Back in 2011, community member Davetta Brooks fell and fractured her hip, which caused her to lose the ability to walk. She received her first wheelchair that same year, paid for by Medicare, and it lasted about 10 years. About 2 years ago, she received a new wheelchair, but it recently broke and would no longer hold a charge.

Davetta ran into many issues with getting Medicare to cover the repair or replacements costs, given the short amount of time she’d had it. That’s when Beyond community partner, Jane Addams Senior Caucus, reached out to us on her behalf. Davetta is on the Board at JASC, and the leader of a tenant association, which requires her to be mobile, so legal assistance was necessary at this point. Being immobile left Davetta feeling incapable of doing her job. She said, “I’m a people person. Without my chair, I was no longer able to be that. It made me depressed.”

One of Beyond’s paralegals, Loreley Arvizu, called the Medicare contact and Davetta was provided a new chair just two weeks later. This was life-changing for her. She said, “Thank God for you all at Beyond Legal Aid. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. It changed my life. Now, I’m able to go outside and enjoy the weather, I’m effective in my role again, and my quality of life is much better. I needed this.” Please consider supporting Beyond, so we can continue this life-changing work alongside our community partners.