Did you know that July is Disability Pride Month to honor America’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities on July 26, 1990?
Our Foundation is committed to ensuring all have access to the outdoors. In 2021, we funded a wheelchair and hearing accessible glass bottom boat to accommodate park-goers at Silver Springs State Park. In 2019, we helped complete a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier at Suncoast Youth Conservation Center. And we regularly fund a dedicated nonprofit organization providing motorized chairs to empower mobility impaired individuals to explore and enjoy Florida’s beautiful outdoors. Sportsability Alliance (formerly the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association) has been awarded seven grants from our Foundation’s Wildlife Foundation of Florida license plate, totaling $154,000, since 2017. Most recently, a $24,000 grant was awarded to the group in September 2023 to support expansion of their EcoRover Adventure Program.
The program provides access to EcoRovers, a motorized wheelchair that can cover rough or uneven outdoor terrain like tree roots and sand. Participants enjoy trails at state parks like Wakulla Springs and the white sand beaches of William J “Billy Joe” Rish Recreation Area. The chairs can even be reserved for hunting, shooting, and other outdoor recreation.
Cordell Jeter, EcoRover founder and user, founded the program in conjunction with Sportsability Alliance.
“Nature provides free mental and physical benefits most take for granted. Yet people with physical limitations often find it challenging to access this free resource,” explained Cordell. “I built EcoRover to change this model and create community access to the technology.”
You can support access to wild Florida for all by purchasing a “deer” license plate.
