irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $20KWHEELCHAIR GIVING PROGRAM: THROUGH THE WHEELCHAIR GIVING PROGRAM, WHEELING FORWARD EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES BY PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED WHEELCHAIRS THAT RESTORE MOBILITY, FREEDOM, AND INDEPENDENCE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PROGRAM HAS DELIVERED OVER 500 WHEELCHAIRS TO PEOPLE IN NEED, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
- #2 $15KTHE SPINAL MOBILITY PROGRAM OFFERS FREE, ADAPTIVE EXERCISE OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH PARALYSIS AND OTHER DISABILITIES. ADDRESSING THE LACK OF ACCESSIBLE FITNESS OPTIONS IN NEW YORK CITY, THE PROGRAM HELPS PARTICIPANTS BUILD STRENGTH, ENHANCE FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE, AND FOSTER SOCIAL CONNECTION IN AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. BY PROMOTING HEALTH EQUITY AND OVERALL WELL-BEING, THE PROGRAM TRANSFORMS LIVES THROUGH MOVEMENT.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Adaptive Sporting
Organizes adaptive sports clinics including waterskiing, skydiving, snow skiing, and scuba diving through the Urban Outings and Play It Forward programs.
Advocacy
Helps individuals navigate health and social service systems to secure needed services and promote self-advocacy.
Higher Education
Provides need-based scholarships covering tuition, books, and assistive technology for students with disabilities attending CUNY colleges.
Nursing Home Transition
Supports young people with disabilities in transitioning from nursing homes to independent living through resources and peer support groups.
Spinal Mobility
Offers a comprehensive adaptive fitness program designed specifically for people with spinal cord injuries to integrate exercise into daily life and improve functional independence.
Urban Outings
Organizes social outings to cultural and athletic events to promote active lifestyles and community engagement for people with disabilities.
Wheelchair Giving
Provides custom power and manual wheelchairs on a need basis to individuals with disabilities, having distributed over 339 wheelchairs to date.
Wine on Wheels
Signature fundraising event that connects the wine community with disability awareness while supporting organizational programs.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Adaptive Sports Programs 2 activities
- Operating adaptive fitness programs for people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilitiesOffers free adaptive exercise opportunities and a structured fitness program in New York City designed to improve strength, functional independence, and social connection for people with paralysis and spinal cord injuries, including community sessions and training materials for clinicians.
- Organizing adaptive sports clinics and eventsHosts annual adaptive sports events including Adaptive Surf NYC, Adaptive Waterski NYC, and Adaptive Skate NYC, as well as clinics in skydiving, snow skiing, scuba diving, and waterskiing to promote inclusion, personal growth, and community empowerment for children, adults, and veterans with disabilities.
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Charitable Grantmaking to Specific Causes 1 activity
- Awarding grants to support programs for individuals with disabilitiesProvides $75,000 in grants to support external programs serving individuals with disabilities.
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Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
- Funding scholarships for students with disabilitiesProvides need-based scholarships covering tuition, assistive technology, and books for students with disabilities enrolled in City University of New York colleges.
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Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
- Organizing social and cultural engagement activities for people with disabilitiesOrganizes social outings to cultural and athletic events, including the Wine On Wheels event in Chicago, and promotes wine culture appreciation to encourage active lifestyles and social connection among people with disabilities.
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Charity Event Organization 1 activity
- Participating in marathons as an official charity partnerParticipates annually as an official charity partner in the TCS New York City Marathon from 2021 through 2025, including para-athlete participation in the New York, Boston, and Chicago marathons, to support individuals with disabilities.
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Adaptive Equipment Provision 1 activity
- Providing custom wheelchairs to individuals with disabilitiesDistributes custom power and manual wheelchairs to individuals in need, with an average of 50 wheelchairs distributed per year and over 500 delivered since inception to improve mobility, independence, and community participation.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 1 activity
- Supporting community integration and personal goals for individuals with disabilitiesProvides advocacy, mentorship, resource guidance, and support services to help individuals with disabilities—especially those recently disabled or transitioning from nursing homes—achieve personal goals, navigate health and social service systems, and increase community participation.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$203K
Contributions & grants$187K92%
Program service revenue$15K7%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$700
expenses
Total expenses$270K
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$51K
Grants paid out$11K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$148K
Cash$101K
Investments$0
Liabilities$368K
Net assets$-221K
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
6 years on record · 2018–2024 · YoY revenue +0.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDER ELEGUDIN | PRESIDENT | 10 | $20K |
| LAWRENCE HARDING | DIRECTOR | 10 | $19K |
| SARIFA ABU-HAMDA | TREASURER | 10 | $7K |
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- City University of New York Partner — Provides need-based scholarships to students with disabilities attending CUNY colleges.
- Court of Master Sommeliers Network — Yannick Benjamin is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers.
- Fessler Foundation Partner — Partner organization linked through public partnership listing on website.
- Flipcause Partner — Platform partner used for event registration and fundraising for Adaptive Skate NYC.
- Le Du’s Wines Partner — Yannick Benjamin has worked at Le Du’s Wines for over seven years.
- New York Road Runners Partner — Collaborated as an official charity partner in the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.
- Not specified Partner — Partnerships not explicitly named in source document
- PledgeIt Partner — Fundraising platform partner used for donation processing.
- Software4Nonprofits Partner — Technology partner used for event registration and management for Adaptive Surf NYC.
- TCS Partner — Partnered with TCS for participation in the New York City Marathon as an official charity partner.
- TCS New York City Marathon Partner — Official charity partner for the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon.
- TCS New York City Marathon Partner — Official charity partner for the 2023 event.
- TCS New York City Marathon Partner — Official charity partner for the 2024 event.
- TCS New York City Marathon Partner — Official charity partnership enabling team participation and fundraising in the marathon.
- Wheels of Progress Partner — Partner organization linked through public partnership listing on website.
- Yannick Benjamin Partner — Co-founder of Wheeling Forward and New York City-based sommelier who contributes to the organization's mission and public engagement.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Adaptive Fitness for Functional Independencemethodology: adaptive_fitness_programBy offering free, adaptive exercise programs tailored to individuals with paralysis and other disabilities, we improve functional independence and social well-being, because accessible fitness opportunities directly address the systemic lack of inclusive health resources.
- Adaptive Sports for Empowerment and Inclusionmethodology: adaptive_sportsBy engaging individuals with disabilities in adaptive sports, we produce greater confidence, social connection, and empowerment, because shared physical experiences break down social, emotional, and physical barriers and foster transformative self-perception.
- Individualized Support and Systems Navigationmethodology: individualized_supportBy providing tailored advocacy, mentorship, and systems navigation, we produce greater independence and goal achievement for people with disabilities, because personalized guidance enables individuals to overcome structural barriers and access resources critical to active community living.
- Participant-Led Fundraising Events for Awareness and Supportmethodology: event-based_fundraisingBy engaging participants in major endurance events, we generate public awareness and funding to advance quality of life for people with disabilities, because public-facing events inspire community involvement and translate visibility into tangible support.
- Restoring Mobility through Custom Wheelchairsmethodology: wheelchair_accessibility_and_mobilityBy providing customized wheelchairs based on individual need, we restore mobility and independence, because access to properly fitted assistive devices directly enables community participation and functional autonomy for individuals with disabilities.