our story
Claire Wong, a Physical Therapist working with children with disabilities in Montgomery County, Maryland for 20+ years saw a need in her community. There were children with disabilities who could not get the adaptive equipment they needed to help them do their everyday tasks. These children were at high risk of further developmental delays and other negative health outcomes due to unreasonably long waiting periods, insurance rejections, and/or their families not having the ability to afford the devices. Some items such as adaptive strollers, car seats and therapy bikes are not covered by insurance at all yet are very expensive and needed items. These are a just few examples of the gaps in coverage for adaptive equipment. Claire began facilitating the exchange between clients of outgrown equipment that was needed by other children with disabilities. It soon became apparent that the need was massive and growing.
Equipment Connections for Children (ECFC) was formed in 2009 and received its 501(c)3 status in 2010. ECFC became a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to serve children with a disability in the greater Washington Metropolitan area by connecting costly adaptive equipment from children with disabilities who outgrow the equipment to other children who need it.
ECFC quickly began soliciting adaptive equipment donations from the community and matching them to the families with a child with a disability in need of equipment. In its first year, ECFC received 91 equipment requests from families. By 2015, the number of requests grew to 419 and have grown every year since.
ECFC, with its small part-time staff and dedicated volunteers, facilitated these exchanges out of a small storage facility until 2017 when they moved into a permanent space. This new space has afforded ECFC to better serve its mission and set its eye on growth and expansion needs.
ECFC’s vision is a world in which all available adaptive equipment is in use by the children who need it.
What is Adaptive Equipment?
Children who have a disability need adaptive equipment to help them with some of their basic movement around the house and in the community and with every day living skills.
Some examples of adaptive equipment are a standing frame to help them to stand, a walker or gait trainer to help with walking, an adapted seat to eat and play or a bath seat to hold them when they are bathing.
A child who has adaptive equipment to help them to do their own skills helps that child to be more independent. With adaptive equipment, children with disabilities can play and interact with their siblings or peers, move more independently, improve their learning, and have more independence in their personal skills such as eating, dressing and bathing. All of these lead to a happier child and healthier family life.
Equipment Connections for Children (ECFC) was formed in 2009 and received its 501(c)3 status in 2010. ECFC became a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to serve children with a disability in the greater Washington Metropolitan area by connecting costly adaptive equipment from children with disabilities who outgrow the equipment to other children who need it.
ECFC quickly began soliciting adaptive equipment donations from the community and matching them to the families with a child with a disability in need of equipment. In its first year, ECFC received 91 equipment requests from families. By 2015, the number of requests grew to 419 and have grown every year since.
ECFC, with its small part-time staff and dedicated volunteers, facilitated these exchanges out of a small storage facility until 2017 when they moved into a permanent space. This new space has afforded ECFC to better serve its mission and set its eye on growth and expansion needs.
ECFC’s vision is a world in which all available adaptive equipment is in use by the children who need it.
What is Adaptive Equipment?
Children who have a disability need adaptive equipment to help them with some of their basic movement around the house and in the community and with every day living skills.
Some examples of adaptive equipment are a standing frame to help them to stand, a walker or gait trainer to help with walking, an adapted seat to eat and play or a bath seat to hold them when they are bathing.
A child who has adaptive equipment to help them to do their own skills helps that child to be more independent. With adaptive equipment, children with disabilities can play and interact with their siblings or peers, move more independently, improve their learning, and have more independence in their personal skills such as eating, dressing and bathing. All of these lead to a happier child and healthier family life.