Colonial PVA offers free help to veterans with spinal cord injury, MS and ALS

The Colonial Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America offers free programs to Sussex County veterans with a spinal cord injury or disease, including multiple sclerosis and ALS.

The chapter lists 13 programs on its programs page.

The Newark-based chapter says it has served veterans since 1968 and has 320 members across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, the Philadelphia area and Washington, D.C., according to its About page. The state's veterans service directory lists Kent, Sussex and New Castle counties as its service area. Its national parent, Paralyzed Veterans of America, was founded in 1946 and is chartered by Congress.

Who can join

"Membership is free, programs are free, and the commitment has no end date," the chapter's membership page says. Members must be U.S. citizens who served on active duty, weren't dishonorably discharged and have a spinal cord injury or disorder, service-connected or not. The chapter says all veterans with ALS or MS qualify, along with conditions such as spina bifida, transverse myelitis and severe spinal stenosis with neurological impairment.

What members get

Every member can get up to $1,000 a year for adaptive sports, fitness, recreation and equipment. The chapter runs pickleball, bowling and cornhole clinics and sends members to national events such as the Valor Games and Golden Age Games, according to its sports page.

National Service Officers trained in spinal cord injuries and disorders work members' VA claims at no fee, and members keep all back pay, according to the membership page.

Caregiver support includes retreats, peer support and respite care grants of up to $500 for veteran caregivers.

The MS program offers peer support, weekly check-ins and monthly virtual meetings with Baltimore VA MS Clinic experts. A virtual MS support group meets at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.

The Women Veterans Program holds monthly virtual meetups at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday. "No SCI diagnosis or PVA membership required," the chapter says.

H.E.A.R.T. is "a 24-week paid fellowship helping paralyzed and disabled veterans build lasting careers."

Open to any Delawarean with a disability

Colonial PVA has administered Delaware's Accessibility Needs Program with the state since 1986. Any Delaware resident with a documented accessibility need can apply. "No military service required," the program page says.

Grants pay for home changes such as ramps, roll-in showers, stairlifts and grab bars, and for equipment such as wheelchairs, prosthetics and hand controls. Payment goes straight to the contractor or provider, so recipients don't pay up front. The chapter reports investing "more than $2.1 million" to help low-income Delawareans.

Applicants need proof of Delaware residency, medical records and two months of bank statements for everyone in the household. Review typically takes four to six weeks.

Coming up

Members, spouses, caregivers and children are invited to the chapter's December holiday party. Registration closes Nov. 15.

Contact

Colonial PVA, 700 Barksdale Road, Unit 2, Newark, DE 19711. Call 302-861-6671 during business hours or email [email protected], according to the chapter's contact page.

Help is available

If you're a veteran in crisis, or worried about one, call 988 and press 1, text 838255 or chat through the Veterans Crisis Line. It's free, confidential and open 24/7.