What began as an idea rooted in empathy and compassion has become a powerful, industry-supported solution for individuals and families facing one of the greatest barriers to independence: accessible transportation. For Bridge to Mobility (BTM), 2025 was a defining year. It was the year the organization moved from grassroots level fund raising from various wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) industry participants, board members, and friends to a fully embedded, sustainable funding partnership with the WAV industry. It was also the year the impact of BTM’s mission reached new heights and new hearts.
Through collaboration, education, and advocacy, Bridge to Mobility continues to change what is possible for families who once believed accessible mobility was out of reach. BTM delivers the first solution to address the #1 roadblock – affordability. Only 4% of the 2 million+ people in wheelchairs have access to a private vehicle. BTM and our industry must not accept this statistic. Wheelchairs have advanced in automation and are now much heavier, leaving individuals in wheelchairs more home bound than ever before without accessible transportation.
When an Industry Rallies Around a Mission
One of the most significant shifts this year was the deepening relationship between Bridge to Mobility and the wheelchair-accessible vehicle industry. What started as moral and emotional support has now turned into a tangible financial commitment.
Marilyn Clark, Chairperson at BTM, shared, “I think the biggest change this year was we became ingrained in the wheelchair-accessible vehicle industry. The WAV industry knows Bridge To Mobility. Through execution we built trust, credibility and impact. And now a year later, more than half of the over 300 dealers in the National Mobility Dealer Association (NMEDA) network have committed to providing annual funding to Bridge to Mobility; they’re now part of our team as financial partners who share our mission.”
This change represents so much more than numbers on a page. It signals trust. It signals our shared commitment to each other’s mission. It signals a unified effort to solve a longstanding challenge around affordability and access.
The Bridge to Mobility board reflects the heart of the WAV industry itself. CEOs, founders, and future leaders from manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers work together within a single organization to achieve a common goal: to make accessibility possible.
Marilyn put it simply and powerfully, “Bridge to Mobility is unique in that we saw an industry and clientele that struggled with affordability. Developing the solution was the most rewarding experience of this journey. We realized that to be successful, we had to be an organization that represented the entire industry. The WAV industry now celebrates with each award granted!”
The strength of Bridge to Mobility is not just in funding; it is in partnership. BTM does not work in isolation. Instead, it actively seeks out alignment with like-minded non-profit organizations, case managers, driver rehabilitation specialists, hospitals, charities, and service providers to multiply the impact of every dollar and every effort.
Gerhard Schmidt, Executive Director of Bridge to Mobility, emphasized this point. “We continue to build synergies. We all have a mission to help the 2 million+ individuals in wheelchairs, and that mission may be a little bit different (military, spinal cord injury, ALS, MS, MD, CP, stroke, traumatic brain injury, etc.) with each partner. By collaborating we are each accomplishing a lot more of each other’s mission.”
This intentional collaboration leads to meaningful results. In some cases, an award from Bridge to Mobility becomes the catalyst that allows additional funding to be unlocked from other sources, such as:
- Medicaid waivers
- Team Joseph
- Semper Fi
- Help Hope Live
- Vocational Rehab
- Variety Children’s Charity
- VA benefits for service members
One connection can turn into four times the support for an individual family.
A Year of Unprecedented Impact: The 300+ Milestone
For many organizations, goals are measured in revenue or reach. At Bridge to Mobility, the most important metric is lives changed.
Gerhard shared, “The impact is that we’re helping more people. And this year, we want to hit the goal of 300 people that we’ve assisted through our process of education, collaboration, and advocacy. I think we’re on track to do that.”
When asked what meant the most to her, Marilyn’s answer was immediate and simple: “300 lives changed.”
And that number understates the true scope. These are not isolated individuals. These are veterans, families, caregivers, siblings, coworkers, and communities that are transformed when someone gains access to a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
As Marilyn described, “When you see the deliveries, it’s not deliveries to 300 people, it’s deliveries to 300 families and communities. The entire family is moved by the emotional experience of freedom and independence. They see their life changing with the arrival of this vehicle.”
More Than a Vehicle: Delivering Families’ Freedom
Throughout North America, Bridge to Mobility has helped people move from isolation into participation. BTM now services the entire United States, U.S. Territories, and Canada.
Gerhard explained the impact in real terms. “Many of these people have been homebound for years. They’re getting out, they’re visiting families, their first vacation, going to school, and engaging in the communities. It’s amazing the number of people we work with who volunteer to help others despite the challenging situation that they have.”
Mobility does more than provide movement. It restores dignity, independence, and connection. It allows individuals to pursue education, pursue or maintain employment, attend medical appointments without fear, and participate in everyday life.
This is the essence of mobility solutions for people with disabilities. It is not about a vehicle alone. It is about possibility.
The Bridge to Mobility Process: Collaborate, Educate, Advocate
A Bridge to Mobility award is not merely a single check; it is the anchor of a sophisticated funding strategy. BTM is fundamentally different from a typical pass-through organization because it actively collaborates to solve the crippling issue of wheelchair-accessible vehicle affordability.
Applicants often come to BTM feeling desperate and overwhelmed by high costs and bureaucratic hurdles. Our core process immediately addresses this by providing immediate guidance and resources.
- Educate: Informing applicants about possible federal, state and private funding streams, including Medicaid, Veteran Administration (VA) benefits, and vocational rehabilitation services
- Collaborate: Working hand-in-hand with charities, industry partners, and key healthcare facilities to pool resources.
- Advocate: Providing access to WAV industry experts and streamlining application and award processes.
This collaborative model is quantified by a staggering success rate. BTM’s last-dollar funding model multiplies the effectiveness of every dollar donated. For every dollar Bridge to Mobility contributed in 2024, there was an additional $3.84 of other funding sources provided.
Marilyn calls this the “multiplier effect.” She explains, “An affordability issue is one thing, but then when you magnify that impact by bringing in Mission Aligned Partners, you’re getting almost a four times multiple, that is where you change lives, and that’s where the affordability truly comes in, leveraging the Bridge to Mobility award.”
Pride and Possibility
Perhaps one of the most powerful outcomes of the Bridge to Mobility journey is the sense of pride it instills in the people it serves.
Marilyn reflected on this emotional transformation. “Candidates start by contacting us on day one, they are feeling emotional, alone and hopeless. As the grant is awarded, these candidates and their caregivers are truly empowered, there is a real sense of hope for the future and pride in their efforts. BTM provides the needed road map that leads to hope, access, direction and expertise. We are moved to see photos of our students going to school, individuals re-entering the workforce and our brave military returning to their active lifestyle. As Board member General Robert Neller says, “We allow people to move forward”.
That sense of pride is the true legacy of Bridge to Mobility’s 2025 impact. Not just funding awarded, but resilience reaffirmed, and hope restored.
As the year closes, Bridge to Mobility stands on a stronger foundation than ever before. Supported by an industry. Powered by partnerships. Driven by compassion. And focused on what matters most: changing lives through access to mobility.
How You Can Join the Mission
BTM’s success is fueled by a network of compassionate supporters. To ensure the mission continues its rapid expansion across North America, BTM welcomes support in three concrete ways:
- Financial Support: Donate to provide the essential last-dollar funding that unlocks the four-times multiplier.
- Networking: Introduce BTM to organizations or philanthropists looking to support a highly efficient, high-impact organization that solves a fundamental issue in mobility for people with disabilities.
- Referrals: Share BTM’s contact information with individuals or families seeking a wheelchair accessible vehicle solution.
“Our business model is strategic and efficient and the demand for what we do is strong,” concluded Gerhard. By continuing to expand its network and resources, Bridge to Mobility is poised to deliver mobility, independence, and freedom to thousands more families in the years to come.
