Since 1978, Alpha One, has worked to enable thousands of people with disabilities to live more full and independent lives. The organization, which has offices in South Portland and Bangor, Maine, annually assists more than 4,000 people of all ages, including children and the elderly, with a range of disabilities: mobility impairments, traumatic brain injury, deafness, blindness, other vision and hearing impairments, developmental disabilities, mental illness, mental retardation, and AIDS.

As stated on the organization’s website, “For more than two decades, Alpha One has been responsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities, initiating, advocating for, and implementing systems change to overcome the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from living independently.”

To this end, Alpha One has recently launched a new social enterprise by the name of Renegade Wheelchairs, which designs and produces all-terrain wheelchairs for individuals who love the outdoors and do not want snow, mud, or sand to stop them from enjoying it. The Renegade Wheelchairs webpage provides a wealth of information about the features and capabilities of the product. For even more information (and to see a Renegade in action), check out the project’s You Tube page. The video shows Director Dennis Fitzgibbons using one of the chairs to complete yard work.

Great Bay provided start-up support for Renegade Wheelchairs, led by social entrepreneur Brad Strause. We’re delighted to be involved with such an innovative and enterprising venture.