Swinging Into an Accessible World: A SmileMass Story (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798547462016)

Small Miracles in Life Exist (SMILE Mass) is a 501 C3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping
families raising children or adults with disabilities enjoy happy, healthy memories through vacation
and recreation experiences. Our mission is to create a day trip, a vacation opportunity, or recreational
experiences without barriers, not only in our smaller communities throughout Massachusetts, but
throughout New England.

Smile Mass was born out of a simple goal - to get a handicap accessible swing installed in a
playground in Sudbury so that my son, Nicholas, would be able to enjoy the park alongside his
younger sister and friends. That simple goal resonated with the people in our town and evolved into a
major project to construct a playground that children of all abilities could enjoy. Together, we were
able to design, fund and build the first fully accessible playground in MetroWest in less than a year.
The SMILE playground adjacent to Haskell Field is now a landmark in our community, a destination
for families throughout MetroWest and greater Boston, and a model for towns across the
Commonwealth and beyond.

Building on the success of the SMILE playground project, in 2010, SMILE Mass turned its focus
towards the beaches of Cape Cod. Our goal was to donate a floating beach wheelchair to every
public beach on Cape Cod that requested one. Over the past 9 years, we have donated over 140
floating beach wheelchairs to public beaches in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
and Connecticut as well as established a loaner program currently based in Sudbury through which
anyone can borrow specially designed equipment (beach wheelchairs, adapted bicycles, snow sleds,
jog strollers etc.) to use for a day or a week, at home or on vacation.

In 2018, we realized our biggest undertaking to date - we acquired a town house in Truro, MA and
transformed it into a fully accessible, vacation rental on Cape Cod!

Finding the right facilities that are actually fully handicapped accessible with all the right amenities
can be extremely difficult for people with mobility or other severe disabilities. If found, these facilities
often come with many extra fees that make it difficult for many families to afford. The SMILE Mass
vacation home has been designed to accommodate people with a wide range of disabilities, with
financial assistance provided to those who qualify.

SMILE Mass will be opening an adaptive and inclusive gym by partnering with The Fieldhouse in
Sudbury. The SMILE Mass/Fieldhouse partnership will allow individuals of all abilities to work out
alongside each other, creating a community space where everyone belongs, despite disability.
I hope you will consider continuing to support SMILE Mass with a tax-deductible gift. A donation of
any denomination will make a tangible difference - whether it means purchasing new equipment for
our loaner program or funding the construction of a room in the Cape house. Please do not hesitate
to contact me directly if you are interested in learning more about our organization, our projects, or
ways to contribute.

Author: Jeffery Sweet
ISBN-10: 8547462015
ISBN-13: 9798547462016
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 08/04/2021
Pages: 28
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.22lbs
Size: 10.00h x 8.00w x 0.07d