April. It’s the month where we finally start seeing the changes of winter to spring. But, it’s also much more than that.
Each April we celebrate Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Awareness month. This year, the PVA is celebrating 68 years of changing lives for veterans and their families.
Nearly seven decades of difference
The PVA has been serving veterans, people with disabilities, and their families for nearly seven decades. They have strived to fight for all veterans, empower them with tools and resources, and deliver their services free of charge.
While their main efforts are geared toward care, benefits, and jobs, they have other areas of service that many people don’t know about, as well.
Research
Research specific to treatments and cures for spinal cord injuries is a priority for the PVA. And, since more than 750,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury or disease, they have a mission to improve the quality of life for those people.
Accessibility
The PVA is the only veterans organization with a staff of architects dedicated to provide accessibility design assistance. The PVA architecture staff also works to further define ADA guidelines and improve the standards and laws for accessibility.
Adaptive Sports
The PVA works to connect veterans to local adaptive sports organizations and encourages veterans to remain active to lead a happier, healthier life.
About the PVA
The PVA was started in 1946 by a band of service members who returned home from World War II with spinal cord injuries. Upon returning home, they realized they would be living in a world that had very few solutions to the challenges they had already faced and would face in the future.
They knew they wanted to wanted to build better future for the injured veterans, like themselves, who fought for freedom and independence. For this reason, they created the PVA to be an organization dedicated to medical research, serving veterans and civil rights for people with disabilities.
Today, the PVA has 34 chapters across the United States, and continues to work for veterans and people with disabilities, so they have access to everything they need to live full, productive lives.
What experiences have you had because of the efforts of the PVA? Share your story in the comments section below!