The aim of the Reeve Foundation’s new Quality of Life (QOL) grants program is to address social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of enhancing connectedness of people living with paralysis and their caregivers to their communities and preventing adverse health outcomes.
Though we are looking to the field for innovative ways to address the program’s aim and goals, funds may support programs and projects to:
- Connect isolated individuals and remotely foster engagement and connection through
- Virtual support groups
- Online activities to help support self-care and stress management
- Virtual and online adaptive physical activity and health promotion programs
- Art sessions
- Gaming
- Adapt services or create new services to continue to support and engage family caregivers
- Facilitate connection through the use of technology, including
- Increasing access to internet, broadband service, and tablets (via loan closets)
- Provide programs with online opportunities for volunteering (Volunteering has been shown to have many positive health benefits)
- Create strategies to strengthen and/or build social networks
- Provide access to tools and resources to help people remain connected and engaged
It is expected that between six to ten grants will be awarded within the range of $25,000-$50,000.