National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Synopsis by MobiLife, Power Wheel Chairs

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) is committed to helping spinal cord patients reach a high level of success in personal fulfillment, health, and independence by giving helpful resources, services, and support. The organization fulfills this commitment with a Peer Support Network and Chapters, as well as, by providing awareness through education. Their Education Programs were developed for providing information and issues that are important to many different people and groups: the general public, policy makers, injury prevention groups, support and rehabilitative services, the media, and for improvements in medical care. NSCIA have well over 40 Chapters and Peer Support Groups in the U.S. There are 21 Chapters and 19 Support groups that are active in serving people in their communities. Chapters were developed to reach people at the local and national levels to promote programs and services through an annual Golf Marathon, sneak previews of TV movies, community services, and many others. The Peer Support Group has recently been receiving funds from the Christopher Reeves Paralysis Foundation to help grow this important program that provides peer support linking people together across the U.S.

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association has many National Programs: www.spinalcord.org, SCI Life (bi-monthly national newspaper), Electronic Newsletter, In Touch With Kids, The P.E.A.C.E. Project, Positive Prevention, and the New Injury Initiative. The Resource Center is their main program that allows people to call or write e-mails asking any questions they may have and the Center will answer. It also provides an individual and their families a lot of information and referrals. They are a major source of help for those trying to obtain power wheel chairs and accessories. The Resource Center also provides those with mobility disabilities disaster management training, technical support, and emergency readiness nationwide. After the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, they were selected to provide long-term, intensive case management to the survivors and are now leading the national effort to help the hurricane survivors that have disabilities due to the aftermath.

NSCIA has been serving people with spinal cord injuries and their families since 1948 and has done this through donations and support from the public making this a non-profit organization. The Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities, has given the NSCIA a 4 out of 4 star rating for effectively managing their finances in an honorable manner.