3Rivers, Inc.

Goal: $3,500.00

Specific Need

Removing barriers, allowing people with disabilities to focus on their lives.

3Rivers provides a variety of services to people with disabilities and Seniors to remain in their homes.  Employment assistance is one of our most successful programs providing training and support services.  In 2023, we helped 29 people gain and maintain employment.  

We are seeking funding for assistive devices such as ramps, technology, and/or vehicle modifications to help overcome barriers to daily activities of life and maintain employment.  For many of the people we work with, simply getting in and out of their homes is difficult.  Many of our consumers live in homes with bathrooms that are not wheelchair accessible.  We can often find contractors willing to donate their time but need donations to cover materials. 

Covering these basic needs benefits individuals seeking employment and allows them to focus energy on their jobs instead of physical barriers.  

We believe that every person regardless of their abilities should live full inclusive lives in their communities. 3Rivers provides free services to individuals of all ages, all incomes, with all types of disabilities. 

Mission

3Rivers promotes the self-reliance of individuals with disabilities through education, advocacy, training, and support.  

Profile

3Rivers began as a volunteer organization in Wamego by a group of disabled veterans and other community members who believed that an individual's disability should not keep them for living healthy, fulfilled lives in their communities.  This effort expanded and 3Rivers is now covers 12 counties in northeast Kansas though the main office remains in Wamego.  

3Rivers is a non-profit, community based, cross disability, center for independent living, designed and operated by persons with disabilities per federal statutes.  The majority of staff and volunteer board members are persons with disabilities.  

In 2020, - 475 persons with disabilities received services

                22 high school age youth received in employment skills training

                3Rivers responded to more than 5,000 requests for information and assistance and

                244 requests for assistive technology were received

Limited funding sources exist to purchase assistive technology, so we assist individuals in fund raising and seek donations to cover expenses for items such as ramps, bathroom modifications for wheelchair access, hand controls so individuals with spinal cord injuries can drive their vehicles... etc.  

Services are provided at no cost to individuals - 

3Rivers receives limited local, state and federal funding to provide Independent Living Services but funding is not sufficient to address the many needs in our area. Grant guidelines prohibit the use of funds for assistive technology or home modifications.  Our staff and volunteer board continually work to increase the diversity of our funding including individual and corporate giving so that we can better meet the needs of our communities.  

3Rivers, provides numerous other services, including but not limited to;

• community and business education on accessibility
• education and assessments for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance
• annual Disability Mentoring Day events, linking young people with disabilities with community businesses and educators
• advocacy training to empower individuals with disabilities to take control of their lives
• supports and services to seniors needing assistance to remain in their homes
• information and referral services and much, much more....  

Your donation to 3Rivers provides direct support to individuals who live in your community.