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G.O.A.L.S., Inc. (Go Out And Live Successfully!) is a foundation dedicated to helping people with spinal cord injuries better access their environment. Welcome to our web site. Come in and look around!
Our Mission:
The primary focus of G.O.A.L.S., Inc. is to help individuals with spinal cord injuries:
- Achieve greater mobility and independence,
- Better access their environment, and
- Continue an active, productive life.
A secondary focus for G.O.A.L.S., Inc. is to assist agencies serving individuals with spinal cord injuries.
G.O.A.L.S.,Inc. co-founder Doug Richardson became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from his arm pits to lower extremities after his vehicle was sideswiped by an 18-wheel tractor trailer in 1995. He was fortunate to have the support of family and friends plus, excellent insurance, since the accident happened in a work-related situation.
However, during his hospital stay and rehabilitation, he and his wife, Nelda, noticed that others with spinal cord injuries (SCI) were not so fortunate. Many people with SCI had minimal or no insurance and, accordingly, their opportunities for re-entering the non-handicapped world were limited.
As Doug says, “As difficult as it was for us, we began to notice that some people with spinal cord injuries were not so fortunate. We saw many young men and women who had been shot... often randomly, plus others who had suffered injuries related to car accidents, diving, falls or other non-work related accidents. We even saw instances where minimal or no insurance coverage limited opportunities for continued out-patient therapy.”
“Additionally, doctors, psychologists, social workers and agency personnel told us of spinal cord-injured individuals who, for one reason or another, never left their homes, even to enjoy a movie, ball game or trip to the mall. We heard about people who did not have sufficient insurance coverage for home or vehicle modifications and individuals who could not afford to get their wheelchairs repaired or refitted.”
Doug and Nelda formed G.O.A.L.S., Inc. (“Go Out And Live Successfully!”) to help individuals who may have slipped through the cracks of the system as they coped with their disabilities. The intent of G.O.A.L.S., Inc. is to help people with spinal cord injuries better access their environment.
We knew that funds were being raised for research into spinal cord injury but we were concerned about people coping with SCI on a daily basis; especially those facing mobility and access challenges. We hope that G.O.A.L.S., Inc. will continue to serve as a bridge to enable individuals with spinal cord injuries to better access their environment.
G.O.A.L.S., Inc can be reached at the mailing address or e-mail address listed below. Please contact us with any questions or comments.
Doug Richardson sadly passed away peacefully on March 15, 2007. Let us fulfill his dream.
One of Doug's favorite qoutes reads:
"Every life has a measure of sorrow--Sometimes this is what awakens
us." -Aerosmith
May it signify his life work with G.O.A.L.S.
General Information and Fund Raising:
General Contact
Tel: (561) 393-0035
Fax: (561) 516-6000
Postal address
Go Out and Live Successfully, Inc.
7040 West Palmetto Park Road
Suite #4-679
Boca Raton, FL 33433
Email: goalsinc@bellsouth.net
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