In the second annual PT Day of Service, the Physical Therapy Community leaned further into the realm of compassion and service, as we saw an increase in hours, participants, and countries as compared to last year!
An added theme this year was to proactively promote a positive and sustainable impact around the world, beyond the day itself. Some did this in the form of setting up sustainable projects that will last for months after PTDOS and others graciously answered our call to donate money to three pre selected initiatives. Every effort, act, and contribution has been so very inspiring.
Through sponsorships, individual donations, t-shirt sales, and promotions, we were able to raise over $22,000! Funds will be managed by the 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Move Together, which we founded in part to make PTDOS a sustainable initiative. Move Together’s mission is to increase access to quality rehab medicine around the corner and around the world. Earlier this year, we notified you of the destinations of where the funds would be put to use. Please see below for review of the different initiatives and fund allocation.
Pro Bono Incubator - $10,000
We will direct $10,000 to the Pro Bono Incubator (PBI). The allocation of these funds will allow the PBI to facilitate and support innovative efforts that are geared towards providing quality rehabilitative care for those with limited access to care in the United States. Applications for the program will be released in early 2017 via Move Together’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and website. For further info on the PBI, please contact Ciara Burgi at CiaraBurgi@MoveTogether.org.
The Quique Ceron Foundation - $5,000
The Quique Ceron Foundation is a sustainable rehab clinic based out of Esquipulas, Guatemala. It is led by Quique Ceron, an inspiring individual who himself had challenges with access and quality care after an injury. Quique was motivated to minimize the barriers to care by creating a rehab clinic that would be able to treat patients from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The $5,000 will go towards a clinic enhancement project. In the effort to improve the clinic’s capacity and capabilities, enhancement will include (but not be limited to): increasing treatment space, improving quality of equipment, improving patient documentation procedures, and supporting personnel. Many of the patients that are seen in this region of Central America lack the ability to receive care due to cost and and lack of options in their region. Quique’s clinic runs year round, turns no one away, and is making a profound impact in that corner of the world.
StandUp Kids - $5,000
Movement and posture is fundamental to rehab medicine and what those in physical therapy encounter daily. That is why we believe in and support the non-profit organization StandUp Kids, which strives to get standing desks in the classroom so that students have another front in which to combat inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle. We will donate $4,000 to StandUp Kids and $1,000 will be directly donated to a StandUp Kids project in Alexandria, Virginia.
Move Together - $2,000
PT Day of Service (PTDOS) is a program of Move Together, Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Allocating specific funding to Move Together enables us to ensure PTDOS is a sustainable initiative that will always have a home. This year’s costs included legal and accounting fees, website, branding, marketing, and the attainment of the 501(c)3 status to enable the safe, effective, and legal granting of funds back to other initiatives and organizations. Diligent steps are taken to minimize costs while maximizing quality of PTDOS. We are so thankful to all team members as they continue to share their passion, heart, and time on a completely volunteer basis. The initiative wouldn’t be what it is without them.
For updates on the above projects, sign up for our email list by utilizing Move Together’s contact form. If you would like to get more involved and dive deeper into service work, please email us directly at efosa@movetogether.org and josh@movetogether.org.
We thank you all so very much! Participants, ambassadors, sponsors, and everyone in between continue to show that compassion is possible and that together we can boldly embark on the journey of making this world a better place. We will see you next year on October 14th for the 3rd annual PT Day of Service!
-Efosa and Josh
