Buying a Wheelchair Accessible Van: How We Raised Over $26,000 in 30 Days

The idea of purchasing a vehicle for most of us is no big deal. You go out, shop around and find what you’re looking for quickly and easily. Heck, you can even do most of it online nowadays. You might pay cash for it if you’ve saved your pennies, or you might take a loan to pay for it. Most banks are happy to extend you the money for a decent interest rate if you have good credit.

However, buying a wheelchair accessible van is like being at the bottom of Mount Everest, looking up and realizing just how daunting that climb is going to be…at least it was for me. This blog post is for those of you who are either buying a van for the first time, or need a little extra help in getting another one.

Realizing we needed to get Hudsyn an accessible van didn’t happen overnight, of course. We owned a Honda Odyssey that we adored and comfortably transported both kids in for many years. Side note: talking Dan into having a minivan for the first time (a manly bartender who would’ve rather died than become a suburban soccer dad) is a story for another time. Up until 2017, the traditional minivan had worked…even with Hudsyn getting a larger wheelchair in 2016 that weighed 61lbs. We just put the wheelchair in the back and manually lifted her into her carseat. But, as soon as she hit the 50lb milestone, transferring her in a typical minivan was not only cumbersome, it had started to injure our backs and shoulders.

We knew it was time to start looking for a wheelchair accessible van that would meet her needs long term. As we began to question whether we could convert our existing van (which wasn’t an option due to its age), we learned just how big that mountain looked. First of all, we needed a van that offered an easy changing-station for on-the-go diaper changes. I think this is the feature that most parents forget to consider when shopping for an accessible van. What happens if you’re out & about and your kiddo needs a diaper change? You know what I’m talking about…the horrible blowouts only special needs parents experience. Running into a grocery store bathroom is NOT an option in that moment. Changing them in a minivan is just as difficult…you either have to transfer them to the van floor or put them in the back with the door wide open where all the world can watch. People ask me all the time, “Why can’t you just put Hudsyn on a baby changing table in the public restroom?”

Well, those baby changing tables only hold kids up to a certain weight safely…AND, very few public restrooms offer adult changing tables. So the problem isn’t eliminated. This feature alone put us into a whole other category of vans. Some of the choices we were considering included: The Mercedes Sprinter, the Dodge Ram Promaster and the Ford Transit. These are traditionally commercial vans, used for business. As we looked online at each model and its features, we kept thinking…”ugh, this is going to be expensive no matter which option we choose!”

Shop Around

Due to cost and the mobility dealer (United Access), we decided on the 1500 Dodge Ram Promaster. It featured an electric bench seat in the back that was perfect for Hudsyn’s changing needs and enough room for transporting Damek and any of his friends in the future. The height on the inside of the van was also comfortable for both of us (we’re both 6′ tall).

It’s important that you shop around and find what works best for your family. We decided on using United Access as our mobility experts who would work with us during this important purchase. Everyone I talked to had so many wonderful things to say about them and their ongoing service, so that’s why we chose them. If you’re in the Kansas City area, please ask for Keith and let him know we sent you. He was amazing. United Access has locations all across the U.S. if you’re outside Kansas City. There’s also Mobility Works, Freedom Motors, Braunability or you can work directly with a brand like Ford who offers Ford Upfits. Sometimes these dealers can also point to special financing or grant programs that you can apply for through them.

We watched a ton of YouTube videos, giving us virtual tours of the different features for each vehicle. We knew pretty much what we were looking for by the time we walked into the dealership. The wheelchair lift was $31,000 and the van itself another $36,000. With sales tax and labor, the total cost came to $76,000.

Luckily, the dealer had located a 2015 (almost new), Dodge Ram Promaster in Tulsa, Oklahoma that had been converted already. It was supposed to go to a gentleman in a workman’s comp settlement, but for some reason it had fallen through. United Access had finished work on the van and it had been sitting in their lot for a year, waiting for the right family to buy it. Because of this situation, we were able to negotiate some discounts even though this van had only 500 miles on it and was fully converted.

Tip: Ask the mobility dealer you choose to shop for gently used vans or those that a family has sold back to them as a trade-in. Sometimes, this can be a very cost effective option. I would also look in the social media marketplace to see if anyone is selling their van (possibly due to the loss of a loved one or another family upgrading early). Be careful that you have the van inspected before you purchase it privately, though. These conversions can be hard on the van’s drivetrain, engine and other essential elements because of the weight they carry each day between the lift, the wheelchair and all the humans riding in them. The typical lifespan of a converted van is around 8-10 years before costly repairs need to be made.

How We Raised $26,000 in 30 Days

Once I knew the price tag this new purchase was going to cost, and after a few glasses of red wine (and some tears), Dan reminded me of our family motto: “The only way to it, is through it!”

I asked a few local moms who had converted vans what they did to help with the large price tag. I also consulted with our mobility specialist, Keith, and he had some great resources as well. Here’s how we did it:

1. Research all local and regional charities & non-profits that allow grants or sponsorships for your wheelchair van. Most will contribute toward the cost of the lift, but not the cost of the van. For us, that included: United Cerebral Palsy of Kansas (UCP), KS Society for children with Challenges and Variety Kansas City. I took one weekend, printed off all the applications, and did them all in one sitting. For me, this felt more productive than doing them over a period of time. For you, it might mean completing one each night you have a free 30 minute time slot. Some of them asked for tax return information to verify income. Many of them asked for Hudsyn’s story and verification of diagnosis. Have those documents handy!
2. Host your own, private fundraising events. Let people know what you’re doing so they can help, too. Dan had a large following of friends who were flair bartenders due to his past career and two of them offered to throw a flair competition in Las Vegas in Hudsyn’s honor. Dan’s brother, Ben, also hosted a poker tournament and our nephew ran in his first marathon asking for people to contribute for every mile he completed without stopping.
3. Ask fans/followers on social media for support. We used Facebook to not only create awareness, but allow for private donations for those who felt called to contribute. It became so popular, the local news stepped in and did a story to help us gain more awareness for Hudsyn’s (and many other childrens’) needs. If you have a blog or other online business, consider placing a “Donate” button with a goal tracking bar so everyone can join in the excitement of the progress. Definitely ask people to share your need with anyone in their friend circles.
4. Create a t-shirt campaign on Bonfire.com. We’ve done fundraising with t-shirts since Hudsyn was born for a variety of her needs that insurance wouldn’t cover. We use Bonfire exclusively for this because of the shirt quality, ease of use and user experience they offer. They created this crazy, awesome design, “Growth,” that you often see us wearing in our episodes on YouTube. The inspiration came from the fact that Hudsyn was growing…and we we all growing (spiritually, emotionally & mentally) right alongside her. You can see (and purchase) any of our past shirts via our online store.
5. Be Grateful and thank each donor, charity and sponsor who contributes. We were extremely active each time we received a new donation and THANKED that person/organization thoroughly. Not only did we reply instantly on social media (I would create a special thank you post to EACH person who donated, tag them, and re-link the Facebook donation page on my personal page). This gave the campaign top of mind awarness in all of my friends’ newsfeeds. We wrote handwritten thank you cards. Finally, after it was all completed, we also mailed and e-mailed a newsletter with the campaign’s results to everyone who helped us and highlighted how much each person raised in total. People really appreciated this and organizations could use it as a way to justify their needs so they can ask future donors to help more families.

Results

Without these generous donations, there’s no way we could’ve afforded Hudsyn’s new van on our own. Tip: We gave our campaign a deadline – get the van for Hudsyn’s 7th Birthday. This gave urgency, but also focus to our efforts. After fundraising, our total of $26,168 included:

• $6,000 – Facebook fundraising and other private donations
• $5,767 – Las Vegas Flair Competition by Martin Janica & Corrie Jones
• $5,000 – Variety KC
• $3,000 – Paisley Mae Foundation
• $2,086 – Bonfire.com T-shirt sales
• $2,000 – United Cerebral Palsy of Kansas
• $1,000 – KS Society for Children with Challenges
• $1,000 – Brett Lackey & Ben Seitz Poker Tournament (Topeka, KS)
• $315 – John Tyler (Hudsyn’s cousin) running in 2 marathons

We applied for a $40,000 vehicle loan from our local bank for the remaining balance. We were transparent with our contributors about the loan…and that it would’ve never covered the full cost on its own. It was important to us that we also had a big stake in contributing to the purchase.

In the end, the mountain CAN be climbed and we proved, once again, that the village is stronger than the individual. If you were successful with your own wheelchair van fundraising, please share in the comments! Together, we can all make this mountain an easier climb for all.