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In The Press

Chair The Hope donates wheelchairs to physically challenged persons in Ghana

Author: My Joy Online
Published:  30 July 2021 10:43am

GHANA, Africa — US-based Non-profit organisation, Chair The Hope, has donated 220 out of 240 wheelchairs to physically challenged persons Rotary Club has identified in Ghana.

The remaining 20 are going to a non-governmental organisation, Ghana Make A Difference (GMAD), at Gomoa Dabanyin in the Central region. 

Rotary Ghana will directly distribute the 220 to those in need.

The items cost $36,000, with Rotary Club paying about ¢50,000 for duty and other local charges.

This donation forms part of an already existing relationship between the leadership of Chair The Hope and Rotary Ghana.

Leader of the US group and motivational speaker, Nathan Ogden who has been in a wheelchair in the last 19 years after landing on his neck while snow skiing, is excited about the initiative.

The donation is expected to improve the lives of recipients who struggle to move around at home, work among perform other activities when it comes to mobility.

At a short ceremony in Tema to hand over the items, Nathan tells Joy News about 2000 wheelchairs have been distributed to beneficiaries worldwide in the last three years.

“Three years ago, our family decided to do something big to help others, so we started a non-profit organization and began taking wheelchairs to different countries where they just don’t have them,” he said.

Leading Rotary Club to receive the wheelchairs, Past District Governor, Jeffrey Afful said it feels great to have this donation taking place as it aligns with the motto of the club; service above self.

“We undertake projects that put smiles on the faces of the needy and less fortunate in society. These items will be distributed to those who need them through a stringent process,” he assured.

According to him, although the clubs requested 529 wheelchairs, they are delighted to receive 220.

He was pleased private groups, philanthropists and clubs such as Rotary are taking up roles to support government’s effort in helping the needy.

Jeffrey was quick to say helping those with special needs is a process and not an event when asked whether the country is doing enough for those in need.

Chair The Hope and Rotary Ghana believe the relationship will grow stronger to help more physically challenged through this initiative.

Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com/chair-the-hope-donates-wheelchairs-to-physically-challenged-persons/

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‘We just want people to have hope’: Meridian non-profit gives home makeover to 4-year-old boy – KTVB7

Author: Shirah Matsuzawa
Published: 10:18 PM MDT July 25, 2020
Updated: 10:19 PM MDT July 25, 2020

BOISE, Idaho — Thirty volunteers gathered on Saturday for what they call a mobility makeover to help make life a little easier for four-year-old Tommy Marshall, who has Spina Bifida and is confined to a wheelchair, and his family.

“Tommy suffered major brain injury shortly after he was born and since then he’s had nine surgeries and four life flights,” Katie Marshall, Tommy’s mom, said. 

This is why non-profit organization Chair the Hope teamed up with CBH Homes and other companies in the Treasure Valley like Lowes and Home Depot to install ramps for the family to use, a deck, a pergola and a cement path to the backyard.

RELATED: Idaho nonprofit plans virtual auction to make 4-year-old’s home wheelchair-accessible

“We are grateful to see all of the kindness that comes from connecting over someone that needs something,” Marshall said. 

Nathan Ogden is the co-founder of Chair the Hope and can relate to the daily struggles Tommy and his family battle every day. 

“COVID made us stop but disabilities haven’t stopped,” Ogden said. “I’m a quadriplegic myself and so it means a lot to me to be able to go out and be able to help others have a better quality of life.”

Two and a half years ago, Ogden’s wheelchair was stolen at a Boise State football game and that experience sparked his need to want to help others with disabilities.

“Boise came together and supported me in my time of need to try and find my wheelchair and this is a way that we can give back,” Ogden explained. “We just want people to have hope, have hope that there is something better and also hope that people care enough to come out on their Saturday and serve others.”

Saturday’s effort now serving as a life-changing experience for Tommy and his family. 

“I’m so grateful that this project is making it so his world is not one that he’s witnessing, he’s not just witnessing life going by, but he’s going to enjoy it and experience it,” Marshall said.

Chair the Hope was founded in Meridian but helps those with disabilities throughout the world by delivering wheelchairs and medical devices to them free of charge. 

Chair The Hope Tommy Home Mobility Makeover

Source: https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/spina-bifida-wheelchair-nonprofit-chair-the-hope-meridian-boise-cbh-homes-mobility-makeover-coronavirus/277-5a4c41fc-958b-488f-a04b-aa7cbd6a38f2

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Chair the Hope: Funding Wheelchairs Around the World

Join us Monday night for a special evening as it marks the premier of the Chair The Hope documentary. The documentary depicts the journey of the Ogden family who biked over 1000 miles through Idaho to raise money for the Wheelchairs Foundation. Proof providing the eye wear needed for just the occasion, they started route in Mt. Bachelor Oregon and ended their journey in Los Angeles California this last summer.

You can buy tickets here: http://chairthehope.org

Chair The Hope is a charity started by the Ogden family, their goal is to help inspire others to keep moving forward in light of physical, mental & emotional challenges, all the while raising $100,000 to the Wheelchair Foundation. Currently with their latest trek, they have raised over 9,000 dollars, well on their way to making their goal.  

The Wheelchair Foundation is a non profit organization dedicated to creating awareness of the needs of individuals with disabilities on an international scale by providing any child, teen or adult with a wheelchair, if they cannot afford one. For these people, the Wheelchair Foundation not only provides the person with a wheelchair, this also gives the person a sense of hope and independence which is something everyone deserves. And with every pedal, every mile, the Ogden family has provided just that.

We hope to see you next Monday night, the 14th, at the Majestic theater!

Proof: https://www.iwantproof.com/blogs/news/chair-the-hope

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“Chair the Hope” documentary ready for the big screen

Chair The Hope Documentary

A Treasure Valley man’s wheelchair was taken from him, but that hasn’t hampered his giving spirit.

Nathan Ogden’s wheelchair was stolen last fall at a Boise State football game; that chair is still missing. 

It takes a lot to get Ogden and his family down. Ogden has broken his neck not once, but twice.

Last July, he traded he traded his wheelchair for a bike and joined his family on a 1,200 mile bike ride to raise money for wheelchairs for those in need across the world. 

Over spring break, the family hand-delivered the chairs in Mexico. A film crew joined them on the journeys. 

“As we’ve progressed through this process we’ve realized that this journey can affect so many other people’s lives,” Heather Ogden, Nathan’s wife, said. “Having a camera crew with us was neat and fun because they’re great guys, but we have really realized this movie is going to be able to reach so many people.”

The Chair the Hope documentary is making its big screen premiere at the Majestic Cinemas in Meridian Monday, May 14 at 7:00 pm. 

Tickets are $10 and all the money will go to the Ogdens’ Chair the Hope nonprofit. 

“If you want to see something that will motivate you, that will help you realize that you can do harder things, that you can dream bigger, that you can do better and you can help more, this is it,” Nathan Ogden said. 

Source: Article originally published on ABC News Channel 6.

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Nathan Ogden gives back after community support

Chair The Hope Co-Founder Nathan Ogden discovered that his wheelchair had been stolen while watching a football game.

Watch for the full story.

The Meridian man who had his wheelchair stolen at a Boise State football game in September is giving back in a big way after the community showed him so much support.

Read Transcript:

We have an update on Nathan Ogden, the Meridian man who had his wheelchair stolen at a Boise State football game in September. Although the wheelchair was never found, he has received so much support since then.

It’s turning into a positive thing, not just for him, but for so many others. As our Tami Tremblay tells us, there’s an event coming up next week where you can get involved.

During the Boise State-Virginia game, Nathan Ogden’s customized wheelchair disappeared.

Nathan Ogden, “You know, it happens. Bad things happen.”

It still has not been found.

Nathan: I think people were more angry than I ever was. In everything that happens, you have to look for the good.

And he says that so much good has followed the theft in September. Including someone stepping up, buying him a new wheelchair.

Nathan: The love and support was awesome.

And he says it just kept coming.

Nathan: Hundreds of thousands of people were following what was happening. Where is his wheelchair, why did it happen? And because of that, we met some neat people who said, “Nathan, we want to help.”

Many of them donated money. Around $22,000 has been raised so far. Nathan says it will go to a cause close to his family’s heart. The Wheelchair Foundation.

It’s going towards wheelchairs for those who need them.

Nathan, his wife Heather, their four children are planning to help deliver the wheelchairs to poor communities in Mexico in the Spring.

Put them in a chair and say, “Hey listen, this is yours. You get to keep it. You can now live dreams, you can now play, you can now do what you want to do.”

Nathan Ogden

And they want to do that for as many people as possible. So before the trip a benefit is being planned called Chair The Hope.

It’s going to be an amazing event.

A donor has already said he will match up to $20,000 raised.

Nathan says all the positive deeds have helped him stay positive.

For these last two months sitting in a chair that has caused more pain. It limits my ability to do the things I want to do. It stinks. It’s not fun. It’s harder on my family. It’s been hard on me. However, the good that’s coming out of this, far outweighs any discomfort that I’m going through.

In Boise, I’m Tami Tremblay. Idaho’s News Channel 7.

Source: https://www.ktvb.com/video/news/local/nathan-ogden-gives-back-after-community-support/277-2817084

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Quadriplegic man bikes 1,200 miles to “Chair the Hope”

It’s been two months since NBC5 News first told you about a quadriplegic father and his family bike riding 1,200 miles down the West Coast.

quadriplegic man bikes 1200 miles nathan ogden

They’ve completed the journey and are now sharing their stories.

The Ogden family has raised more than $40,000 dollars.

That means at least 280 wheelchairs for the disabled in developing countries and just because the ride is done it doesn’t mean their efforts to help are over.

“It was a really neat moment. I think to finally have all that effort and work and fear and excitement – everything bound up into one – finished,” Nathan Ogden said.

1,200 miles and 11 days later, the Ogden family had finally made it to their personal finish line – the Santa Monica pier.

“You have to realize that no matter how small we may feel, we can do great things and that’s what we were doing… we were trying to push to do something bigger than ourselves,” Ogden said.

Nathan Ogden is a quadriplegic but he and his family decided to make the trek in a relay-style to “Chair the Hope”.

The family is raising money to provide wheelchairs for disabled people in developing countries.

“They can have the opportunity to choose what they wanna do each day,” Ogden said.

Throughout the 11 days of riding, Ogden says the most challenging part was making sure everyone remained positive and healthy.

For the most part he says the trip was a success.

“My wife hurt her wrist, but other than that we didn’t have any injuries. We were pretty blessed that nobody went down with a major problem,” Ogden said.

He says he’ll never forget the sights he saw from Crater Lake to the Redwoods to riding along the ocean.

While he’s holding onto those memories, he’s certain they’re not done yet.

In fact, the family is visiting Mexico in the spring to hand out wheelchairs in person.

“As a family we get to go down and physically help people into these chairs and see how their lives are changed and to me… that’s the icing on the cake. That’s everything coming around full circle and I can’t wait for that,” Ogden said.

A documentary about the Ogden family’s journey a comes out in a month.

Proceeds from that will also benefit the cause.

The Ogden’s are still hoping to raise $100,000 dollars.

If you’d like to donate, visit http://chairthehope.org/

Source: https://kobi5.com/news/quadriplegic-man-bikes-1200-miles-to-chair-the-hope-61052/

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Meridian family bikes 1,200 miles to raise money for wheelchairs

The Ogden family set out on a ride from Bend, Oregon, to the Santa Monica Pier to prove you can do hard things.

MERIDIAN — A local family is changing lives 1,200 miles at a time: the Ogdens set out with a mission to ride along the West Coast and raise awareness and money for wheelchairs to be delivered to those in need in developing countries.

“The only thing that kept us pushing so hard was knowing that we’re doing this for someone else,” Chair the Hope co-founder Nathan Ogden said.

The family conquered their goal in 11 days, inspiring those who heard their story to persevere, despite disabilities and fears. It has been about two weeks since the Ogdens finished their ride. It didn’t come without challenges, but they say they always had their mission at the forefront. Through the “Chair the Hope” bike ride, the Ogdens set out to raise money for the Wheelchair Foundation because they know first-hand how critical a wheelchair is.

MOREBoise family’s 1,200 mile bike trek aims to provide wheelchairs for those in need

“It was a successful, amazing ride that we’ll all remember and we know that everything we did will change someone’s life forever,” Ogden added.

The Ogdens set out on a 1,200-mile trek from Bend, Oregon to the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles to prove you can do hard things.

“We averaged about 115 or 120 miles a day,” said Heather Ogden, Nathan’s wife and co-founder of Chair the Hope.

It was a journey sparked only four months prior, by a spontaneous notion.

“The thought was kind of given to me of: this will make a difference in people’s lives,” Heather added.

A journey she felt called to, and one that the whole family jumped on.

Sixteen years ago, Nathan broke his neck in a ski accident on Mt. Bachelor in Oregon.

“Three days before Christmas while snow skiing I came off a jump wrong and I shattered my neck and was paralyzed- paralyzed everywhere initially,” Nathan said. “And over the next year, I gained back most of my upper-body strength, and my legs starting to move a tiny bit.”

Then, Nathan says, he came down with pneumonia because his lungs were weaker. He went unconscious in his sleep and was rushed to the hospital. While he was there, he says he fell off an x-ray table while he was still unconscious, and broke his neck again.

“After the second neck break a year after the first one, I lost use of my hands, triceps and everything from the chest down. And I haven’t been able to regain any of that.”

His message through life as a quadriplegic and through this adventure: do not let excuses stand in the way of your ambitions.

“This was hard, but we learned a whole lot,” Nathan said.

“People say you can’t do it in this amount of time, but you actually can do it if you work really hard,” said the Ogdens’ ten-year-old daughter, Cortlyn.

The family of six is not a bike-riding family, they say. They only owned two bikes when they decided to pursue this journey — and both had flat tires. The family only trained for about a month once they got their road bikes and gear.

“The whole project was completely based off of faith because it was a very overwhelming, huge project,” Heather said.

Their motivation through the ride: changing lives by raising money to give wheelchairs, hope and independence to people in under-served areas of the world, who don’t have access to them otherwise.

“You just think of who you’re going to do it for and what cause you’re doing it for,” 12-year-old Malani Ogden said.

The family had pictures from the Wheelchair Foundation of people in need in developing countries receiving wheelchairs. That was motivation for them each and every morning, Malani said.

“If we wanted to give up or we just couldn’t do it or whatever, we just looked at them and knew that we could do it. We can do hard things.”

“That’s what was pushing us, driving us. That’s what got us up those hills,” Nathan added.

Through the Wheelchair Foundation, just $150 purchases a wheelchair to be delivered to an individual in need in a developing country.

“That now can go to these individuals that are sitting on a dirt floor and they’re not able to go live life the way they want to. They don’t have that agency. And this will allow that,” Nathan said.

Along with more than $30,000 in donations, several businesses sponsored Chair the Hope and thousands supported them through social media.

While Heather and Nathan say it was amazing to see their family pull together and tackle this task, their ultimate goal is to hand-deliver the wheelchairs they rode all those miles for.

“Our hope is to be able to take our family now that they’ve ridden the miles for this cause, to then be able to take them and actually help put together wheelchairs and lift the people up and put them in the chairs that they rode for,” Heather said. “I think that will be the most rewarding and sweetest experience of this whole ride. Being able to see that reward at the end of having people get their wheelchairs and have that new independent life is going to be amazing.”

The Ogdens hired a film crew to document their adventure, and are planning on showing the film in about a month. Through the ride, they’ve raised more than $30,000 through donations, and are trying to get to $40,000 through a matching donation.

“We’re going to keep pushing until we can get as many wheelchairs out there as we possibly can,” Nathan said.

You can still donate to the cause at ChairTheHope.org.

Source: https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/community/chair-the-hope-meridian-family-bikes-1200-miles-to-raise-money-for-wheelchairs/462269560

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Quadriplegic man biking 1,200 miles to “Chair the Hope”

Prospect, Ore. — A quadriplegic father and his family are bike riding 1,200 miles down the west coast to bring hope and wheelchairs to the world.

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Paralyzed Treasure Valley man helping others through “Chair the Hope” bike relay

Nathan Ogden is quadriplegic, but he’s about to take a ride most would never attempt. 

chair the hope wheelchair charity
Nathan Ogden (center) is with a group of volunteers making wheelchair deliveries around the world to people who need them.

Ogden has broken his neck not once, but twice.

“I broke my neck 15 years ago snow skiing and was paralyzed,” he said. “Then, was dropped off an x-ray table and broke my neck again.” 

Ogden is about to trade his wheelchair for a bike. 

He explained his mission to “Chair the Hope” at Tuesday’s Meridian Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. 

“I know what it’s like to not be able to move and do what I want to do, and I know throughout the world there are so many, not just kids but adults, that are unable to get around their village or city that they’re in,” Ogden said. 

With the help of his wife and four kids, Ogden will bike in a relay from Bend, Oregon to Los Angeles. 

“The whole purpose is we’re starting up where it all started for me: in the snow,” he said. “I wrote a book called Unfrozen which talks about how to go from being mentally stuck and kind of thawing your life out. So we figured what better way to start than in the snow and end up in L.A. where it’s pretty warm.”

By: Marissa Morrison

Nathan Ogden is quadriplegic, but he’s about to take a ride most would never attempt. 

Ogden has broken his neck not once, but twice.

“I broke my neck 15 years ago snow skiing and was paralyzed,” he said. “Then, was dropped off an x-ray table and broke my neck again.” 

Ogden is about to trade his wheelchair for a bike. 

He explained his mission to “Chair the Hope” at Tuesday’s Meridian Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. 

“I know what it’s like to not be able to move and do what I want to do, and I know throughout the world there are so many, not just kids but adults, that are unable to get around their village or city that they’re in,” Ogden said. 

With the help of his wife and four kids, Ogden will bike in a relay from Bend, Oregon to Los Angeles. 

“The whole purpose is we’re starting up where it all started for me: in the snow,” he said. “I wrote a book called Unfrozen which talks about how to go from being mentally stuck and kind of thawing your life out. So we figured what better way to start than in the snow and end up in L.A. where it’s pretty warm.”

The goal is to raise $100,000 for the Wheelchair Foundation. 

“Each wheelchair only costs $150,” Ogden said. 

Ogden and his family plan to hand-deliver some of the wheelchairs to families in a developing nation. 

Though the money goes to help mobilize other across the world, Ogden says he hopes the inspiration behind his mission touches closer to home.

“I want people to know that you can do hard things and that you should put your mind out there and dream bigger than you are right now,” he said. “That way, when you accomplish it, oh man. You can’t fathom what it will be like.”

The journey begins July 10. 

To follow along with the journey or to donate, click here

Source: https://www.kivitv.com/news/paralyzed-treasure-valley-man-helping-others-through-chair-the-hope-bike-relay

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Quadriplegic and Family to Cycle 1,200 Miles to Raise Money for Wheelchairs

For Nathan Ogden, life changed dramatically when he broke his neck coming off a ski jump in Oregon 15 years ago. He became paralyzed. Over the next year he made excellent progress and regained some upper body strength and mobility when he was hit with pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. While there and unconscious, he was dropped from the X-ray table and broke his neck a second time, causing additional loss of his upper body function.

Now, as a quadriplegic, he lives a full life and wants to help others do the same. Ogden has set out to put his wheels to work this July during a 2-week family bike ride from Mt. Bachelor Oregon (the site of the first break), to Los Angeles California. CHAIR THE HOPE spawned from an idea Ogden’s wife had – a bike ride, roughly 1,200 miles in length, and relay-style with their family of six. In true Ogden family fashion, they’re ready to roll with it.

The goal of CHAIR THE HOPE is to inspire others to get outside and keep moving despite disabilities, fears, or excuses, while raising $100,000 to donate to the Wheelchair Foundation. During the past 17 years, the Wheelchair Foundation has gifted over 1 Million wheelchairs to people in need all over the globe. Ogden is passionate about getting kids out to play, and fathers back to work to support their families, and overcoming the barriers of immobility.

Ogden is an inspirational speaker, trainer, and coach. In 2016 he published the book, Unfrozen – Superior Systems to Move from Paralysis to Progress. He resides in Boise Idaho with his wife Heather, and their four children Seniya (18), Kyler (16), Malani (12), and Cortlyn (10).

Source: https://crescentcitytimes.com/chair-the-hope-boise-idaho/

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