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Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Announce Top Gifts for People With Disabilities

As many corporations and families address the needs of people with disabilities, there are some great gift options now on the market, such as the new offerings by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation has created a holiday gift guide for people living with paralysis comprising 27 top-notch items in eight categories. The gift guide features ideas suggested by wheelchair users and manufacturers. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.

All 27 items are fun and provide holiday ideas for every budget. “Buying gifts for someone in a wheelchair is not all that different from buying gifts for anyone else,” says Kathy Lorkovic of Fat Brain Toys. The eight categories of gifts include: For Kids, Tech Savvy, The Outdoorsman, Cooking Connoisseur, Everyday Essentials, Fashions at its Finest, For the Gamer and For the Traveler. Gift prices range from $2.99 to $1,995.

Harold Aguilar, who has a spinal cord injury and is an information specialist at the Reeve Foundation, suggests that when brainstorming gifts to buy for someone living with paralysis, the gift giver keep in mind ease-of-use, cost and a fun factor. He remarked, “The 27 gifts we suggest all cover these three factors.”

Aside from the list of gifts, there is also a section on expert advice from three industry professionals on wheelchair clothing, wheelchair bags and toys as part of the guide that includes simple tips to keep in mind when searching for the right gift during the holiday rush.

Joseph Canose, vice president, quality of life for the Reeve Foundation, said, “Giving a gift should be just as fun as receiving one. The Reeve Foundation’s gift guide includes a brief description of the products’ uses and where to find the desired item. Whether it is a wheelchair bag or fishing pole, our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide for People in Wheelchairs offers something for everyone.”