United Spinal Association has created an Advocacy Impact Fund in response to multiple new threats to disability rights and programs that support people with disabilities.
“United Spinal is fighting to protect decades of progress toward accessibility and disability inclusion that are under threat by cuts to Medicaid, attacks on accessible air travel, and efforts to weaken civil rights,” the organization said in a March 10 press release. “For nearly 80 years, United Spinal has championed the rights, independence and well-being of wheelchair users and all people with disabilities through grassroots activism, policy engagement and public education.
“The Advocacy Impact Fund will help provide United Spinal with the resources to expand its nationwide Grassroots Advocacy Network to ensure that all policy-makers hear the needs and challenges of wheelchair users first hand.”
Members of President Donald Trump’s administration have repeatedly mentioned cutting hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid funding. In February, a group of airlines in the United States sued to stop a new Department of Transportation rule that would provide greater protection for passengers using wheelchairs and greater accountability for airlines that fail to treat both passengers and their mobility equipment with dignity and care.
“In these uncertain times, it’s more critical than ever that our elected officials hear from the people they represent,” said United Spinal Senior Director of Advocacy and Policy Steve Lieberman. “People with disabilities are a part of every community, and to ensure that we are heard, we are building a nationwide network of advocates that can’t be ignored.”
The Advocacy Impact Fund will be used to fund legal and policy action to challenge discriminatory laws and regulations; support educational campaigns to raise awareness and build alliances; and provide resources and training to help wheelchair users become effective advocates. United Spinal’s goal is to grow its Grassroots Advocacy Network to 5,000 members, double its current size.
“Wheelchair users are watching their basic rights slip away,” said Vincenzo Piscopo, United Spinal’s president/CEO, in a March 12 email to stakeholders. “Airlines are pushing to restrict accessible travel options. Health-care providers are denying critical services. And proposed Medicaid cuts threaten to force people out of their homes and into institutions.
“This isn’t just policy — it’s personal. It’s about whether a parent can take their child to the park. Whether someone can keep their job. Whether they can live with dignity in their own home. That’s why United Spinal launched the Advocacy Impact Fund. We’re building a movement to protect what matters most: independence, dignity, and the right to live life on our own terms.”
United Spinal, a 501©(3) non-profit, represents 5.5 million wheelchair riders in the United States. Its initial Advocacy Impact Fund goal is to raise $25,000.
