We need a ride!
Please take a moment to stop and think about the last time you left home. You likely hopped into your vehicle, put the keys in the ignition, and off you went. You may have been headed to your workplace, a school or community event, to an appointment, or to have a night out with friends or loved ones. It was likely simple and accessible.
For the clients of Hills & Dales, getting from one place to the next can be quite challenging. We are coming to you now, our community of friends, to ask for your support so we can ensure children and adults supported by Hills & Dales can also easily hit the road whenever needed!
Community inclusion is at the core of our mission to build meaningful lives, and as you can see from the photos above, transportation is an essential component of fulfilling that mission. A few examples might be:
Taking a child to and from Iowa City for a doctor appointment or an extracurricular school function,
Providing an opportunity for a group of young men to attend a Hawkeye basketball game,
Making sure a client is on time for his dream job at the River Museum, or
Driving a group of friends to a campsite or the pool for some summertime fun.
Your contribution is needed today as many of our current vehicles, with an average age of 10 years, are past their useful lives and require frequent and costly repairs. Our most immediate needs are new, larger vans, and para-transit vehicles. These are critical for clients who require specialized wheelchairs, often weighing several hundred pounds. With over 250 people in various programs in multiple locations, the miles add up and the nearly 150,000 driven last year alone have taken their toll.
Through your support, and that of other generous friends, we need to purchase three new wheelchair accessible vehicles that will allow us to best meet the diverse needs of those we support.
With a goal of raising $250,000, all gifts, no matter the size, are truly appreciated. Your generous gift will help our clients reach future destinations full of excitement and ready to make memories while strengthening family connections, building relationships, improving health, and so much more!
We thank you for your consideration and for enabling us to continue impacting the lives of hundreds of children, adults and families supported by our mission.