Friends,
Welcome to the web site of the Gateway Chapter of the Paralyzed
Veterans of America. We are one of 34 chapters nationally and have
no association with any organizations with similar names in the area.
Our chapter was named the "Most Improved Chapter" of all 34 PVA
chapters for fiscal year 2006. In 2008, we earned the St. Louis area
Better Business Bureau status of an Honor Roll Charity. As indicated
on our last tax return (Federal Form 990), 77% of our expenditures
went to programs. The return can be found on the St. Louis Better
Business Bureau web site and guidestar.com. The chapter remained a
501(c)(3) nonprofit veterans organization serving honorably discharged
veterans of the armed forces of the United States who have sustained spinal cord injury or disease. Spinal
cord injuries often result from wounds in combat, automobile accidents and recreational activities. Spinal cord
disease and dysfunction include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and other diseases
affecting the central nervous system of the spinal cord. We receive no Federal government funding. We are
governed by a 13-member volunteer board of veterans like myself, paralyzed in an automobile accident in 1996
while on active duty in the U.S. Army. The vision statement of the Gateway Chapter is “Veterans with spinal
cord injury or disease living life to the fullest.”
The Gateway Chapter has made a remarkable financial turnaround the last three years. Concerted and
successful efforts to reduce our expenditures have offset the decline in the charitable giving market. We have
also experienced a decline in our in-house telemarketing revenue. We do not use a paid telemarketing firm
that would take 80-90% of our donation. In January 2007, our board voted to discontinue the telemarketing
sales of products. In good conscience, we could no longer accept the fundraising costs/gross revenue ratio for
the sale and delivery of products. In November 2005,the Chapter restructured to reduce overhead; we reduced
five paid staff positions to 1 1/2. In May 2006, we sold our building and eight weeks later moved into much
smaller rental space. We are now looking to purchase office space to take advantage of the current economic
recession. As always, we strive to prudently use our resources to provide maximum service to our members.
This last year saw our PVA chapter continue its tradition of service to the membership. We helped sponsor
members attend the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in the summer, the Winter Sports Clinic, and
participate in other sporting events. Participation in our chapter trap shoot program in Alton, Illinois,
continued to expand to include members in VA retirement facilities, our members in nursing homes, and new
members who had not previously been involved in any events. The chapter previously provided bimonthly
luncheons and catered holiday dinners to hospitalized patients at the spinal cord injury unit of the Jefferson
Barracks VA complex in south St. Louis County. With the start of fiscal year 2008, we are providing monthly
luncheons. Our transportation program has also expanded to be available five days per week and some
weekends with sufficient notice. We transport outpatient paralyzed veterans to and from the two St. Louis
area VA Medical Centers for appointments and recreation events. We have also expanded to picking up our
members who reside in Missouri and Illinois nursing homes, enabling them to get out in the community as well
as make needed visits to VA facilities. The last few years, I personally was persistent in trying to persuade the
City of St. Louis to make the Soldiers’ Memorial in downtown St. Louis accessible to wheelchairs. That
persistence, and an ADA lawsuit, resulted in the Memorial finally (3 ½ years after breaking down) being made
accessible on Veterans Day 2007.
Most importantly, our Board of Directors remains vigilant in monitoring the care members received at the two
St. Louis VA medical facilities, specifically the John Cochran Hospital. Care at that hospital remains
problematic with the VA's own patient satisfaction survey for the last three fiscal years showing John Cochran
Hospital arguably having the worst patient satisfaction scores of all 132 VA medical centers surveyed. Our
membership continues to grow as well as our commitment to help our members "live life to the fullest." We
are rethinking our fundraising and operating paradigms for today's economic climate, becoming stronger and
even more determined to serve those who answered our nation's call.
We would welcome your support and interest. We need volunteer office workers and volunteers for our
luncheons and events. Donations are, of course, always accepted and should be tax-deductible. To make an
online donation or read about our privacy policy, just click on the red “donation” tab in the box at the upper
left of this page. Please call with any questions on our local line (314) 427-0393 or toll-free (1-800-426-4058).
Please also feel free to stop by for a visit. Join us at one of our monthly luncheons for hospitalized members
and see in person who we help and what we do!
Stanley D. Brown
President
Gateway PVA