Southwest Alabama

Providing Preparedness Tools for Those with Cerebral Palsy

A grant from United Way of Southwest Alabama and funded by Verizon is helping United Cerebral Palsy provide replacement medical and comfort items

By Kathryn Hopper

The grant lets the agency provide replacement items for medical needs like glasses and communication devices, comfort items such as sensory materials and toys.

For families caring for a loved one with a disability, a disaster is more than a disruption — it can mean losing the glasses, communication devices, sensory materials, and daily routines that a person depends on to function and feel safe.

In Mobile, Alabama, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) serves people with disabilities from birth through adulthood, a population that, as the organization notes, has too often been underserved.

Thanks to a Disaster Preparation Micro-grant from United Way of Southwest Alabama that was funded by Verizon, UCP of Mobile is now able to respond to those needs directly.

The grant, part of the United We Prepare imitative, lets the agency provide replacement items for medical needs like glasses and communication devices as well as comfort items such as sensory materials and toys to help children get back to their routines after a disaster.

“We're really excited about this grant from Verizon because it gives us the opportunity to respond to the needs of our community following a disaster,” said Kristin Hegji, vice president of programs at United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile.

The grant also funds items like books offering "social stories" that Hegji says help people with disabilities understand what has happened, process it, and work through it with a loved one.

Because UCP tailors support to each family as an individual unit, the grant does more than meet immediate needs. As Hegji put it, “the community will be able to see examples of supports that we can continue to carry on for years in the future.”

Every workshop and every partnership strengthens Mobile County and helps build a community that is ready for whatever comes next."

Justine Bixler, president & CEO United Way of Southwest Alabama

Justine Bixler, president & CEO United Way of Southwest Alabama, said the grant shows how United We Prepare is more than workshops and other events, it's an investment in people.

“Through our partnership with Verizon and United Way Worldwide, we are helping families prepare before disaster strikes by providing trusted information, practical tools, and community support. Every workshop and every partnership strengthens Mobile County and helps build a community that is ready for whatever comes next."

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