The Texas Ramp Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free wheelchair ramps to low-income older adults and others with disabilities identified by local health care providers. Ramps are built exclusively with volunteer labor, keeping costs to a minimum. Ramps are built without regard to age, gender, race, religion or ethnicity.
Go to the Where We Build on the TRP website at www.texasramps.org for a listing of counties where we have a presence. If you don’t live in one of the counties listed, you can email us at info@texasramps.org to explore ways to bring our project to your locality. Three important factors are the availability of local volunteers, access to local funding, and identification of storage space.
The Texas Ramp Project grew out of a Dallas-based ramp-building organization that was started by the Richardson Kiwanis Club in 1985. Over the next 20 years the Dallas Ramp Project built nearly 3,000 ramps. By 2006, John Laine, who headed the Dallas Project for 15 years, decided the concept and results were too beneficial to restrict to Dallas. He and a handful of committed volunteers proceeded to take the concept statewide. Since inception the Texas Ramp Project has expanded its services across the state. The organization now has a presence in all major metropolitan areas, most smaller cities, and over 130 counties and has built more than 26,000 ramps.
The ramps are built exclusively by local volunteers. That means that TRP can hold the cost of a ramp to about a third that of a retail contractor. For an average of $800 to $1,000 in materials and a few hours of donated labor on a Saturday morning, the life of a homebound person can be completely transformed.
The Texas Ramp Project does not accept referrals directly from clients, families or friends. Referrals must come from a third-party health care provider, social worker, services organization, or other support agency, such as an Area Agency on Aging. The provider qualifies the client as being in financial need. The provider fills out the online referral form on the Request a Ramp page at www.texasramps.org.
First of all, the person must be low-income, have a disability, and live in an area where TRP provides services. After that, priority is given to dialysis patients, hospice patients, people living alone, and people with a dangerous existing ramp. These priority classes have a button on the referral form. If you feel your client needs priority and he/she does not fit any of these categories, you may explain in one of the free-form text boxes. A common example is an acute patient about to be discharged from a medical facility, such as a new amputee going home.
Ramps are funded by grants, donations, and fee-for-service reimbursements. The ramp is always free to the client. In some instances, clients would like to donate toward the cost of their own ramp or pay it forward for someone else to receive a ramp. We also encourage local fundraising to help underwrite the costs of lumber and hardware.
Please be aware that due to the high demand for ramps, it may take several weeks or months, or even longer, to schedule the ramp. The Texas Ramp Project receives far more referrals than it has funds available to pay for them.
Your new ramp is built with pressure-treated wood. This minimizes the potential problems of wood rot and termite damage. You may decide to paint or stain the wood for appearance’ sake. We recommend waiting three to six weeks so that the wood will be completely dry. Sprinkle sand on the deck while the paint is still wet, or purchase paint with grit in it to reduce the risk of the ramp being slippery.
If TRP was the builder of your ramp and you need a repair or have questions about your ramp, send us an email at info@texasramps.org.
The referral form is sent to the Region Coordinator. A trained surveyor visits the home and designs a ramp at the preferred entry/exit that is appropriate in length, slope and direction. If the client approves the survey design, the ramp is scheduled for construction. A volunteer construction crew, led by a trained leader, will then build the new ramp at your home in as little as four to five hours.
If you’d like to help build ramps, either as an individual or a group, go to the TRP website at www.texasramps.org. Click on Volunteer! and fill out the volunteer application form. We’ll make sure the right person/city/county receives your message. Some regions have more detailed volunteer information and post their build schedules online. You can also email info@texasramps.org.
Insurance prevents us from allowing kids under the age of 16 on the build site. We also ask that there be at least two adult supervisors at the site if minors are there. This is because if one adult has to leave, there would still be a supervisor on site for the other minors. We do, however, have painting opportunities that might be suitable for kids 12 and up.
Volunteers do not need any specific skills. Our seasoned team leaders will teach and guide every step of the way.
Water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, work gloves (if you have them) and hat. Dress appropriately for the weather. Unless otherwise notified, the Team Leaders should have all the tools and supplies you will need to build the ramp.
Donations can be made on the website at www.texasramps.org/donate or select the Donate button on any page of the TRP website. Checks can be sent directly to the Texas Ramp Project, P.O. Box 832065, Richardson, TX 75083-2065.
You may also use the QR code that is printed materials and the TRP newsletter.
The Texas Ramp Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which allows the donation to be tax-deductible.
As often as you would like. Setting up a recurring donation is an easy way to give on a regular basis. You can do this on the Texas Ramp Project website, using the Donor button. Some corporations also offer this convenience.
At the top of the texasramps.org website, you will find a link to subscribe to the Newsletter. You may also send an email to sjknutson@texasramps.org and ask to subscribe to the monthly newsletter.