“Keeping People with Disabilities Moving” Aims to Raise $1.5 Million to Strengthen Organization’s Financial Foundation, Support Facility Upgrades

Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), a non-profit organization providing over $10 million annually in home medical equipment (HME) and supplies to those living with disabilities, has announced the launch of a year-long capital campaign. “Keeping People with Disabilities Moving” seeks to raise $1.5 million by the end of 2016 to support facility upgrades and strengthen the organization’s financial foundation, including paying off the mortgage on the corporate headquarters.

“FODAC celebrates our 30th anniversary this year,” said Chris Brand, president and CEO of the organization. “As we move forward into our fourth decade, our vision is to increase access and efficiency, protect future sustainability of programming, and act as responsible stewards of our environment. These funds will help us make an extensive and lasting impact on our community, as we improve thousands of lives and make each day a little easier for those with mobility challenges.”

FODAC is a nonprofit organization that fills a unique role: it provides medical equipment such as wheelchairs and hospital beds at little or no cost to people with disabilities and their families, seeking to enhance the quality of life for people of all ages who have any type of mobility impairment, either temporary or permanent. Most of FODAC’s HME is collected through donations of used equipment which the organization cleans, repairs and reissues to those in need. Each year, the nonprofit provides over $10 million in HME (or over 5,000 pieces) and services to the community. No matter the background, demographic, or age of the client, FODAC is ready to help clients through insurmountable challenges and improve their lives. FODAC is the only nonprofit in Atlanta doing this type of work, and no funding is received from Medicare or Medicaid for the services offered.

The Keeping People with Disabilities Moving Campaign has at its one core central objective – to improve FODAC’s effectiveness in serving the community – through three goals:

Warehouse and Product Flow Improvements

With more equipment cycled through FODAC than ever, this campaign includes critical updates to warehouse flow and efficiency. These improvements will enhance the processing and movement of equipment entering the warehouse for quicker release and improved client experiences. This includes upgrading repair shop tools and technology, and adding new racks, bins and loading dock lifts for faster delivery.

Facility Improvements

The environmentally friendly principles on which FODAC was founded will be mirrored for the organization’s physical location through facility enhancements that improve safety and continue green initiatives. Items include HVAC units, metal lifting hoists, and repointing the mortar on the building exterior.

Strengthening the Financial Foundation

FODAC seeks to strengthen the organization’s financial foundation to insure its services for future generations. FODAC will improve its sustainability by paying off the mortgage and using a portion of those mortgage payments to increase the capital reserve fund. The mortgage retirement not only preserves FODAC’s capacity to deliver on its mission, but also allows for expansion of its core program and service delivery to clients.

“This campaign will help FODAC better leverage HME donations across the state for the benefit of our community,” said Brand. “HME donations and efficient processing are an essential foundation for FODAC’s model to operate effectively. The more equipment donations that FODAC receives, the more the Atlanta community benefits from these resources. “

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About FODAC

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) continues to help people with injuries and disabilities of all ages regain their mobility, independence and quality of life. The non-profit organization provides more than $10 million annually in refurbished home medical equipment (HME) and home modifications in Georgia and across the United States, all at little or no cost to the recipients. A pioneer in re-use, FODAC keeps 200 tons of materials out of landfills each year by refurbishing and reissuing over 400 HME items every month, and is recognized nationally for best practices. In 2014, FODAC was named to Charities Under 5% Overhead, an organization of charities that have operating overhead of five percent or less.

In 2013, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) appointed FODAC to serve as the statewide distributor of HME and assistive technology in the event of a large population-affecting emergency situation. In this role, FODAC will warehouse the HME and other equipment, then, working with GEMA and the American Red Cross (ARC) of Georgia, will coordinate the delivery and distribution to emergency shelters around the state.

For more information on FODAC and its programs, visit www.fodac.org.