Ramp Up Project
Reducing barriers to home accessibility!
About:
The Ramp Up Project provides short-term loans of aluminum modular ramps to people with paralysis and other conditions in our service area. One reason a temporary ramp may be needed is to allow a person to access their home while they wait for a permanent ramp. Other reasons would include if someone was recovering from surgery or was receiving services from hospice.
We work in collaboration with service organizations and volunteers in our service area, which includes the top ten counties of northern Idaho and four counites in Washington. Our partners install and then retrieve the ramps when no longer needed. The Ramp Up Project promotes a vision of an accessible world by reducing barriers to home accessibility. This service also promotes the Independent Living philosophy.
Palouse Habitat for Humanity also works to build permanent ramps for people in the area.
Funders:
History:
In the fall of 2016, the Disability Action Center – NW, Inc. (DAC) received two grants to begin the Ramp Up Project. The primary grant was from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and the second was from the Moscow Giving Circle. Used modular ramps were purchased and then deployed as needed.
The project has a positive recycling aspect, as many people can use the same components. The ramps can be set up and taken down and reused for several years. Our initials partners included the Palouse Habitat for Humanity, Interlink, Inc. and the Moscow Central Lions Club. The service area with our initial partners included Latah, Nez Perce, Whitman and Asotin Counties.
In 2019, DAC received additional funding from local organizations and donations. We were able to partner with three more organizations, which included The Life Center in the Kamiah/Kooskia area and the Rotary Club or Orofino. The third new partner is the Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho serving Kootenai County. One of our original partners was able to expand their service area to Clearwater and Benewah Counties. A recent grant of over $3000 from Nez Perce Aerie #631 Eagles will be used to reconstruct the Wheelchair Obstacle Course, a ramp course used for education about barriers.
In 2020, DAC received an expansion grant, funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The monies obtained is budgeted to expand Ramp Up services into our underserved counties. There is also funding to enhance services in our current service area. With the award, we have purchased new aluminum modular ramp systems to loan out to consumers. People with paralysis are the priority for most of our ramps, but people with other mobility impairments may also be served if materials are available.
Join us!
DAC is looking for organizational and individual partnerships to assist with our expansion project. DAC will train as needed. Although we look for partners throughout our service area, we especially need partners in Idaho, Lewis, Kootenai, Shoshone, Bonner, Boundary and Spokane Counties.
DAC NW is a partner provider of the QRamp™ modular access ramp solution. You can get one of these ramps through your insurance or private pay. Easily installed in a few hours, this attractive ramp is proud to offer the exclusive ThruFlow™ surface to allow snow and rain and debris to pass through. Strong and quiet, it has the added safety benefit of glow in the dark post caps.
