Alternatives in Motion; Connecting with Community

5/26/10

Incase you missed it on facebook or twitter, I wanted to brag about Alternatives in Motion and a recent opportunity we had to share our message.

In March we were nominated for the WOOD TV 8 Connecting with Community Award for our collaboration with Carelinc Home Medical and Wright & Filippis, two wheelchair vendors here in Grand Rapids. The Connecting with Community Award recognizes groups that have developed strong partnerships and collaborations with other organizations to make a positive impact on the West Michigan Community.

Our partnership is unique in the fact that we have two for profit competitors coming together to help their nonprofit counterpart. Both of these companies have played a key role in the success of Alternatives in Motion over the last several years by supporting us financially, helping with wheelchair repairs and deliveries, and sharing their knowledge of the medical equipment industry with us so we can better serve our recipients. Together we all share the common goal of making life better for individuals with disabilities.

As one of eight finalists nominated for the award, WOOD TV aired a short segment about our partnership during two of their news broadcasts and featured Alternatives in Motion on eightWest. In addition we had the opportunity to attend the Connecting with Community Awards presentation at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on Thursday May 13, 2010 with our friends from Wright & Filippis and Andrew, one of our recent recipients. 

The 2010 Connecting with Community Award winner was Recreation Reaps Rewards, a great program that provides after school programming for youth in Grand Rapids. Despite not winning the award, we were honored to be a part of this special event. At the end of the night it was obvious that Grand Rapids has some amazing organizations doing remarkable things to make our community a better place to live, work, and grow up.

I want to thank WOOD TV and their community partners from Art Van Furniture, Metro Health Hospital, Grand Rapids, Community College, and Huntington Bank for giving organizations like Alternatives in Motion the opportunity share our story with the residents of West Michigan.

Click on the video below to see how Alternatives in Motion is Connecting with Community: 

~Matt Chapman
Director of Marketing & Special Events