Mormons donate 500 wheelchairs

It seems as if there are never enough wheel chairs to go around in Belize. This evening, Care Belize received yet another large donation, this time a gift from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Leonel Allen, Church Administrator, L.D.S.

The church has a partnership with the foundation called the Wheelchair Foundation and they are going fifty-fifty on the cost. It is a worldwide programme that they are having and through the foundations, the church pays half of the cost for shipping and everything and the wheelchair foundation helps with the other half and since then we are giving these wheel chairs to Care? Belize who will be the N.G.O. here in Belize who will be dealing with these wheelchairs. And whoever needs or has a necessity for these chairs can contact Care?Belize.?

Dolores Godfrey, Executive Director, Care Belize

?We will distribute them as they are asked for and Rotary is helping us with the physical distribution actually taking the wheelchair to the individuals on their vehicles.?

Jacqueline Woods

?Now are the families required or ask to return the wheelchairs once they are no longer needed because the other day I saw a wheelchair that was donated with a for sale on it. So, because the country is in need of this type of service would you recommend or advise families to return them to Care?Belize.??

Dolores Godfrey

?Certainly, the chairs are not suppose to be sold, that is one of the stipulation from the Wheel Chair Foundation. These wheelchairs are supposed to be donated to persons who need them. And if a person no longer needs a wheel chair, it?s possible that a person may had a stroke and got better or it?s possible that a person dies and we would ask family members to please give us a call and we would pick it up to return it to our offices because there might be somebody else who needs it.”

The short handing over ceremony was held under the theme, Making the Blessing of Mobility a Reality.