7 Places to Shop & Support

Imagine it: it’s a beautiful Thursday morning in December, you are snuggled tight in your bed feeling right with the world, but, oh no, you just remembered that the holidays are coming; everyone will be expecting some store-bought token of your love, gratitude, or obligation (including that weird uncle who talks too much), and you have yet to buy a single gift!

Now, wake up to the realization that it was not a dream, IT IS December 8 and you have no idea where to shop. Relax! The Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America has you covered. We have put together an easy-to-use list (we have gathered a short list to get you started, but there are many more out there!) to help you discover where to shop businesses that give back to veterans & veteran causes, as well as a resource of online-based, veteran-owned businesses across the country.

Big Businesses that Give Back in a Big Way

Amazon Smile

Image Description: title text “Shop to Give” next to MPVA logo. Red bow underneath the title with description of steps to sign up for AmazonSmile below

For an easy way to shop for everything, from hard-to-find items to everyday necessities to the most craveable items, Amazon is unbeatable in 2022. That’s why it’s so awesome that the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America has an AmazonSmile charitable giving account with the online retailer. It’s simple: all you have to do is Log in at Amazon.Smile.com with your Amazon credentials> Sign up for AmazonSmile>Select your Charity> Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America (MPVA)> Voila! Make your purchases from over 1 million qualified items to have Amazon automatically give back a portion of your purchase to the MPVA!

Starbucks

If you’re looking for a gift for a teacher, postal worker, or another staple in your life, but have no idea what they would enjoy, consider a Starbucks gift card. This company has really put their money where their mouth is when it comes to how they support veterans; Starbucks has a Veteran and Military Affairs department run by a 20-year veteran with the job of recruiting vets for hire — and this department is proving to be a charitable AND wise business decision. Starbucks has hired more than 30,000 vets since 2013. This, along with their support of other programs uplifting veterans across our nation, makes spending $6 for a latte feel a little less painful.

Purina

Sometimes, the best way to show your love for someone is to show love for the love of their lives: their pet. Did you know that Purina has donated nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to programs for service dog training to prepare dogs specifically for veterans? It also donates tens of thousands of pounds of dog food annually to active-duty military dogs, as well as those in service to veterans.

Image description far distance view photograph of shopping mall during the holidays!

Verizon

Thinking of going big on a phone purchase for the loved one who talks too much?! Consider Verizon, who provide technology, equipment and services to organizations that serve veterans. You can also feel good about the fact that this business giant gives to organizations that support homeless vets and military spouses. P.S. most companies provide discounts on phones to veterans!

Southwest Airlines

Traveling somewhere out-of-state for Christmas dinner? Looking for the preferred option of “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles”? Southwest puts even more money into the pockets of vets through employment than it does through discounts. Southwest Airlines supports the Veterans Jobs Mission and has resulted in Southwest’s hiring of 8,000 veterans and Guard/Reserve members.

Walmart

The All-Things-Shopping Behemoth does a lot for veterans! It offers $1-a-day debt-free education through the Live Better U program and offers expanded access to healthcare and wellness programs through telehealth partnerships with the VA. What’s great is that you can shop in-person at one of their many Michigan locations in person or using their convenient online pickup or delivery services.

In addition, we are excited to share this online resource of 30+ veteran-owned small businesses around the country that are Internet-based!

Image description: individual sits in bed using a laptop *one of the best ways to shop

Happy Shopping! And an even HAPPIER HOLIDAYS!

#ReservedForAReason Do’s & Don’ts of Disability Parking

September is #ReservedForAReason parking awareness month here at the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America, and it is also national #SCIAwarenessMonth. Now is the perfect time to remind drivers of do’s and don’ts for dealing with disability parking (whether you’re permitted and doing the parking in a reserved space, or need to learn more about how to #HonorTheSpot).

Do’s & Don’ts

• DO Park cleanly within the lines for your designated spot
• DO Stay aware in parking lots that drivers/pedestrians moving about may be below your line of sight
• DO Understand that some individuals parking in a reserved permit spot may have invisible disabilities. Many with autism, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain disorders, etc. may be eligible under Michigan law for a reserved parking permit
• DO Keep the access aisle clear!! (The access aisle is the cross-hatched area attached to many reserved spaces to provide room for drivers with ramp equipped vehicles or those that need space for a wheelchair.)

Crosshatched sections belong to the reserved disability parking spaces as an “access aisle”.

• DON’T block the access aisle in any way
• DON’T assume someone with a permit may not need it simply because they don’t “look” it
• DON’T leave a nasty note when seeing someone without a permit! Notify the proper authorities to report a suspected violation; never physically confront a driver! https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/Why-Nasty-Notes-on-the-Cars-of-Handicapped-Parking-Violators-Are-a-Bad-Idea
• DON’T be in a hurry! Many drivers have experienced the temptation of “I will just be a second!”, however to #HonorTheSpot, please commit to taking the few extra moments to ensure your that all drivers and passengers can enjoy access that is often taken for granted.

Please follow the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/michiganpva for more tips on how to advocate, as well as Michigan news & event updates for veterans with spinal cord injuries, resources for the disability community, and more!

COVID Vaccine for Disabled Veterans: What to Know

Note: This article is in no way meant to advise or comment on the medical nature on the COVID-19 vaccine. For more information please contact your medical provider, visit VA.gov vaccine info, or read about the vaccine here.

Update for MPVA Members: ALL of our members are now eligible for the vaccine. MPVA President, Michael Harris, has received confirmation from Michigan’s Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ever since the COVID-19 vaccine became a reality in the United States, reports about who is eligible and where to be inoculated at any given time have fluctuated, at best. The Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America (MPVA) serves to advocate and inform its members throughout Michigan on matters relating to their quality of life, and it is with that mission in mind that we write this blog. We strive to gather up-to-date information about the vaccine and its availability to veterans in Michigan with particular attention to our membership with spinal-cord injury or disease.

Continued Uncertainty

Throughout Michigan the COVID-19 vaccine availability can vary greatly. Indeed, some areas still remain in the first eligibility group because of differences in supply and demand. As with everything vaccine-related, questions can be answered by your health provider or by visiting the state’s COVID-19 response website at http://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. However, we tried our best to help sum up some information for you.

Long lines for COVID testing and vaccine.

For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) COVID-19 vaccine rollout. To stay informed, we follow VAntage Point’s blog and found this latest post particularly helpful.

Yet, when visiting the VA.gov website and looking for any information coronavirus or vaccine related, the following message seems to appear in one way or another:

“Who can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at VA?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first 2 COVID-19 vaccines. We currently have a limited amount of these vaccines. We’ve worked with the CDC and other federal partners to develop a phased plan. Our goal is to do the most good for the most people during this time.”

While that information in not completely forthcoming, the general take away from most information available through the department is that:

● Currently, most VA’s are reporting that those 75 years of age or older—or their caregivers, if they have them—are the only ones outside of other high-risk groups (i.e. healthcare workers, first responders, those in nursing homes) that are eligible (this includes those with spinal cord injury or disease, as well as all others with disabilities.). However, each VA facility will determine when veterans will receive their vaccine.

● In many areas, dissemination of the vaccine may depend on that community’s individual needs and the access to administer and store the drug appropriately.

The Definition of “Risk”

The VA.gov website goes on to share that they have determined the schedule of those veterans that will be eligible for vaccination based on criteria of risk:

● of catching the disease;

● of developing serious illness if infected;

● the likelihood of spreading the disease;

● and the likelihood of infecting healthcare workers.

Veterans have been told that they will be contacted by their local VA health system when they are eligible for a vaccination. MPVA has recently discovered during our “Chapter Check-In” phone calls to our members, that approximately 10-15% of the membership that fit the age requirement of over 75 had been contacted and been able to receive their vaccination. Additionally, our membership has begun to be contacted about scheduling their vaccination in larger numbers since the week of February 8, 2021.

It is important to keep in mind that the MPVA membership is made up of varying ages and locations throughout the state of Michigan; only 21.5% of our current membership of nearly 400 veterans is over 75 years of age. We remain committed to keeping our membership safe, regularly sending out care packages with face masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes so that our veterans at high risk have the tools at their disposal to remain healthy until given the choice to vaccinate.

The report below from Carl Blake, Executive Director of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, National Chapter shows that similar statistics exist across the country for veterans with spinal cord injury/disease. Sitting and waiting for word may not work out for many of our members who have served their country and now live with a spinal cord injury/disease. Continued advocacy is required in this case, as in any case where the stakes are high.

Advocacy with PVA

Should you be interested in contacting your local VA to get find out how and when you may schedule your COVID-19 Vaccine, the Chapter recommends calling the closest location via the following VA phone numbers:

Ann Arbor: (734) 222-7100

Flint: (810) 720-2913

Jackson: (517) 767-3609 x52529

Toledo: (419) 213-7614 x57614

Please contact Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America at chapterhq@michiganpva.org to share any feedback regarding your experience with the COVID-19 vaccine so that the Chapter can stay abreast with our members and learn how to serve you better.

Finally, please take some time to read PVA Executive Director COVID-19 vaccine survey results report that was issued the week of February 8, 2021:

Dear members, associate members, and staff,

I want to thank the many PVA members who took part in our recent survey on access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Over 800 PVA members responded to the survey. Less than 30% of those who took it reported having had received the vaccine. Of those who need the assistance of a caregiver, over 80% reported that their primary caregiver had not yet been vaccinated. We have expressed our concern to VA about the uneven roll out of the vaccine across the SCI system and are advocating for VA to provide priority access to the vaccine for all veterans with spinal injury or disease.

In an effort to provide our members with more information about VA’s roll out of the vaccine, we are hosting a webinar with VA on Friday, February 26 at 1:00 pm ET. Information about how to register for the event is below.

PVA Webinar: Access to the COVID Vaccine for SCI/D Veterans

Register in advance for this webinar: https://pva.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7F-QJb-cQqSBE4nLWpD0ww

Thank you.

Carl Blake

Executive Director

Paralyzed Veterans of America

202-416-7708

carlb@pva.org