Alex Martin, 19, of Rockville, MD is a talented young artist with autism who is unable to speak and reads at a first-grade level. Alex will use his new iPad in school to learn new design programs and improve his computer skills. The iPad will help him communicate and the Edmark Software II that The Eric Fund is providing will help him improve his reading.

Alex enjoys communicating through his art and even created his own small business, Alex’s Art Loft, www.alexartloft.org where he sells his cards and other multimedia creations. He donates much of the proceeds from his sales to a variety of non-profit causes. Alex’s Mom, Diana told us that he is thrilled and can’t wait to get started on his new equipment.

Trayonne Robertson, a 21-year-old student at St. Coletta Special Education Public Charter School is from Bowie, MD. Trayonne has multiple disabilities due to cerebral palsy and intellectual disability and he works daily to achieve his goals. Trayonne enthusiastically engages with staff and his peers when in school and his favorite activity is music and singing.

Because of his challenge speaking verbally on his own, Trayonne uses a communication device. He has become an advocate for himself, asking for adaptive equipment to help him communicate better, use the computer in his classroom, and access his work. Trayonne enjoys working and, even in his spare time, he often searches for job opportunities using the adaptive equipment he’s requesting of The Eric Fund. We’re happy to be able to provide Trayonne with an iPad he can use as a communication device and for help with functional daily living tasks like visual scheduling and sequencing, grocery shopping, and online job searches.

Patrick White is a 49-year-old man from Washington, DC, who suffered a sudden and severe stroke in February 2013. His mother, Martha says that Patrick “was a lively and vibrant young man, friendly and always helping others” prior to the stroke which has substantially impaired his ability to perform or participate in daily activities.

When Patrick is able to leave the rehabilitation facility, he will not have access to the equipment and technology that will allow him to move about his home, enjoy the outdoors and communicate with family and friends. The Eric Fund will provide Patrick with a motorized wheelchair and a voice activated phone that will allow him a life of greater independence and quality of life.

Despite eight years of limited mobility due to Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), Joseph Moore of Washington, D.C. keeps up his spirits and, as he says, “maintains his sanity” because of his visits with his seven grandchildren and large family.

The one-time Special Police Officer and professional roller skater enjoyed many athletic activities such as martial arts and swimming before his ALS. 

He was active in the Celebrity Dance Hall, once the largest dance concert halls in the D.C. region, and was a twice-a-week roller skater for 20 years.

The Eric Fund grant of a voice-activated telephone will help Joseph stay connected to his family and the community by allowing him to dial a number without using his hands or depending on others to dial for him. Since Joseph lives alone and only has part-time health care aides during the day, this is a necessity in an emergency. 

It also allows him to remain connected to his extended family and enjoy being a part of their lives.

Joseph says he really appreciates what The Eric Fund has done to help give him a safer situation and a better quality of life and thanks us for the opportunity to remain in touch on his terms.

Christmas came early this year for our grant awardee, Delores Dabney of Arlington, Virginia. At the end of the summer, rains from Hurricane Irene came in through the windows of Delores’s apartment and severely damaged the wood floors. 

Not long after we contacted her to let her know she had been selected as a 2011 grant winner, she had to pack up and relocate to an apartment downstairs while the floors in her apartment were being redone. 

For Delores, who is quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair, this was an even greater challenge than it was for other residents of her building. Delores lives on her own, but reduced income due to disability retirement has recently forced her to cut back on the number of hours she has in-home help from a personal care attendant. 

Because she was spending more hours alone in her home, Delores found herself needing to find more ways to manage her life. She reached out to The Eric Fund, requesting funding for an automatic door opener so that she might come and go from her apartment independently, without the aid of another person to open and shut the door. 

The timing of the installation was perfect. When the floors in Delores’s apartment were done and the apartment was ready to be occupied again, the automatic opener had been installed and was ready for use!

Delores is thrilled to be back in her own apartment in time for the holidays, complete with her brand-new door opener. “I feel like I have so much more freedom,” Delores said enthusias- tically. 

“I can come and go as I please!” Delores told us that the door opener “works well, and looks beautiful. It is a real blessing.”

Keith Butler’s mom is thrilled with the portable ramp The Eric Fund provided them. 

Keith is a wheelchair user with developmental disabilities who lives in LaPlata, Maryland. 

A full-time kindergarten student, he loves to play, be active in his community and visit family and friends, especially his grandparents.

The ramp, which is not covered by other funding streams, allows Keith’s mom Jeronda, a single mom, to transport him more easily into their van. 

Jeronda says this simple solution has been a life-changing experience because of its portability and makes visiting his grandparent’s house a breeze. The portable ramp, which Jeronda can easily fold and move, makes it easier and safer for her to transport Keith and can be used for the van, the school and Grandma’s front door. 

She appreciates the Eric Fund’s practical solution to their family’s challenge.

Connie Armstead, 56, of Ruby, VA is deaf and communicates in American Sign Language. The Eric Fund partnered with Project Endeavor, a non-profit organization that provides low cost equipment to deaf people, to purchase an iPad for Connie. With the iPad, Connie will be able to access a videophone that allows her to talk to friends, family and make appointments with doctors and potential employers. Because of the iPad’s mobility, Connie will now have similar advantages as a hearing person using a cell phone. She told us that she is a proud grandma to two grandsons and loves to play bingo!

Esme Farb, 41, of Arlington, VA has an extraordinary story to tell. She grew up deaf and with mild cerebral palsy. While in secondary school she became an advocate for deaf issues and participated in overseas exchange programs. Her dream was to join the Peace Corps after college and serve deaf communities in developing countries. In her junior year at Gallaudet University she was in a terrible car accident causing traumatic brain injury and serious physical disabilities.

Determined to finish her course work, Esme graduated in 2005. The Eric Fund will provide Esme with an iPad mount allowing her to attach her iPad to her motorized wheel chair. Esme said the “Mount ‘n Mover” equipment will make her life much easier because she is able to easily put it on or remove it from the mount without assistance. Since her accident, it is difficult for people to understand her speech and sign language, so the Eric Fund also purchased an application called Proloquo2go to help her pre-program phrases and type to speech. Esme is hoping this will help her secure a job and live more independently.

Garrett Smith, 7, of Alexandra, VA, has autism that contributes to his lack of focus and development of language and social skills. The iPad he is receiving from The Eric Fund along with several Apple applications will give Garrett access to programs that help with conversation, eye contact and simple social skills. Garrett’s Mom, Pamela is especially pleased with the mobility of the iPad that will allow him to travel with it from home to school and classroom-to- classroom. Pamela said that she and her husband David are “thrilled that The Eric Fund is able to help Garrett and other people with disabilities to have full and productive life experiences.”

Randolph Kendrick, Jr., of Warrenton, VA is 22 years old and has multiple disabilities including autism, blindness, developmental disabilities and epileptic seizure disorder. His life took a downward turn when he finished school and no longer had access to the assistive technology that he used while he was there to communicate his wants and needs. His inability to communicate verbally greatly increases his stress and frustration. According to his mother, Theresa, the iPad, which Randolph will be receiving from the Eric Fund, “helps us to understand when given choices, what he would like to eat, drink, listen to or watch. It is truly life changing for him and for those of us who love him.” Randy was set to begin more intensive physical therapy in the summer to work on his speech, among other things. With the addition of his iPad, his progress is sure to be much faster ... and more fun!

Kelly Jones is a 51 year-old man who is blind. A slight stroke resulted in some mobility issues for Kelly, who lives with his sister Sultana, who is his best friend and advocate. Despite his blindness, Sultana says Kelly has always strived to be independent. “He is willing to work with his hands,” she says, “he’s helpful and kind and will give you his best work.” The Eric Fund is pleased to be able to further Kelly’s independence with the purchase of a variety of independent living aids and assistive devices which include a talking microwave, a money identifier and a talking glucose monitor. Sultana says becoming more independent increases his self-esteem. “Life is about moving forward, and that is my brother Kelly.”

“This is like somebody telling you that you’ve won the lottery!” said Linda Woolridge, when she learned that her son, Brandon, was a 2010 Eric Fund grant award winner.

“This is really going to make a difference!”

James-Cyrus “Brandon” Woolridge is a 16-year-old high school junior from Silver Spring, Md. with high-functioning autism and dysgraphia, which prevents him from being able to write by putting pen to paper. 

But being diagnosed with his condition at age seven did not dampen the passion Brandon has for writing. Described by his mom as “an up-and-coming author of the future,” Brandon, a fan of science fiction and fantasy, loves to use his endless imagination to write his own stories.  But to do so is a physical challenge for Brandon – and his mom. Whether he wishes to write a story or do his homework, Brandon dictates his work to his mother who transcribes it for him. Linda says it is not uncommon for both of them to stay up until midnight each weekday to complete Brandon’s nightly homework,  even though they start right when he gets home from school.

The Eric Fund has granted Brandon his own laptop and software, including a voice recognition program that will allow Brandon to “speak” his homework and stories with the computer transcribing them for him. Brandon has had great success using the software at school, however, since the equipment belongs to the school system, Brandon cannot take it home and he cannot use it once he graduates. Linda is thankful not only for the immediate difference The Eric Fund grant will make to help Brandon pursue his writing and complete his schoolwork, but also for prospects it holds for his future as he pursues a career as a journalist and author. “[The Eric Fund grant] is going to make him more independent and be able to rely on himself more at home and at school. Then it will make college an easy transition.”

Cali Willcockson was an exceptional child destined for exceptional success as an adult when a devastating automobile accident put that future in jeopardy. 

Cali suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident, and her mother suffered severe physical injuries, including a spinal and head injury that left her in a wheelchair and unable to walk. 

This single mother and her daughter lost their income, lost their home, and lost their mobility due to their disabilities. 

Cali’s mom is out of a wheelchair now, but still has physical disabilities and has become a self-advocate. Brain Injury Services has assisted Cali and helped direct her and her mother toward The Eric Fund. Emilia Prokop, who received a laptop and speech software from The Eric Fund in 2007, also encouraged them to apply, because she knew what The Eric Fund had done for her. 

The family is glad they received such encouragement, because Cali was awarded a grant from The Eric Fund for an iPad that will give her a better opportunity to succeed and continue to develop her talent for writing. “You just don’t know how much this will help,” Cali says.

Identified early as a gifted and talented student, Cali excelled in math and science; however, her greatest love is reading and writing. She wrote her first book in the third grade and has won numerous writing, photography and art awards. She also is a talented singer. When the accident happened, Cali was in middle school, and she is now 15 years old and in the 10th grade. 

She is highly intelligent and creative, but the brain injury and illnesses have created some huge struggles for her in school, particularly with writing. She has difficulty writing with a pen or pencil, and had encountered processing difficulties with spelling, skipping words, capitalization and punctuation. She needs audio of text to help her with reading a large body of text and speech to text to help her write a large volume.

“The iPad is the most wonderful tool,” says Cali’s mom, “because it has a multitude of apps that are affordable, and she can use it anywhere, so accessibility is always within her reach. The touch pad means she doesn’t have to scrunch up her fingers to write or use a keyboard. The SoundNote app particularly will allow her to make minimal notes and record lectures so she can fully follow a lecture and go back over it, and it has organization and cognitive apps that specifically meet her needs.” 

Cali’s mom believes the iPad will also put Cali more in control of getting assistance for herself, thus increasing her independence. “There are so many things she can do with the iPad that she wouldn’t be able to do without it,” she explains. “It would take multiple items to meet the needs the iPad serves, and they would be too bulky to carry around everywhere.”

Even after the brain injury Cali was invited to participate in the Northern Virginia Writing Project because of her writing talent, and her mother says of the iPad, “It gives her a way to write on a daily basis so she doesn’t feel like she’s losing that gift.” Cali, who also was selected for the Congressional Young Leaders Global Program and selected for the Global Youth Village as a result of her video, “You Can Make A Difference,” is especially interested in other cultures and hopes to have a global career someday using her writing talent. 

The iPad will help her fulfill this dream and help make such a career possible. As the family noted, it can even be used in other countries. Cali hopes to attend a foreign exchange program, do a collegiate success program and participate in an internship in the near future. This is a young woman who someday could change the world for the better, so we at The Eric Fund are very grateful to have had the opportunity to help change her world for the better.

Emily Scott is a funny, engaging 14-year-old girl who was born with a rare chromosomal syndrome called Partial Trisomy 13.

Following up with Emily’s mom Judith to hear how Emily was adjusting to her new device was both interesting and inspiring.
Although Emily’s disability affects her in many ways -- the way she walks, talks, interacts with others, and learns -- her biggest daily hurdle is communication. 

“Emily is vocal, but not intelligible,” Judith said, and went on to explain that this leads many people to very wrongly assume that she is not intelligent. Emily has been frustrated for much of her life, and more so now that she is a teenager, by her inability to talk to those around her. “The iPad,” Judith explained, “is giving Emily the ability to talk like a regular teenager.”

Emily has access to, and skillfully uses a Vantage communication device at school, but as is frequently the case, the device belongs to the school which means Emily cannot use it at home or to socialize outside of school. When she leaves the school, she will lose access to her “voice.”

When her parents learned how the iPad was being used as a communication tool for people with disabilities, they were intrigued. In addition to being more user-friendly than the Vantage, it is also lighter and less clunky for Emily to transport. 

And besides ... it’s “cool!” Emily is learning to use the Touch Chat application (or “app”), also funded by The Eric Fund, to speak for her both inside and outside of school. Her mother explained that just like all young people seem to quickly and fearlessly learn to use iPad apps, Touch Chat is no different for Emily. 

“She is picking it up remarkably quickly and easily,” Judith said. “Probably easier than we are simply because she is not intimidated by it or afraid that she will break it.” She went on to explain that TouchChat is a comprehensive, expressive application that has a wide variety of uses for people with communication disabilities.

“We foresee a time when Emily as an adult may be able to live semi-independently. She may perhaps even be able to hold down a job and will certainly be able to engage with others socially,” Judith said. “Emily loves the iPad and we couldn’t be more pleased. 

The day is coming soon when the iPad and its accessibility apps will be what all people with communication disabilities turn to meet their needs.”

The Eric Fund is thrilled to be able to make Emily Scott a pioneer in this groundbreaking effort!

Bob and Denise Green are wonderful advocates for their son, Anthony, who they call Tony. 

Tony, who lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, is deaf and has cerebral palsy, as well as some visual/perceptual difficulties and learning disabilities. Though he graduated from high school in 2007, Tony has been unable to attend college on a regular basis, receive job training or hold down a job, due to a variety of health-related issues – until now. 

The success of a recent surgery has made Tony ready, able and eager to begin a new chapter in his life. When his parents heard about The Eric Fund, they contacted us for assistance because they felt a grant from The Eric Fund would “significantly impact Tony’s ability to move forward, onward and upward!”

We at The Eric Fund agreed and were equally eager to inform Tony that he’d been selected to receive the Panasonic “Toughbook” (a durable laptop that can withstand drops and heavy use) and the Harris Communications interactive software that he’d applied for! The software that Tony received is designed specifically for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and will enable Tony to interact more easily with the hearing population, which will have a profound impact on Tony’s professional and personal life. The software even allows for translation to Spanish!

When we recently spoke with Tony’s dad, Bob, they were together moving through the learning curve associated with the use of any new piece of technology. “Tony absolutely loves the technology,” Bob said.

“We look at this as a singular opportunity for our son to transition from a rather confined world to the larger community as an effective, independent, viable person,” said Bob. “Tony is highly motivated to obtain employment and communication is of major importance in helping him to reach his goal. These tools not only will provide Tony with practical, tangible benefits, they will also provide him with two things much, much, more important ... HOPE and a future.”

When five-year-old Dezmond Horton was recently observed using a Springboard Light Augmentative Communication Device, the evaluator was struck by the “pleasure that he displayed while using the device.”  

Thanks to The Eric Fund, Dezmond, an awardee from Washington, DC, will get to experience  that pleasure all the time when he receives his device and begins using it to communicate his needs independently in the classroom and as he goes about his daily routine. Dezmond has autism and his limited communication skills prevent him from fully participating in classroom activities with his peers at school. The Springboard Light Augmentative Communication Device will not only expand his ability to develop language and communication skills, but also enable him to make progress with his social development outside his immediate family and friends. 

When 7-year-old Malik Studivant began using a Spring-board voice output device last school year, his expressive language skills greatly improved, according to his teachers. Now, The Eric Fund is happy to help Malik continue to grow and express himself with a Springboard device of his own that he can use at home as well as at school. 

Malik, who has autism, is being raised by his grandmother in Washington, DC. She said while she knows the equipment would make the world of difference for her grandson, the expensive price tag was beyond her budget.  

In the year that  Malik has been using the Springboard at school, his spontaneous verbal language has increased, and he has even been observed repeating speech output from his device. The Springboard will provide Malik with greater opportunity for functional communication and greater interaction with his teachers and peers.  He will also be able to make his wants and needs known, indicate his physical and emotional state and engage in social interactions with his peers and caregivers.  

In addition to working with his voice device, Malik enjoys music, puzzles, blocks and the computer.   He also enjoys gross motor activities, with examples of his favorites being the swings and slide on the playground, as well as interactive books, board games and cause and effect computer games. The Eric Fund wishes Malik every success with his new equipment.

Kathleen Thomas has remained positive and courageous since she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.  Her involvement with the ALS Foundation has provided her with opportunities to use technology to learn to accomplish the tasks of daily living and also helps keep her focused on her goals and dreams. She relies on her loving and supportive family to meet her daily care needs which continue to increase as her ALS progresses. 

Kathleen is the mother of three high school-aged children whom she continues to help with their homework and care for to the extent that she is able. Until now, she has had to rely on an old laptop with switch access and amplified speakers to help her be more independent and to interact with her family. 

The DC/MD/ VA chapter of the ALS Foundation had provided the equipment and training that she needs to accomplish this, but they are unable to update the equipment to meet her changing needs. The Eric Fund is pleased to be able to provide Kathleen with EZ Keys software, and a new computer with an Intel operating system to run it on. EZ Keys XP allows the user to do everything from typing a letter, to engaging in conversation with a friend, to exploring the worldwide web and is used effectively by people with a wide range of disabilities. (World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking uses the software to communicate and deliver lectures around the world.) With training from the local ALS chapter, Kathleen is getting more confident in the use of her new equipment every day and was thrilled to be granted the opportunity to increase her independence. 

As an awardee of The Eric Fund, Kathleen plans to use her new software and computer to continue to write poetry, assist her children with homework, and remain active in everyday life. 

Maggie Piet is a 22-year-old woman that sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, resulting from a t-bone motor vehicle collision when she was 15 years old. 

Maggie has three brothers and lives with her parents.  Her mother Gail serves as her primary care provider and her father is retired and has extensive breathing issues. Maggie uses a speech device called an ECO to communicate. 

The Eric Fund, together with The Leap Grant thru Abilities Network, collaborated to provide the needed funding for a much-needed upgrade to her ECO device. The upgrade provides Maggie a bigger lighted screen, increased battery power, faster processing time and the ability to integrate with the technology at the local community college. The upgraded ECO gives many options for Maggie to select and respond faster, which allows for more natural exchange in conversation. 

Maggie is currently in a state-funded adult program that will help her earn a GED. She attends classes three days a week and is doing well. Once Maggie has a GED she plans to continue her education at the local community college and obtain a degree. 

On other days of the week, Maggie is involved in extensive physical therapy as she works on gaining control of her body and hopes one day to be able to walk with minimal assistance.

Karen Angeline was in the car in morning rush hour traffic when she got the call that The Eric Fund was going to be purchasing a text-to-speech word processor for her daughter Fiona. 

She was so eager to discuss the grant that she pulled off the highway so she could concentrate on the conversation!  And it's no wonder. 

Karen is a knowledgeable and vocal advocate for her daughter Fiona, a 16-year-old girl with Downs Syndrome and apraxia. She is currently involved in a dispute with the school district for not fulfilling its obligation to purchase a new text writer (a device that provides a speech alternative to hand writing) for Fiona, despite the fact that it's written in her IEP (Individual Education Plan). 

Fiona's disabilities combine to make writing and spelling very difficult for her due to low muscle tone. She is a bright girl with an excellent vocabulary and good ideas so when the text writer that she was using in school broke early in the year, it was assumed that she would quickly get a replacement so that she didn't fall behind in school – an assumption that proved to be incorrect. Karen turned to The Eric Fund for help get the equipment Fiona so badly needed when she reached a dead end with the school district.

Fiona is an active teenager who enjoys dancing and horseback riding. One of her primary heroes in life is Amelia Earhart, the legendary female pilot and aviation pioneer. Fiona's first exposure to Amelia Earhart was in the movie ìNight at the Museum II.

After seeing the movie she was so taken by her that she sought to read numerous books about the pilot and watched every movie she could find. She has even dressed up like her idol on Halloween! One of Fiona's favorite places to visit is the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Those who knew Eric and are familiar with The Eric Fund, know that Eric was passionate about flying as well, a coincidence that makes providing assistance to a girl like Fiona that much more gratifying.

Fiona's new Fusion Text-to-Speech communication device will enable her to interact more effectively with her family, friends and teachers at home, at school and at play.  Through a grant from The Eric Fund she is being given her own set of "wings" to help her fly higher!