Objective

To identify individual needs in New England for simple home access ramps and to find volunteers willing to help build them. Those needing ramps and prospective volunteers should call the coordinator at 800 598-9842.

How many ramps are potentially needed?

Many hundreds of wheelchair ramps to provide home accessibility are needed in New England each year. This estimate is based on efforts in Dallas where volunteers built over 200 ramps in 2003, in Minneapolis/St. Paul where volunteers built over 800 ramps in ten years, and in the Greater Providence Area where over 200 ramps have been built in fifteen years.

Description of ramps

The stand-alone ramps are made of pressure treated lumber, sit on ground level blocks,  and are built entirely by volunteers.  A simple modular design and construction approach proven by the Minnesota Ramp Project is displayed on accompanying pages and is documented in full detail at "www.wheelchairramp.org".  For home use, they are classified for building code purposes as "temporary, unattached ramps" as opposed to "handicap ramps" which follow stricter requirements .

Why volunteer builders?

Volunteer labor directed by an experienced leader is capable of building a home access ramp saving the homeowner typically several thousand dollars.  Any available funds are conserved to pay for other expenses such as bathroom and interior modifications which require significantly more skill. A typical ramp replacing up to four steps can be completed by three or four moderately skilled volunteers organized by an experienced leader in one work day.

Who pays for the materials?

The homeowner is asked to pay for the materials which cost about $30 per foot of ramp. One foot of ramp is needed for each inch in height needed. Adopt-a-Ramp does not carry any funds.  In extreme situations Adopt-A-Ramp will assist the homeowner's effort in locating a charitable source.

Listing a need

If you are the homeowner or have appropriate permission, contact Adopt-a-Ramp at (800) 598-9842. The ramp need will be entered on Page 2 of this website and in Disabled Dealer Magazine of New England at no cost and will remain listed until fulfilled.