Every fall, families and businesses in Orchard Park, NY start thinking about where their year-end gifts will go. Many want to support something close to home, with a clear purpose they can understand. If that sounds like you, here is one local option worth knowing about.
Motion Project Foundation is a Western New York nonprofit that supports people living with spinal cord injuries and paralysis. This article explains a common barrier to long-term recovery, how the foundation’s Hope in Motion Scholarship is designed to help, other programs your gift supports, and simple ways to give before the year ends.
Why Local Year-End Giving Matters in Orchard Park, NY
Giving locally means your support stays in the community where you live, work, and raise your family. People living with spinal cord injuries in Erie County and across Western New York are neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends.
Motion Project Foundation’s recovery center, the Natalie Barnhard Center for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Recovery, offers one-on-one activity-based recovery programs and is located in Cheektowaga, a short drive from Orchard Park. Donor support helps the foundation make recovery opportunities and practical assistance more accessible to people in the region.
The Gap After Insurance-Covered Therapy Ends
After a spinal cord injury, insurance typically covers rehabilitation for a defined period. When that coverage ends, many people still have goals they want to keep working toward, such as building strength, improving transfers, or staying active for long-term health.
Continuing with specialized, one-on-one sessions often means paying out of pocket. For many families, that cost can make it hard to stay consistent. This is the gap Motion Project Foundation works to narrow.
Consistency matters because many recovery goals are built through regular, repeated practice over time. When sessions stop and start because of cost, it can be harder for participants to keep working toward the goals they set with their trainers. Families may also be balancing other expenses at the same time, such as equipment, home changes, transportation, and caregiving. Donor support does not remove every cost, but it can help make the next step a little more reachable.
How to Choose Where Your Gift Goes
With so many worthy causes, choosing where to give can feel hard. A few questions can help you decide:
- Is it local? Do you want your gift to stay in Western New York?
- Is the purpose clear? Can you explain in one sentence what the organization does?
- Does it fit your values? Many donors give to causes connected to family, friends, or their own experiences.
- Is it transparent? Can you find the nonprofit’s mission, programs, and contact information easily?
- Can you stay involved? Some donors like organizations where they can also volunteer or attend events.
There is no wrong answer. The best gift is one that feels meaningful to you.
What the Hope in Motion Scholarship Is Designed to Do
The Hope in Motion Scholarship was created with support from the Scott Bieler Family Foundation. It is designed to provide financial assistance for one-on-one recovery sessions for individuals living with spinal cord injuries or paralysis. You can read the full Hope in Motion Scholarship program details on our blog.
One-on-one sessions are built around each participant’s personal goals. Depending on an individual assessment, sessions may include strength and conditioning, mobility and balance work, weight-bearing activity, and specialized equipment.
Scholarship funding depends on current availability, and eligibility requirements apply. Outcomes vary for every participant. What donor support can do is help reduce a financial barrier, so more people have the opportunity to pursue their own recovery goals.
Other Ways Your Gift Supports Western New York
Beyond scholarship-supported sessions, Motion Project Foundation’s Quality of Life Grant program is designed to help eligible Western New York residents living with spinal cord injuries with needs such as:
- Home modifications, like ramps, lifts, or bathroom changes
- Vehicle modifications
- Wheelchair repair or replacement
- Medical and adaptive equipment
- Rehabilitation programs supervised by a licensed professional
Donations also support the foundation’s broader work in education, awareness, and community connection across the region.
These programs are designed to help people at different stages after injury. Someone may be adjusting to life at home for the first time. Someone else may have lived with a spinal cord injury for many years and need a wheelchair repair, a safer bathroom, or a way to keep up their strength. Year-end gifts help the foundation respond to needs like these throughout the year.
Ways to Give This Season
Give online or by text
The simplest way to give is to donate to Motion Project Foundation through the Give Back page on the foundation’s website. The foundation also lists a text-to-give option on that page.
Memorial and tribute gifts
A gift in memory or in honor of someone can be a meaningful way to mark the holidays or a special date. The foundation offers a memorial giving option in honor of its founder, Natalie Barnhard-Castrogiovanni.
Business and sponsorship support
Orchard Park businesses can get involved through one-time activities, longer-term partnerships, or by sharing a portion of product sales with the foundation. The foundation also hosts an annual charity golf tournament with sponsorship opportunities.
Give your time
Not every gift is financial. Through the Angel Volunteer program, community members can help at events or contribute goods, services, or time.
Planning Around GivingTuesday and Year-End
GivingTuesday falls on December 1, 2026, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Many people use it as a reminder to make a year-end gift. A few planning tips:
- Decide early. Choose your causes in October or November so December does not feel rushed.
- Ask your employer. Some companies offer matching gift programs. Check with your HR team.
- Involve your family. Talking about giving together can make it more meaningful.
- Check tax questions with a professional. Donations to Motion Project Foundation may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor.
- Look up any nonprofit. You can review a charity’s tax-exempt status using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
FAQs About Giving from Orchard Park, NY
What does the Hope in Motion Scholarship support?
It is designed to provide financial assistance for one-on-one recovery sessions for individuals living with spinal cord injuries or paralysis. Funding depends on availability.
How can I donate to Motion Project Foundation from Orchard Park, NY?
Visit the Give Back page on motionprojectny.org to donate online or find the text-to-give option.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Donations to Motion Project Foundation may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor about your situation.
When is GivingTuesday 2026?
GivingTuesday is December 1, 2026.
Can my business sponsor Motion Project Foundation?
Yes. Businesses can support the foundation through partnerships, product-sale promotions, or event sponsorship, including the annual golf tournament. Contact the foundation for current opportunities.
Can I volunteer instead of donating?
Yes. The Angel Volunteer program welcomes help at events and contributions of goods, services, or time. Contact the foundation for current opportunities.
Give Close to Home This Year
Year-end giving is a chance to support something you believe in, right here in Western New York. A gift to Motion Project Foundation helps expand access to recovery opportunities and practical support for people living with spinal cord injuries and paralysis.
Help expand access to one-on-one recovery sessions for people living with spinal cord injuries in Orchard Park, NY and across Western New York. Donate to Motion Project Foundation through the Give Back page, or call 716-668-4724 to contact the foundation about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities.
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