Three Rivers Foundation Backs Heartland for Guardian Alerts

Three Rivers Helping Hands Community Foundation recently awarded Heartland Independent Living Center a $3,000 Change for Life grant. The funds will be used to purchase Guardian Alert 911 communication devices for Heartland consumers. This is the fourth year that Three Rivers has supported Heartland’s quest to help the community’s disabled individuals. 

“It is through the generosity of local business leaders such as Three Rivers that we are able to enhance our services to the disabled in our communities,” states Heartland Executive Director Pat Chambers. “We appreciate Three Rivers for remaining a steady support in promoting our efforts to allow people to remain independent in their own homes.” 

The Guardian Alert 911 is a two-way communication device that allows an individual to call for immediate help at the touch of a button. It is a personal security emergency response system that can provide a life-saving means of support for anyone who cannot help themselves in the event of a fall or sudden illness. Heartland has already distributed many Guardian Alerts but demand overpowers supply creating a waiting list for qualified consumers. 

Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, located in Linn, MO, serves portions of seven counties and more than 21,000 residential, business, commercial, farm and industrial accounts. One of the missions of its Helping Hands Community Foundation Change for Life program is to assist community service providers in their efforts to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood and community. “Guardian Alerts certainly meet that mission,” states Foundation Coordinator Vicki Lange. “They provide safety, security and peace of mind to disabled individuals living at home,” Lange continues, “and we are proud to support Heartland in getting them to the right people.” The Change for Life program is funded by Three Rivers Electric Coop members who voluntarily allow their bills to be rounded up to the next dollar. 

HILC Helps Five Year-Old Gain Independence

Look out Villa Ridge, there’s a new driver in town. Five year-old Marissa Smith is the proud owner of a power wheelchair.

Marissa was born with Cerebral Palsy, a disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by injury or abnormal development in the immature brain, most often before birth.

Heartland Independent Living Center (HILC) was first introduced to her in November 2012 when Franklin County Developmental Services contacted HILC staff to see if they could help Marissa’s family obtain adaptive equipment. The first item required was a feeding chair. HILC located one from another Center for Independent Living in Kansas City, driving 215 miles to pick it up, and delivering it to her home in Villa Ridge. 




HILC staff discovered the family’s difficulty with Marissa’s entry into her home. Missy, 
Marissa’s grandmother, inquired if it was possible to obtain a ramp for their front door. 
Marissa’s preschool had loaned them a manual wheelchair, but access to the home was limited by the front steps. “I would carry Marissa up and down the steps to the school bus,” says Missy, “but it really tore up my back. I was off work for a month.” 

HILC went to work in designing and building a ramp to Marissa’s front door. With labor 
donated by the Chris Bohl Foundation of Rosebud, a 20-foot ramp was built and ready to use by mid-February. 

The next determent to Marissa’s independence was that the manual wheelchair required a “driver” as Marissa could not operate it herself. Again, HILC was able to locate a used power wheelchair from another Center for Independent Living in Jefferson City that was just the right size for Marissa. The wheelchair was picked up in Westphalia, refurbished and delivered to her home. 

Although turning in circles and lying backwards are currently her favorite options, Marissa is learning the ins and outs of using the power chair to its full capacity. In addition, her 
grandmother says Marissa can now “ride bikes” with her siblings and neighborhood friends. 

Both Marissa and her grandmother Missy are grateful for HILC’s help. “With Marissa getting taller and heavier, she also got harder to carry,” explained Missy. With the power chair and ramp, Marissa is now much more independent. “Independence suits her just fine,” says Missy. “Marissa is a real trooper.”