My Nonprofit Reviews
jeff18
Review for Push International, Woodinville, WA, USA
Meeting Sergio Valdez is a memorable experience indeed. Although quite humble, he is also very formidable, confident and energetic. His mechanical and carpentry skills were developed through a career in construction. He comes from a family of carpenters and craftspeople. He is strong as an ox and always has a kindly smile on his face. Sergio is also an artist. But that is only the beginning. Sergio regularly participates in the Annual Marathon in his home town. He was ranked 1st in tennis in the singles and doubles division in his district and is an athelete of high order. Since the accident which broke his back in a fall on a construction site 16 years ago, Sergio Valdez is also a wheelchair user. Working at Push International is his dream job, he is happy to tell others at every opportunity. "I never dreamed that I would have the chance to serve so many disabled people or to make such an immediate and positive impact on the lives of so many families", he said to reporters in an interview from the local press on one occasion. Today Sergio is the Director of Distributions at Push International’s Hub # 1 based in Mazatán, México. He oversees the modifications, adaptations and adjustments to each wheelchair to assure that every piece of donated equipment perfectly suits the needs and conditions of the person with disabilities and of his or her family. Sergio says, “Every day I am blessed to see how my work lifts people up, recognizes their inherent dignity and inspires them to use their own unique talents to overcome the challenges and circumstances they face in their own daily lives.”
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have seen mothers carry their disabled child into a distribution. I have watched them weep with joy when they explain how the wheelchair will let family members take this child out into the yard so that she will be able to watch her siblings at play.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
...make sure that adequate funding never hindered the important work of bringing dignity, hope, personal mobility and increased independence into the lives of people with mobility impairments.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
seeing that it is not only the recipient of the equipment who benefits, but that it is also the donor in the USA and the Volunteer who makes the personal connections to the recipient and his/her family during distributions.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
...professional, motivational and committed to deliver the best personalized seating and to making every customized adaptation and modification that is necessary so that the wheelchair best serves the recipient's needs.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
...open additional Hubs across México to bring more sustainable mobility equipment centers based on successful partnering with local supporters and advocates - replicating the model established in Mazatlán.
Ways to make it better...
... funding would allow Teams to work back-to-back in immediate succession so that projects would get completed more quickly and sequentially. Result: More equipment donated to more people more quickly and more efficiently.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
... reliable sources of funding. Everyone is a volunteer except Sergio who was written about earlier.
One thing I'd also say is that...
The Push experience is a life-changer for the Volunteer Team Members. This is a place where you can SEE how what you are doing makes an IMMEDIATE and POSITIVE impact on the lives of the recipients - at every distribution event.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
