Washington Builders Recognized for Efforts on Behalf of the Disabled - 2/9/2004 - Real Estate Education Training Schools Conferences

Washington Builders Recognized for Efforts on Behalf of the Disabled

Through a grant from Aetna, Inc., the association received a $1,000 award. The annual award is administered by N.O.D.’s National Partnership Program.

The association was honored for its “Rampathon 2003,” a one-day project last May in which its members constructed 21 wheelchair ramps free of charge for low-income, disabled citizens in the Bellevue, WA, area. Members of the MBA Remodelors™ Council served as ramp captains, and last year’s event turned out to be the most successful yet in the program’s 10-year history.

The goal of the Rampathons is to reconnect low-income disabled citizens to their neighborhoods and work places. Ramp recipients rely on the ramps as the primary access to their homes.

“The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties has demonstrated a tireless dedication to the inclusion of citizens with disabilities who make their homes in those counties,” said Jerry Howard, NAHB’s executive vice president and CEO. “I am proud to acknowledge their accomplishment of this monumental task with this year’s NAHB/N.O.D. Disability Initiative Award.”

The National Organization on Disability promotes the full participation of America’s 49 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. Founded in 1982, N.O.D. is the only nationwide network organization concerned with all disabilities, all age groups and all disability issues. For more information about N.O.D., click here or call 202-293-5960.

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care products, serving more than 13.0 million medical members, 11.3 million dental members and 11.7 million group insurance customers, as of June 30, 2003.