In 1979, while on vacation in Morocco, a young engineer and inventor named Don Schoendorfer witnessed the agonizing plight of a woman struggling to drag herself across a busy thoroughfare.
Unable to forget the scene, Don would eventually leave a successful career in the biomedical field and design a durable, comfortable, and cost-effective wheelchair. His unique design became the cornerstone of Free Wheelchair Mission, the nonprofit organization he founded in 2001.
Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries.
In collaboration with a network of like-minded partners, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed 1.5 million wheelchairs to individuals in need in 95 countries around the world, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, at no cost to the recipient.
The Neurodiversity Community Impact Fund is a year-round 1Purpose Network initiative serving neurodivergent people and families in Orange County.
Its purpose is to support opportunities for education, employment, family resources, community connection, and inclusion.
Built Different — Poker for a Purpose brought our community together on September 24, 2026. The relationships and opportunities to get involved continue throughout the year.
Explore the fund to learn about its purpose and current fundraising progress, or contact us to discuss volunteering, partnerships, and community needs.