GSIL’s 13th Annual wheelchair basketball fundraiser, Hoops on Wheels is an all-day basketball tournament where players maneuver the court using wheelchairs – whether they have a disability or not!

Are you ready for some March Madness? It may not be Madison Square Garden or Las Vegas, but you are sure to have a day to remember!

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September 19, 2024.

Our 10th Annual Chipping in FORE! Independence golf tournament will be  at Stonebridge Country Club in Goffstown, NH. Join us as we hit the greens to raise some green to benefit people with disabilities throughout New Hampshire. This scramble style shot gun start tournament is a great time for golfers of all abilities from novice to scratch.

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The evening will feature dinner, drinks, and award presentations to community members and businesses who have been vital in supporting our mission of bringing independence to life.

We hope you will join us for this very special evening of gratitude!

For more information on sponsorships or the event itself, please contact our VP Strategy & Business Development, Mike Goodwin, at development@gsil.org or (603) 410-6560.

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In 2008, New Hampshire native Jennifer Crowell dove off a boat in Michigan and into a change that would affect the rest of her life. The elementary school teacher, who to this day adores working with children, suffered an irrevocable spinal cord injury. While becoming a quadriplegic set “Jenny” on a path she couldn’t have predicted, she embraced it with grace and grit—with help from her family and friends, as well as Granite State Independent Living (GSIL)—to chart forward on a course she’s proud of.

Fast forward 15 years from that fateful day and you’ll find news coverage of Jenny rappelling—feet first—down the side of the 300-foot high, 24-story Brady Sullivan building in Manchester. She’s wearing GSIL leggings, donning a cotton candy pink t-shirt with all her donors’ names written on it (to go with her pink fingernails), and worrying more about others participating with her in the incredible quest rather than herself.

Through the 2023 United Way Over the Edge fundraiser, she and two other GSIL representatives joined nearly 100 brave souls to make the once-in-a-lifetime for-anyone scale down to support the worthy cause. Jenny was the first quadriplegic to participate in the event and going over feet first was symbolic to the leap of faith she’s taken every moment since the accident.

“I hope my butt looks good: these are my hot pants,” joked Jenny when she reached the building’s midway point and saw people watching from below. “I think I’m sweating and I don’t sweat. I’ve never held onto anything so tight in my entire life!”

Excited cheers, words of encouragement, and honks from passing trucks motivated Jenny to keep rappelling despite her fear. One wouldn’t have guessed that she was afraid, given her smiles, waves, and confident glances at the ground during descent.

“Over the Edge was a whole different level of trust,” she said. “It’s really not that bad when you look down.”

When you talk with Jenny she’s humble and thankful, crediting much of that courage to look down to the support and care she receives from GSIL. She and the others raised over $5,000, but their true earnings can’t be quantified by money alone—they dug deep within themselves to create a memorable experience that will last long after the final belay.

Driving Jenny to keep pushing ahead—to keep diving into everything feet first—is an uncompromising need to be free and make sure others feel the same. Her fighting spirit radiates, which is evident by the success she’s had as a GSIL peer support advocate and member of the development team. Jenny even named her beloved service dog “Journey,” a reminder to stay the course and aim high to welcome whatever comes next.

Forging the GSIL Motto: Live Life Fully and Independently

Since GSIL was founded in 1980, the non-profit has worked tirelessly to promote quality of life with independence for people with disabilities, and those experiencing the natural process of aging, through advocacy, information, education, transition and support. More than 278,255 New Hampshire adults—that’s 1 in 4 Granite Staters 18 and over—make up $3.7 billion (31%) of the state’s annual healthcare spending*.

Jenny, who has been on the receiving end of well-meaning yet pointed comments about her disability, now has a personal mission to educate the community on ways it can fuel progress.

“I never thought this would happen, but it did in the blink of an eye, so all of this is very personal,” said Jenny. “I wake up every morning knowing I need help to get my day going—prepping meals, doing laundry, getting into bed. Without GSIL, I wouldn’t be on my own, have a job, participate in adaptive sports, volunteer, and more. I wouldn’t be able to afford caregivers. I wouldn’t be able to afford life.”

As New Hampshire’s only independent living center, GSIL services 1,500+ people of all ages and disabilities to “fill the gaps” in their lives and care, and turn challenges into opportunities.

“People want to be known for who they are, not for their disability: everyone has something that happens to them,” said Jenny. “GSIL gives people safety, respect, and opportunity—really in whatever way they feel they need—to live their best life on the terms they set.”

Call 603-228-9680 or click to donate, and visit our website for more information about the event!

*Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/impacts/new-hampshire.html

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This tradition nearly came to an end when my life upended in 2007, and I became reliant on a wheelchair.

Prior to then, I was an active member of my community. I was involved in several fundraisers and greatly enjoyed spending time with friends.

Short of renting a wheelchair van, which is not something I could afford, I couldn’t go anywhere independently. I couldn’t simply jump in the car on a nice day and do something unplanned.

Enter Granite State Independent Living’s Transportation Program.

I contacted them shortly after I began using a wheelchair. I was thrilled to learn they not only provide transportation to medical appointments and the doctor’s office, but also social trips.

One of my favorite features of the Transportation Program is their ability to accommodate last-minute requests if possible. Though not a guarantee, they have been able to pick me up for fun activities that came to my mind on short notice. I love the spontaneity!

Thanks to them, I’ve been able to attend many wonderful occasions over the years.

Birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, open houses, barbecues, farmers’ markets, trips to the library.

Church fairs.

Easter brunch.

Blueberry picking.

Afternoons outside, enjoying a food crawl with my son while the sun shines all around us.

This program is far more than a few hours out of the house. It has restored a life full of purpose, joy, and connection back to me. I am forever grateful.

Want to learn more about Granite State Independent Living? Head over to www.gsil.org or call 603-228-9680.

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Trainings planned are as follows:

• Friday, January 20, 2023, 1:00 PM-2:30 PM – GSIL Legislative Advocacy Training:
• Friday, January 27, 2023, 1:00 PM-2:30 PM – GSIL NH General Court Website Training:
• Friday, February 3, 2023, 1:00 PM-2:00 PM – GSIL Advocacy Media Training:  

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Throwing a load of laundry in the washer.

Making the bed, taking a shower, baking your favorite banana bread.

Most of us take these tasks for granted. We do them without even thinking about it.

Yet for someone like Jannifer, they are nearly impossible without assistance.

A series of bad falls left her unable to stand for long, and now she relies on a wheelchair.

Through Granite State Independent Living, Jannifer met Bonnie, an In-Home Care provider.

“Granite State Living was so easy to work with. I made a call one day and told them what I needed.

Before I knew it, they started sending people for me to interview.”

For over two years now, Bonnie has helped Jannifer with every day household tasks.

She runs errands. She prepares meals. She picks up prescriptions.

In fact, what started as a working relationship has evolved into much more.

Companion.

Friend.

“I just knew I wanted to stay in my own home. I don’t know where I’d be without Bonnie.”

Want to learn more about the programs offered by Granite State Independent Living? Head over to www.gsil.org or call 603-228-9680.

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She came out of what was supposed to be a routine surgery unable to walk. She now relies on a wheelchair.

After months recovering in the hospital and rehab, Sue returned home and realized how difficult it was to live on her own.

A passionate cook, she couldn’t reach the counters to prepare food.

Hygiene, housekeeping, and simply getting the mail were all challenging.

Sue wanted to be independent. She wanted to sleep in her own bed and eat at her own table. She refused to let the recent turn of events force her into a nursing home.

She contacted Granite State Independent Living to see if they could help.

A statewide non-profit, GSIL provides personalized care solutions for independent living—everything from transportation to in-home care and disability services.

Yet it is more than services.

It is people committed to helping others maintain a sense of normalcy and dignity.

Within a few weeks, Sue began working with Corey.

He comes twice a day. He does her grocery shopping and collects the mail. He drives her to appointments and waits while she meets with doctor after doctor, trying to find a way to regain what she’s lost.

In the evening, Sue and Corey work on recipes. Together they make everything from her favorite pasta salad to gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

“I don’t know where I’d be without his help.”

At a recent appointment, Sue heard the best news yet.

“They think that with the right treatment, I might walk again.”

Want to learn more about the programs offered by Granite State Independent Living? Head over to www.gsil.org or call 603-228-9680.

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