Prior Planning: (suggested timeline)

Recipient identification and screening: (should begin at contract signing)

• Recipients should be identified by the consignee organizations prior to the distribution event
• Recipients should be screened by the consignee organization to ensure that they meet our 2 donation criteria: Need and Inability to Purchase a Wheelchair
• Need should be defined as a medical condition for which our wheelchair is appropriate. Generally, our wheelchairs are not recommended for advanced cases of cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal bifida or other neurological disorders.

Timing of Event and Date: (a month prior to arrival of wheelchairs)

• Saturday distributions usually work best, especially for those of 50 wheelchairs or more. Small distributions of 25 to 50 wheelchairs are easier to schedule on the weekends as well due to the availability of volunteers, but are not usually a problem to hold during the week.
• Recipients and care providing organizations should be told to arrive 2 to 3 hours prior to the scheduled ceremony time if the wheelchairs are distributed prior to the ceremony, 1 hour prior if the wheelchairs are to be distributed following the ceremony.
• Plan to hold the event during a temperate time of day.

Venue location: (a month prior to arrival of wheelchairs)

• Venue size should be appropriate to hold wheelchairs, recipients, guests and working space for processing of recipients as they arrive.
• Wheelchair accessible ramps and doorways
• Recipient off-loading area and parking
• A sheltered area with shade and protection from rain for the recipients should be available.
• Toilet facilities for recipients and guests

Staging Considerations: (a month prior to selected event date)

• Staging area for head table
• Podium for speaking
• Area for Entertainment (if desired), perhaps a band or someone to sing the national anthem
• Display wheelchairs to be donated
• Media area to set up cameras
• Invited guests seating
• Recipient or caregiver seating
• Placement of organizational banners
• Alert U.S. Embassy of distribution and prepare press releases

Ceremony Program requirements: (three weeks prior to event date)

• Master of Ceremony
• Honored Guests
• Local Dignitaries
• Donor Representatives (or Consignee Representative who recognizes and thanks the Donors)
• Recipient Testimonial (representative of recipients who thanks the donors and the consignee organization)
• Optional ceremonial seating of recipients in wheelchairs by VIPs

Invitation list: (ideally a month prior to wheelchair arrival, sooner is better)

• Donor organization representative
• Wheelchair Foundation Representative (As Appropriate)
• First Ladies/Presidents
• Local royalty
• Ambassador
• Government officials
• Possible future donors

Recipient considerations: (a month prior to selected event date)

• Keep the ceremony as brief as possible (30 minutes to 1 hour maximum)
• Minimize exposure of recipients to heat or cold
• Ensure availability of refreshments (water and cookies or crackers)
• Check on availability of emergency medical help

Distribution of the Wheelchairs:

• Volunteers should arrive prior to the scheduled arrival of the recipients and be briefed on their responsibilities and the basic features of the wheelchair (removable armrests and footrests, brakes, footrest adjustments). They should have the distribution process explained to them and be shown how to take the wheelchairs out of their boxes, assemble them, divide, and mark them by sizes.
• Recipients should be met as they arrive, ideally by volunteers with 20-inch wheelchairs who will seat the recipient and guide them and their caregivers to the reception area.
• Option 1 (Preferred): Recipients receive their wheelchairs prior to the official ceremony and recognition of the donors.
  • Check in at one central area, ask recipient for their name (and ideally check it off of the pre-screened list assembled by the distributing organization). If not already done, measure the recipient and match them to an appropriately sized wheelchair (use slide ruler if available).
  • An appropriately sized wheelchair is one in which the recipient can be seated comfortably with one inch or approximately two finger widths on each side of their hips. Proper sizing with ensure the recipient's torso is properly supported.
  • Write the recipient's name on the Wheelchair Foundation Identification Placard along with their wheelchair size in the lower left hand corner.
  • Have a volunteer direct the recipient to the appropriate processing line for seating. Seat the individuals in an orderly manner in their wheelchairs (if enough volunteers are available this can be in several processing lines, for a large distribution, as a minimum, a processing line for each size should be arranged, and ideally several lines for the most popular sizes 16 and 18 inch)
  • Once seated, a volunteer should adjust the footrests of the recipient's new wheelchair and explain how to use the brakes, removable armrests and the supplied wrenches.
  • Then a separate volunteer should take the individual with their placard to the photo station.
  • Several stacked wheelchair boxes showing the Wheelchair Foundation logo make an excellent backdrop for the recipient photos.
  • The photo station should have a designated volunteer who is taking the photos (portrait style) and another who is collecting the placards.
  • A volunteer should then take the individual and their caregivers to a designated area in front of the official ceremony stage. The recipient is free to leave following the official ceremony.
• Option 2: Recipients receive their wheelchairs following the official ceremony and recognition of the donors.
  • Check in at one central area, ask recipient for their name (and ideally check it off of the pre-screened list assembled by the distributing organization). If not already done, measure the recipient and match them to an appropriately sized wheelchair (use slide ruler if available).
  • An appropriately sized wheelchair is one in which the recipient can be seated comfortably with one inch or approximately two finger widths on each side of their hips. Proper sizing with help ensure the recipient's torso is supported.
  • Give the recipient an identifying slip or paper or mark to indicate the appropriate wheelchair size to be given following the ceremony.
  • Following the ceremony, seat the individuals in an orderly manner in their wheelchairs (if enough volunteers are available this can be in several processing lines, for a large distribution, as a minimum, a processing line for each size should be arranged, and ideally several lines for the most popular sizes 16 and 18 inch)
  • Once seated, a volunteer should adjust the footrests of the recipient's new wheelchair and explain how to use the brakes, removable armrests and the supplied wrenches.
  • A separate volunteer should write the recipient's name on the Wheelchair Foundation Identification Placard and take the individual with the placard to the photo station.
  • Several stacked wheelchair boxes showing the Wheelchair Foundation logo make an excellent backdrop for the recipient photos.
  • The photo station should have a designated volunteer who is taking the photos (portrait style) and another who is collecting the placards.
  • After the photo, the recipient is then free to leave.