Words by Smiley Team
School is out for the summer at Central Connecticut State University, but tech engineering major Connor Spencer isn’t taking a break just yet.
Over the next couple of weeks, Spencer is gearing up to gift electric carts to a few children with disabilities, with the help of middle school and high school students.
His efforts are part of Go Baby Go, a national community-based outreach program to help children with disabilities receive access to independent mobility. Spencer, 21, has been president of Connecticut's Go Baby Go chapter for nearly two years and has built roughly 20 carts.
The program works with volunteers from different schools or other groups to build the electric cars over the course of two days for children who can’t afford adaptive wheelchairs. Children get to take the free carts home and usually use them for an hour a day. Currently, the Connecticut chapter has around 30 members of students who want to learn how to make robotics with a purpose.
Specialised wheelchairs to fit children’s specific needs are unaffordable for some families across socioeconomic backgrounds. Commercial wheelchairs for children under the age of three can cost $30,000 and are often not covered by health insurance policies. The carts Go Baby Go are much cheaper (about $200 each to make) and are funded completely by donations. Local physical and occupational therapists usually pick the children who get to receive the carts.
Last week, Spencer led a build with volunteers from New Britain High School for two children, Kelicia, 7, and Mosiah, 8, according to CBS. Kelicia was born with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome, which causes severe developmental delays due to an extra chromosome 18. Doctors told Kelicia’s family she wouldn’t live past a few months. Mosiah is unable to walk on his own.
Original article by Leah Rodriguez - Source Global Citizen
