The River Deep Foundation is the proud recipient of a $12,200 grant as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) 2024 Direct Effect 1st Cycle Quality of Life grants. The Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants Program supports nonprofit organizations empowering individuals with paralysis.
“These grants are dedicated to restoring independence to our community members,” stated Dan McNeal, director of the Quality of Life Grants Program at the Reeve Foundation. “Our primary mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals living with paralysis. We are honored to collaborate with numerous committed organizations that tirelessly ensure accessibility and inclusivity and are integral to their programs.”
River Deep will use the grant for its year-round therapeutic recreational outings program for military veterans and active-duty service members and their family members and caretakers. Outings are free of charge to participants and include fly fishing, hunting adventures, archery, fencing, equine therapy, art classes, blacksmithing, cooking classes, family fun days — and much more. Most outings happen along Colorado’s Front Range, including Colorado Springs and metro Denver.
“On behalf of our clients, their families, and the Board of River Deep Foundation, we are grateful to The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for providing us with this first-time grant,” said Bob Adwar, River Deep’s founder and executive director. “It is an honor to receive this gift bearing the name of two people who demonstrated the hope and resilience we seek to inspire in the people we serve.”
The late actor, author and activist Christopher Reeve, beloved for his leading role in the blockbuster “Superman” film series, was paralyzed in a horse-riding accident in 1995 and died in 2004. He and his actress wife Dana teamed to establish the Reeve Foundation, which she chaired from 2004 until her death in 2006.
Since the Quality of Life Grants Program’s inception, more than 3,800 grants totaling $44 million have been awarded. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. Additionally, through a cooperative agreement with the federal Administration for Community Living, the Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) promotes the health, well-being, and independence of people living with paralysis, providing comprehensive information, resources, and referral services assisting more than 130,000 individuals and families since its launch in 2002.