Shake-a-Leg Miami receives $50,000 grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

(Andrew Vaader, Marine and Hospitality Vocational Program Participant,wheelchair user)

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COCONUT GROVE, MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 12, 2025

Shake-A-Leg Miami announces that it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) under its Quality-of-Life Grants Program. This program supports nonprofit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis.  

This nationally prestigious grant will support the Marine and Hospitality Vocational Program (MHVP), which provides training for disabled individuals and veterans to prepare for employment in two high-demand industries in south Florida. The grant provides scholarship support for individuals with paralysis-related disabilities to attend this program free-of-charge.  

The Marine and Hospitality Vocational program is offered 5-days a week from September through May at Shake-A-Leg Miami’s Biscayne Bay campus on South Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove. Participants progress through two hands-on tracks. The Marine track teaches essential skills in boat maintenance and repair, including engine repair, woodworking, and the use of various tools. Students also gain experience in operating in a workshop, creating adaptive equipment, and working in a marina and boat yard setting. The Hospitality track provides training in water safety, boating operations, and customer service. The program also includes courses in CPR, first aid, and hospitality services such as reception, registration, outreach, and marketing.  

Upon completing the program, students receive a Certificate of Completion, qualify for internships, and become eligible for internships, volunteer placements and employment opportunities in the Marine and Hospitality sectors. They also have the chance to submit test results for the Florida State Boating Certificate.

“The Marine and Hospitality Vocational Program opens doors to new opportunities for individuals living with paralysis,” said Harry Horgan, Founder and President of Shake-A-Leg Miami. “This funding from the Reeve Foundation will allow us to expand access to meaningful training, helping participants gain valuable skills and confidence. We are deeply grateful for this support, which empowers our community members to build brighter futures.”

Shake-A-Leg Miami’s mission is to utilize the marine environment to improve the health, education, and independence of children and adults with physical, developmental and economic challenges, in an inclusive community setting. Along with MHVP, its community boating center offers a wide range of opportunities for people of all ages with and without physical and intellectual disabilities to take part in adaptive watersports, social activities and environmental education. Shake-A-Leg places a strong focus on providing access to low-income, at-risk and disabled youth. For example, it’s Marine Academy and Adventure Island summer camps serve over 300 youth each summer.  

Individuals and organizations interested in enrolling in or learning more about MHVP should contact: Don Bickham, Don@Shakealegmiami.org or info@shakealegmiami.org.  

Since the Quality-of-Life Grants Program’s inception, the Reeve Foundation has awarded more than 3,990 grants totaling $46 million to a wide range of projects and activities that impact individuals living with paralysis and their families. Funding for this program was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living.  

“These awards are about restoring independence to our constituents,” said Dan McNeal, Director of the Quality of Life Grants Program, Reeve Foundation. “Our work and number one goal are to enhance the quality of life of people living with paralysis. It is our honor to continue to collaborate with so many dedicated organizations, which have selflessly given their time and efforts to ensure that accessibility and inclusivity remain embedded in the fabric of their programs.”  

About Shake-A-Leg Miami:

Shake-a-Leg Miami’s mission utilizing the marine environment to improve the health, education and independence of children and adults with physical, developmental and economic challenges, in an inclusive community setting.  

Shake-A-Leg is a place for children and adults with disabilities, as well as their families, to call their own. People with disabilities desire leisure, friendship, and social participation in the same way their non-disabled peers do. We make that happen! Our sailors, campers, mentors, and veterans develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in sailing, water & community sports, recreation, and educational programs. They inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to accept and open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and participate in the rewarding world of adaptive sports.

Shake-A-Leg Miami focuses on building an inclusive community built around water sports, the environment, & personal fulfillment. With our unique lineup of adaptive water sports, we offer adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities many ways to be involved in their communities and many ways to show who they really are.

About the Reeve Foundation:

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. By uniting the brightest minds in the field, we are working tirelessly to accelerate scientific discoveries across the field of spinal cord research by investing in labs across the globe. Additionally, through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living, the Reeve Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) promotes the health, well-being, and independence of people living with paralysis, providing comprehensive information, resources, and referral services assisting over 100,000 individuals and families since its launch in 2002. The Reeve Foundation is committed to elevating our community’s voices and needs to achieve greater representation and independence. We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for charity accountability and hold the BBB’s Charity Seal.  For more information, please visit our website at www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.

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