Frequently Asked Questions
Browse our frequently asked questions below to see if we've answered yours.
Ramps are funded by grants, donations, and fee-for-service reimbursements. The ramp is always provided at no cost to the client.
In some instances, clients like to donate toward the cost of their own ramp, or pay it forward for someone else to receive a ramp. We also encourage local fundraising to help underwrite the costs of lumber and hardware.
The ramps are built exclusively by local volunteers. That means that the Volunteer Ramp Project can hold the cost of a ramp to about a third that of a retail contractor.
For an average of $1,000 to $2,000 in materials and a few hours of donated labor on a Saturday morning, the life of a homebound person can be completely transformed!
Volunteers do not need any specific skills. Our seasoned team leaders will teach and guide every step of the way!
We recommend bringing water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, work gloves (if you have them), and a hat. Dress appropriately for the weather. Unless otherwise notified, the Team Leaders should have all the tools and supplies you will need to build the ramp.
Insurance prevents us from allowing kids under the age of 16 on the build site. We also ask that there be at least two adult supervisors at the site if minors are there. This is because if one adult has to leave, there would still be a supervisor on site for the other minors. We do, however, have painting opportunities that might be suitable for kids 12 and up.
Recipients of ramps must be low-income, have a disability, and live in a local area where the Volunteer Ramp Project provides services.
The Volunteer Ramp Project does not accept referrals directly from clients, families or friends.
Referrals must come from a third-party health care provider, social worker, services organization, EMS, or other support agencies, such as an Area Agency on Aging.
If you or a family member need a mobility ramp, please do not apply directly. Instead, reach out to your healthcare provider, social worker, or a community organization to submit a referral on your behalf.
1. The Referral Provider qualifies the client as being in financial and medical need.
2. The referral provider fills out the online referral form (located at the bottom of this page).
3. Once received and verified, priority is given to dialysis patients, patients who require frequent medical treatments, people living alone, and people with a dangerous existing ramp. If you feel your client needs priority and he/she does not fit any of these categories, you may explain in one of the free-form text boxes. A common example is an acute patient about to be discharged from a medical facility, such as a new amputee going home.
Please be aware that due to the high demand for ramps, it may take several weeks or months — or even longer — to have a ramp scheduled for construction.
We try as hard as we can to build as many ramps as we can for all of our referrals, but the Volunteer Ramp Project receives far more referrals than it has funds and volunteers available to pay for them and to build the ramps. That is why your financial donation or your willingness to volunteer to be a builder and/or a team leader in your area is critical to our mission!
Your new ramp is built with pressure-treated wood. This minimizes the potential problems of wood rot and termite damage.
You may decide to paint or stain the wood for appearance's sake. We recommend waiting three to six weeks so that the wood will be completely dry. We recommend that you sprinkle sand on the deck while the paint is still wet (or purchase paint with grit in it) to reduce the risk of the ramp being slippery.
Still have questions?
Reach out to us, and we'll be happy to answer them.
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