This weekend marked a heartwarming conclusion to a fundraising initiative by PHAB and Rotary Club for Global Action, aimed at addressing the rising transport costs for people with accessible needs. To help with the PHAB team’s challenging and expensive transport requirements, Freedom Mobility was delighted to donate an accessible van to coincide with the fundraiser.
It was Kristen, a member of our response team, who learned about PHAB’s fundraising initiative, spotting the opportunity to help by supplying one of our soon-to-be-retired vans. She swiftly reached out to Margaret Hawkes, Managing Director of Freedom Mobility, who was instantly onboard, and the idea quickly turned into a reality. PHAB and Rotary Club for Global Action celebrated the grand finale of the August fundraiser last Saturday, including a grand reveal to their members of their newly-donated accessible van.
PHAB is a remarkable organisation, dedicated to supporting individuals over the age of 16 with disabilities. Based in Auckland, their team organises a range of activities including weekly social groups, holiday programmes, exercise classes, life skills workshops and many other engaging events. With over 500 members, PHAB is known for fostering social connections and providing invaluable community support.
For us at Freedom Mobility, being able to help the PHAB community with their transport needs is hugely gratifying. People travel from right across Auckland to attend PHAB’s events. As one of PHAB’s board members shared, getting to the event on Saturday cost $120 in an Uber. And they were fortunate to be able to transfer themselves to a car seat, as the quote they got from a mobility taxi company was $600 one way–a stark example of the exorbitant costs and challenges our disability community faces. Another member expressed relief at not having to choose between attending a PHAB event and using their funds for a doctor’s appointment, now that PHAB would have its own accessible transportation.
The issues extend beyond the costs. Accessible taxis are often needed for school runs, making it near-impossible to secure a ride for appointments or events scheduled during school pick-up and drop-off times. Just a couple of weeks ago, PHAB had to evacuate a venue due to a burst pipe and one of their members endured a wait of over 45 minutes for a taxi.
For over 20 years, Freedom Mobility has provided accessible rental vehicles across New Zealand and we know first-hand the difference it makes to people. That’s why we’re committed to growing our offering, helping reduce the significant transport challenges faced by those with disabilities and injuries.
Kristen, who attended the event, expressed her sentiments saying: “We were thrilled to be able to provide an accessible vehicle to this incredible group of people. The stories and the warmth of the members at Saturday’s event made me proud to work for a company that supports this community.”
About PHAB
Established over 40 years ago in New Zealand, PHAB is the sector leader for youth with disabilities in the wider disability community. It is firmly established as a key provider of social programs aimed at reducing social isolation for people with disabilities. There are approximately 500 members and friends of PHAB. They support their members towards designing meaningful lives for themselves. If you would like to find out more about PHAB, go to www.phab.org.nz. To find out more about becoming a member of PHAB contact [email protected]
