Community Corner
Boston University Students Spend Spring Break Helping FODAC
Boston University students are making a habit of helping a local nonprofit during spring break instead of hitting the beaches.
For the past several years, students from Boston University have spent their spring break in Stone Mountain, Georgia, helping FODAC (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children, www.fodac.org) with a variety of tasks. This year was no exception. Eleven young men and women spent a week at FODAC completing a variety of tasks, many of which will help the last stages of FODAC’s $1.5 million expansion and renovation.
The students:
- Built a wheelchair ramp at the home of a FODAC client
- Moved stored items from the wheelchair repair shop to the FODAC warehouse to prepare for the shop’s renovation
- Sorted and organized the inventory of wheelchair parts and orthopedic and medical supplies
- Reached out to local donation sources
- Painted a colorful mural on the wall of the children’s fitting area
About Friends of Disabled Adults and Children
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FODAC helps children, adults and seniors with disabilities regain their mobility, independence and quality of life. The non-profit organization provides more than $9 million annually in refurbished home medical equipment (HME) and home modifications, all at little or no cost to the community. Recipients live in Georgia and across the U.S. A pioneer in re-use, FODAC keeps 185 tons of materials out of landfills each year by refurbishing and reissuing over 300 HME items every month, and is recognized nationally for best practices. Funding comes from grants, private foundations, corporations and individuals.
The organization was started by volunteers who began refurbishing and giving away wheelchairs to needy Atlantans. With the financial support of Mount Carmel Christian Church, Friends of Disabled Adults was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 1986. Since then, the organization has grown to include a staff of 24 and an average of 35 volunteers per week, and an annual budget of over $1 million. Chris Brand serves as Executive Director. To date, FODAC has provided clients with over $60 million in medical equipment including over 20,000 wheelchairs. The organization is supported through grants and corporate and private donations. FODAC is headquartered at 4900 Lewis Road, Stone Mountain, Ga., 30083. For more information, visit www.fodac.org or call 770-491-9014.
