Sandy

Sandy went “a couple of long years” without a scooter, during which time she “was pretty much stuck in the house.” She wanted to leave the house more often, but found that even going shopping posed a challenge. If a store had any scooters, it most likely wouldn’t have one available when she needed it, so she’d have to sit outside or in the car while her daughter went shopping for her.

Sandy has arthritis in her back, hips, and knees, which causes her to have a hard time walking, standing, or sitting for long periods of time. She remembers the feeling of excitement she had when she saw someone using a scooter to go down the street and realized that she could use a scooter, too.

She found a place that sold scooters near her, but she thought that the scooter would have to be a far-off purchase for her. “Being on a fixed income, there isn’t much left after bills and food, extra medications, and other medical things,” she says. She thought it would take her a “long, long time to save for something like this.” Fortunately, an employee at the scooter store referred her to Northwest Access Fund, and Sandy reached out and applied. She was able to get the scooter promptly, with a monthly payment that fits her budget.

“What a blessing that was… I can get out of my house more, I can go shopping with my daughter or my son, and I can go to the park with my grandkids. I even went trick-or-treating with them.” Sandy is also looking forward to taking her scooter on a plane soon, on a trip to Utah to see her son. She summarizes: “It’s unbelievable, I really love my scooter.”