Spotlight On
December 1, 2003
Organization Name:
Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc. (OPAF)
Founded: 1995
Contact Person: Jeffrey S. Reznick, Ph.D.,
Executive Director and Senior Research Fellow
Address: 1666 K Street, N.W., Suite 440, Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202/223-8878
Fax: 415/534-1857
E-mail: opaf@opfund.org
URL: http://www.opfund.org/
Mission:
The primary mission of OPAF is to offer health-education programs that enable individuals with physical disabilities - especially those served by members of the orthotics and prosthetics community - to enjoy the rewards of personal achievement, physical fitness, and social interaction.
Background:
OPAF, dedicated initially to providing financial and in-kind support to the 1996 Paralympics, generates its own initiatives through partnerships with individuals, organizations, and institutions engaged in raising public awareness of physical disability and improving the quality of rehabilitation medicine, science, and technology.
In advancing its primary mission, OPAF seeks to:
- raise public awareness of the benefits that individuals with physical disabilities receive from physical activity, orthotics, and prosthetics;
- facilitate continuing education programs for allied-health professionals who serve as members of the rehabilitation team; and
- coordinate in-kind support for future Paralympic games, chiefly by ensuring that orthotists and prosthetists certified under the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) are available to athletes during competitions.
Current Programs:
OPAF currently administers two direct-service community programs in cooperation with individuals, institutions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities.
- Fit for Life
Fit for Life, a partnership between OPAF and the National Amputee Golf Association, benefits individuals who may not want to participate in demanding aerobic exercise. This initiative is open to all allied-health professionals and every individual with a physical challenge regardless of age or disability. It involves learning or re-learning the game of golf in order to gain a greater sense of personal achievement.
- OPAF DC Community Initiative (OPAF DCCI)
OPAF DCCI furthers the mission of the organization to raise public awareness of the benefits that individuals with physical disabilities receive from physical activity and assistive technology, especially orthoses, appliances which attach externally to a limb to aid or correct the function of that limb.
OPAF also administers several additional programs, which aim to advance the organization's representation of orthotics and prosthetics in community and philanthropic circles. These programs include, among others, the OPAF Internship Program, OPAF Grant Program, OPAF Orthotics and Prosthetics Awareness Initiative, and OPAF Speaker Program.
Funding Needs:
OPAF currently seeks funding through grants and foundations to match the generous support the organization has received through special events and through groups and individuals who provide their expertise pro-bono in the areas of program management, risk management, development, and information technology.
The "Spotlight On" highlights the
activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community.
The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight
On" is based on criteria such as programmatic
interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure
the broadest possible representation of the region's
nonprofit sector.
If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight,"
e-mail a description of your organization, following
the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org,
with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.
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