Are there agencies that assist disabled poor with acquiring a vehicle for food and medical assistance?

Question

Individual in rural area needs small vehicle in order to purchase food, medicines and doctor visits where bus lines do not run. Person is on Medicare and has no resoruces for vehicle purchase. Are there agencies that may provide used vehicles to the poor in exchange for work or volunteer hours so that person can attend to personal needs?

Answer 1

I am from the UK too and live in London,

The thing I would emphasise is that there is a correlation between disability and poverty, not least because many employers will not make the reasonable adjustments needed to their workplaces, so that disabled people could work there.

I am a disability activist and managed to get a motion passed unanimously at the TUC (Trade Union Congress) Disability Conference in May that argued that because of the extra costs of disability disabled people should be allowed to earn and save towards meeting those costs, without being taxed or losing benefits,

The money should be kept in a separate account, so it is not personal money, and it should be accounted for separately like Direct Payments are (a scheme whereby Social Services give you the money to employ your own Personal Assistants).

We now have to get this policy turned into legislation. What it would mean is that I would be allowed to see some benefit from any part-time work I obtained, eg buy and run a vehicle, At the moment the state would simply deduct every £ I earned from my benefits,

The Rowntree Foundation has done some research which shows that across every impairment group there is a shortfall of about £200-250 a week between what the state pays in benefits and what you actually need to live on
and the need to have transport if you have a mobility impairment is one of the major costs they looked at.

I am currently saying to my Social Services I need a mobility scooter as it would improve my independence, They have agreed to provide a scooter store where it can be garaged safely and be recharged.

I am also saying to them that I need a wheelchair-accessible van and will they increase the size of my care package so that a driver can be employed to take me where I need to go, I am applying to various charities for the cost of a 2nd hand van, I get Disability Living Allowance Mobility Component (about £45 a week) among my benefits which should cover the tax insurance diesel and other running costs but what it wont do is

(a) pay for the purchase of the van
(b) pay a driver
(c) save towards the replacement van needed 5 years down the line

(if my motion meanwhile becomes legislation the third of these will become facilitated,)

Charities may have their uses, short-term but long-term solutions will only be achieved by

(1) a Disability Rights approach which seeks to get legislation passed that enshrines those rights

(2) activists then demanding the legislation be implemented so that rights become a reality,

Answer 2

I can only reply in terms of the UK. But I would have thought this was an Americans With Disabilities Act issue. [George Bush (Senior)'s 1992 Act.]

Accessible public transport is useful to disabled people, but if it doesn't run near you, your life isn't any better, for it,

So the next question is: are there any door-to-door transport schemes that can overcome the deficiencies in the public transport system?

And if not, I think the next approach has to be a mobility scooter (electric and rechargeable from the mains). Low running costs but you need the cost of purchasing one, and you need somewhere to garage it safely.

In the UK Social Services Departments are obliged to assess the needs of disabled people in their area and do what they can to help them meet their needs. I dont know how that works, your side of the Pond. But they may be able to supply a home help to do your shopping for you.

If you were a member of a Trade Union when you were working, it may well have welfare funds set aside to help members and ex-members fallen on hard times, You can but ask.

Good luck.

Answer 3

No, for obvious reasons. Cars cost money to maintain and insure. However there are rides available from most County Health agencies to get to appointments and such. Also there are volunteer organizations that will deliver food to you.

Answer 4

Try the Salvation Army or the local Good Will Industries. They hopefully can help you out or at least lead you to an agency that can. Good luck!