Client Resources
Financial Resources
Financial Assistance
Forward Stride offers all programming at a reduced rate. We offer additional assistance on a sliding scale to applicants based on merit and available funds. To be eligible for Financial Assistance you must:
- Be registered for the program you wish to participate in.
- Fill out the Financial Assistance Application by the dates listed below, for the term you wish to receive funding for.
Summer Term: June 5th, 2023
Fall Term: August 11th, 2023
Please note if you are requesting funds outside of our normal application window, you must email the Financial Assistance Fund Committee Chair once your application is submitted in order to be considered.
If you have any questions about our financial assistance, feel free to reach out to us by calling (503) 217-2058 or emailing the Financial Assistance Fund Committee Chair, mackenzie.johnson@forwardstride.org.
If you would like to contribute to our financial assistance fund, please follow this link to our Financial Assistance donation form. Thank you!
External Financial Resources
There are many outside funding sources available to Forward Stride participants. Open the box below for a list of sources we are currently aware of and further information.
External Financial Resources List
This information below was obtained/copied from the organizations’ web sites. Please refer to
the appropriate links for the most up-to-date information.
- Wheel to Walk
http://www.wheeltowalk.com/
The Wheel to Walk Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps children with disabilities, 20 years and younger, obtain medical equipment or services not provided by insurance. We purchase items such as therapy tricycles, adaptive strollers, shower chairs, pumper cars, zip zac chairs, selective communication devices, gait trainers, speech therapy and wheelchairs, to name a few. Our organization strongly believes that no child or young adult with special needs go without items that could improve the quality of his or her daily life.
If you or someone you know is 20 years old or younger and needs assistance obtaining medical equipment or services that is not covered by insurance, please contact us via the form on web site.
At this time, we are accepting applications from applicants living in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. Check back to see when we extend our geographic reach.
Please note: We do not pay deductibles or co-pays on insurance. At this time we will not purchase iPads, iPhones, computers, tandem bikes, vehicle or home modifications. - First Hand Foundation
https://www.firsthandfoundation.org/
Income based (adjusted by out-of-pocket medical expenses & number of dependent children).
Funding criteria:
● The child must be 18 years of age or younger (a person 19–21 may be considered if they are in a child-like mental state)
● The child must be under the care of a pediatrician
● The case must involve a child with a specific health care need
● The request must be clinically relevant to the health of the child
● There must be no existing insurance coverage for the requested expenses
● One request per year, per child for a maximum of three times in a child’s lifetime
Expenses covered:
● Treatment: Clinical procedures, medicine, therapy, prosthesis, etc.
● Equipment: Wheelchairs, assistive technology equipment, care devices, hearing aids, etc.
● Displacement: Lodging (only if charitable housing is unavailable), gas ($0.33 per mile), parking and transportation related to a child’s care
● Vehicle modifications: Lifts, ramps and transfer boards - US Variety
http://usvariety.org/
Under three core programs Variety – the Children’s Charity delivers on its promise to provide a future without limits for every child, regardless of their background or ability, and to be the most trusted and effective children’s charity in the world. Variety’s Care Program delivers critical life-saving medical equipment and services, healthcare and well-being to individual children and children’s health organizations. Variety’s Freedom Program delivers vital life-changing equipment and services for mobility, independence and social inclusion to individual children and children’s organizations. Variety’s Future Program delivers crucial life-enriching communication equipment and services, education and self-esteem to individual children and children’s organizations. - Blanche Fischer Foundation
http://www.bff.org/
Will take 180 days or more to process.
The Foundation makes direct grants on behalf of Oregonians with physical disabilities. The aid may relate directly to the disability or toward fostering personal independence. To be considered for a BFF grant, an individual must demonstrate all of the following:
1. Demonstrate Oregon residency,
2. Demonstrate financial need (worksheet on web site) and
3. Have a disability of a physical nature. - Dollar for Portland
https://www.dollarfor.org/
Our goal is to empower a young and connected generation to activate generosity by helping people pay off medical debt. One family is highlighted each month. - Sparrow
https://www.sparrowclubs.org/
Empowering kids to help kids.
Sparrow Clubs exist to set the stage for simple, yet heroic, acts of kindness in schools and youth culture by empowering kids to help kids in medical need. A Sparrow is a child who, at the time of “adoption”, is 17 years old or under, who is experiencing a life-threatening or seriously disabling medical condition and whose family is facing a level of financial and/or emotional difficulty because of it. A Sparrow Project is a kids-helping-kids learning activity where a school (or youth group) “adopts” a Sparrow and does community service and fundraising on behalf of that child. It is primarily NOT about the money these students and their communities raise. Rather, it is a charitable cause to infuse compassion, courage, character and conscience into youth and school culture. Sparrow families should see themselves in giving roles–expressing love, dignity, courage and appreciation to the youth who learn positive life-lessons as heroic young helpers. Sparrow Projects normally last from a semester to a
school year.
Usual minimum funding is $2560 for a project. Some clubs will raise more. - Chive Charities
https://chivecharities.org/
Chive Charities is dedicated to championing the underdogs. Among the causes we focus on are: individuals with rare medical conditions, veterans and first responders with medically-related needs, underfunded special needs education initiatives, and 501(c)3 organizations that assist the aforementioned populations.
What sort of help does Chive Charities provide to recipients?
● Therapy equipment & sessions not covered by insurance
● Handicap accessible home & car modifications
● Mobility items
● Purchasing of developmental & learning devices
● Other medical needs as recommended by a medical professional
As a guide, we use the NORD List and the GARD List of rare diseases to classify whether a medical condition is rare. We do place an emphasis on the rarity of the medical condition. If your medical condition is not rare, it may be disqualified from consideration. - The Rider’s Closet
https://www.georginabloomberg.com/the-riders-closet/
The Rider’s Closet provides show and schooling (lesson) apparel to all riders who need assistance with the cost of participating in equestrian activities. For safety reasons, we cannot provide helmets or protective vests.
Transportation Resources
Ride Connection is a private, non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to coordinating and providing transportation services to people with limited options in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.
Family Resources
There are resources in the area available for individuals with disabilities and their families. We have listed several that we know about below.