One of the hidden barriers to independent living for disabled people is the lack of opportunities to stay active. Whether it's American high school athletes having to sue their athletic association to be allowed to compete – like two Pennsylvania athletes chose to do last fall – or athletic facilities and training not being financially accessible, there's a reason why many disabled people lag behind the activity levels recommended by health experts.
San Diego, California's Challenged Athlete Foundation (CAF), has been working to reduce these barriers to activity since 1994. Founded to support disabled triathlete Jim MacLaren, the organization has grown to fund over 60,000 athletes in its history, including 3038 during the 2020-21 fiscal year. According to programs manager Patrick Lawrence, CAF has been rooted in the community since the beginning.
"A group of triathletes in the community in which he [McLaren] was training, got together, created a fundraiser, and when they were able to achieve that goal, they looked around and saw the amount of people who came out to be a part of that event, who also had disabilities, and had no access to the kinds of equipment that could help them be successful in their sport. They saw that there was an opportunity to create something that could be transformational for other people."
In an era where the conversation about identity and person-first language often filters to the forefront, it may seem odd to have one of the most visible international funders of adapted athletic equipment and programs choosing to keep challenges in their name. Lawrence says it's something he and the rest of the staff keep in mind, as many of them do not identify with disability.
"The push and pull of it is it's something that's an established brand that's got 28 years of history behind it. And, at the same time, times change and I know that's something that we're cognizant of."
The foundation works on a pyramid model when dispersing funds, focusing most of its energy on grassroots-level athletes. The CAF also funds competitive athletes at both the mid and high-performance levels, with several Paralympians involved in the past – like Will Groulx and 2022 gold medalist Oksana Masters. Still, despite funders including Toyota and Nike, Lawrence says that demand continues to outstrip the organization's capacity.
"Given the budgetary constraints we have, I'd be happy if this weren't the case, but there will never be a time when there's more funding available to help athletes with disabilities than what we could provide."
You can find more information at Challenged Athletes Foundation.
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