Niqo is a 14 year old from Northern Virginia with Dandy Walker syndrome, a disability affecting balance and coordination. The adaptive bicycle purchased for him by The Eric Fund will help Niqo with coordination, balance and strengthening his muscles. Being able to ride outdoors will also help address a Vitamin D deficiency. Niqo enjoys spending time with his family while watching videos of school buses or Curious George. He is looking forward to riding his new bike on the trails in his community.
LaShay is a 33-year-old woman from Northern Virginia with cerebral palsy and hand weakness who
is pursuing a college degree in Visual Arts. Her hand weakness makes both art and computer skills challenging. She requires extra time to complete assignments and has difficulty using pencil and paper. She received an iPad Air from another source while The Eric Fund provided an Apple pencil, keyboard and protective case for the iPad. The Eric Fund also purchased special gloves that support LaShay’s hands and a stand which provides better positioning for the iPad while she works on school and art projects.
Amad, an 11-year-old boy from Northern Virginia completed 5th grade this year. Amad has autism and communication challenges. His mother explains that Amad is “very social and loves to read, ride his bicycle, go to the playground, and play football with his older brother;” however, he gets frustrated trying to communicate with his family at home. The new iPad with the TouchChat App purchased by The Eric Fund will help Amad to communicate at home where he doesn’t have access to a communication device like the one he uses at school.
Maximo, a 13-year-old boy with autism, ADHD and cerebral palsy, lives in Northern Virginia. He is the oldest and only boy of four siblings. Maximo received a MacBook Pro computer he uses to run STEM programs, play therapeutic games and do speech therapy remotely. An 8th grade honor roll student, Maximo enjoys zoology and science with a focus on genetics and reptiles. He loves spending time with his bearded dragon, “Mew Mew,” his mom says, and “is happiest talking about animals and science, and he’s happier if you do more of the listening.” She told us that his favorite sport is Track and Field and she is confident the computer will help him to continue to grow and succeed.
Jahmil is an 18-year-old teen from Northern Virginia who is blind. Since high school graduation, he has been training in independent living skills, including tech and home skills, braille, travel skills and shop classes. He has always been active, playing football with his older brother and benefiting from his younger sister’s gymnastic skills, crediting them with indirectly teaching him many life skills. After completing his training course, he plans to pursue a BA in communications and a Masters in “cane travel” so that he can be an instructor for the blind community. The MacBook Jahmil received has a built-in screen reader that will help him with his studies, job search and creating music, his passionate hobby. We’re delighted he found The Eric Fund through the MLK Library in DC.
Michelle, a 15-year-old girl from Northern Virginia who has autism and a communication challenge, received an iPad and the Touch Chat app from The Eric Fund. This software blocks out other apps that may distract her from using the tablet solely for its intended speech output capabilities which will help her communicate more effectively. Her mother said the iPad and app allows her family at home to better understand what she’s saying and what toys, food or other necessities she needs. Because she is noise-sensitive, Michelle prefers to draw and play on her own at home and with friends at school. Her teachers describe her as “loving and caring.”
Valerie is a 65-year-old woman from Washington, DC, who is blind. The Eric Fund purchased a Victor Reader Stream, a handheld wireless device with speech-to-text capability to help Valerie take notes, keep a schedule as well as listen to books, magazines, music and read online content. Valerie had been using a device on loan and is thrilled to have a device of her own to track and manage appointments and manage personal and business information.
Ezra is an eight-year-old boy from Northern Virginia who has autism and does not communicate verbally. According to his mother, Ezra is happiest in nature. Ezra loves to hike with his parents in local parks and forests.
As The Eric Fund completes its 26th year of providing assistive devices to people with disabilities, we are thrilled by the meaningful impact of your generous donations. Because of your generosity, we are able to provide 17 deserving people with equipment that will allow them to live more independent lives.
The Eric Fund would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our generous donors and a special thank you to all of the incredible donors who have been with us since we started this organization 26 years ago.
Thanks to your generous support, The Eric Fund continues to make a difference each year in the lives of children and adults with disabilities in the Washington, DC, metro area who are in need of life-changing but often expensive assistive technology. We have been able to give more than $300,000 in much-needed equipment to 140 people.
We are deeply grateful for your continued support or our organization and mission, and for the impact you have had on the lives of our awardees and their families. Thank you!
As you can imagine, narrowing down the application pool each year is difficult, and often leaves many worthy candidates without the funding for the assistive technology they need to lead more independent lives in the community. Your generous donations will help us continue to change lives, by putting vital equipment in the hands of people with disabilities to help them live life on their own terms. Help us expand our reach. More donations mean more grants and fewer people we need to turn away each year. We will continue to put every dollar to work!
