header
PATF NEWSLETTER
Independence is Priceless...We Help Make It Affordable
February 2014
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation
                    
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
2013 Annual Appeal Update
Adaptive Vehicles Financing
Meet the PATF Board President
 
stairglide
 
 
Help us offer independence today
Upcoming Events 

02/08/14 10:00 a.m
Special Parents of Exceptional Children (SPEC)
"Effective Interaction Between Law Enforcement Personnel and Individuals with Disabilities"
Chestnut Hill Library

03/04/14 3:00 p.m.

Getting Equipment for Hearing from Medical Assistance Managed Care.

Webinar

http://disabilities.temple.edu/cal/  

03/14/14 10:00 a.m.
Heath Fair
ManorCare Health Services of Pittsburgh

 
 
Like us on Facebook
 
 
PA Assistive Technology Foundation
1004 West 9th Ave.
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
[email protected]
888.744.1938 toll-free
 
Thank you

 

Everyone at PATF would sincerely like to thank our generous donors who participated in the end-of- year appeal. It was a tremendous success and together we raised over $6,700.

 

The funds are already being utilized to help ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to get the assistive technology they want.  We are able to continue offering low and 0% interest loans, Information & Assistance, and Financial Education. 

 

None of this is possible without your support and assistance.  Once again, we thank you.

Financing for Adapted Vehicles

 

For the past several years, the majority of our loans were made to people who needed adaptive vehicles. This isn't surprising because everyone wants good, reliable transportation and adapted vehicles are very expensive!  
 
Neil in van

 

We have had the benefit of working closely with vehicle dealers.  Often the dealers would refer their customers to PATF when financing was needed. Unfortunately times are changing!  Now some of the dealerships are only using their own in-house financing.  Their repayment terms are often significantly higher than PATF's because they are based on a customer's credit with a maximum repayment period of 5 years. PATF offers a low rate of 3.75% for 7 years (new vehicle) or 6 years (previously-owned vehicle) to everyone who qualifies. PATF staff also provides customers with information about other possible funding resources so that the loan amount is as low as possible.

 

So help us get the word out! If you, or anyone you know, need an adapted vehicle, you often can't do better than PATF's affordable low-interest loan program.

 

 

Meet Katherine Reim 
Board President

 

Katherine Reim is the Program Manager / Assistive Technology Coordinator and Home Modification Construction Officer for Service Coordination Unlimited's Erie regional office. 

 

As manager, Ms. Reim oversees the day-to-day operations of Service Coordination Unlimited's (SCU) programs in Northwest Pennsylvania - Erie, Crawford, Warren, Forest, Venango, Mercer and Clarion counties. She supervises service coordinators who help people with disabilities access local resources for support as well as home and community-based waiver services.

 

Ms. Reim also provides outreach and assistance services to individuals with disabilities, families and community organizations for Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF).  PATF provides low-interest and no-interest loans to people with disabilities and their families for the purchase of assistive technology devices and services.

 

As a Home Modification Construction Officer, Ms. Reim connects individuals with disabilities with local contractors and community resources so that people can get the home modifications they need to live more independently in their home. 

 

Prior to joining SCU, Ms. Reim was a Program Manager and Assistive Technology Coordinator with UCP/CLASS.

 

In the summer of 2001, Ms. Reim was awarded the Mental Health Advocate Award for exemplary service to people with mental and physical disabilities.

 

Ms. Reim lives in Erie. She and her husband are the parents of four children. 

 

 

 

The Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a non-profit organization that provides low-interest loans to people with disabilities and older adults so that they can buy the assistive technology devices and services they need. 

 

Assistive technology is any device that helps a person with a disability achieve a more independent and productive life. Devices may include such items as: adapted vehicles, i-Pads, accessible home modifications (including ramps, roll-in showers, lowered counter tops), computers with special software and/or hardware, hearing aids, flashing doorbells, scooters and wheelchairs, seat lift chairs, closed circuit televisions (CCTVs).