Q. Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. The University Corporation, San Francisco State, which is a 501(c)(3) organization, acts as Whirlwind's fiscal agent. Checks and credit card payments may be made out directly to Whirlwind Wheelchair or to the University Corporation with an earmark for Whirlwind. The University Corporation's Tax ID Number is 94-1384645.
Q. Is the online donation process secure?
Yes. Because your information is important we only use secure servers to process your donations. Of course, you can always make a donation by snail mail if you prefer.
Q. Why is quality important?
"Life is throwing fastballs at these folks. We can't give them whiffle ball bats," says Matt McCambridge, Whirlwind Quality Control Field Agent, speaking about life in the developing world while on a trip to Turkey to inspect a new production factory. Gritty developing world environments are hard on moving parts. A wheelchair is a critical mobility tool that opens many options its rider so reliability is very important. As designers we build in durability, reparability with universally available parts, and rigorous attention to our riders' real life needs. Careful design turns your decision to donate a chair into a life transforming tool that can last a lifetime.
Q. Do you collect and refurbish wheelchairs to send away?
No. Imported chairs often break quickly in the rugged conditions we serve. Refurbishing and shipping chairs is also comparatively expensive. Also, because US chairs use specialized parts and special tools, riders often have a hard time with repairs.
Q. Do you match my donation to a specific rider?
Matching your gift to specific riders substantially increases our administrative costs, which we work to keep low because we want to help as many people as possible. Of course, we are flexible on this with large gifts and on a case-by-case basis. Feel free to contact us info@whirlwindwheelchair.org. Please sign up for our newsletter; many of our distributions are covered and the photos are powerful.
Q. I want to set up a wheelchair shop in a developing country. Where do I start?
We recommend you take our wheelchair building class. Or, if you have some experience already and would like to volunteer to work in a wheelchair shop in a developing country in order to learn what to do, we may be able to help you make arrangements. If you have funds to support a new or existing wheelchair shop, contact Marc Krizack, Whirlwind's Executive Director.
