The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation’s ‘Outdoors for Everyone’ is Expanding to Movement & Exercise

The annual initiative adds accessible fitness activities, building on prior focus areas of trails, parks and water environments

SHORT HILLS, N.J. [September 8, 2025] Today, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation announced its 2025 ‘Outdoors for Everyone‘ initiative with a dedicated focus on adaptive exercise and movement. This season, the Foundation is committed to breaking down obstacles and fostering an environment where all individuals living with or impacted by paralysis and other disabilities can participate in adaptive fitness programs, strength training, and other movement-based activities. ‘Outdoors for Everyone’ aims to ensure broad access to the benefits of exercise through education, resources, and partnerships, highlighting opportunities for far-reaching adaptive and accessible exercise and movement programming across the U.S.

Piloted in 2023, ‘Outdoors for Everyone’ was created to ensure the outdoors is accessible for those living with paralysis and other disabilities, their families, and their caregivers. ‘Outdoors for Everyone’, part of the Foundation’s National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC), provides community and outdoor organizations with the knowledge, solutions, and resources to ensure the great outdoors can be enjoyed by everyone. The pilot initially focused on ensuring that walking, hiking, and other outdoor trails were accessible for wheelchair users and others living with disabilities. Last year, the initiative focused on water-based activities, from accessible kayaking to adaptive water sports to accessible beach equipment, and more.

Through the lens of exercise and movement, the Foundation aims to help connect the paralysis and disability communities to a variety of programs and opportunities across the U.S. that share its commitment to quality of life and goal to make fitness available to everyone.

As part of ‘Outdoors for Everyone’, the Foundation’s highly trained Information Specialist team plays a role in helping identify accessible exercise programs, adaptive sports opportunities, and specialized movement classes, and assists community members in planning safe and adaptive fitness experiences. Programs are also made easy to find via the Foundation’s “Resources in Your Area” digital, zip-code-based tool.

Community partners this year include:

The Kelly Brush Foundation: Encourages & assists people with spinal cord injuries to lead active, connected lives by providing inspiration and grants for adaptive equipment.

Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association: Improves access to adaptive sports and comprehensive programs for people with physical and visional disabilities.

Catalyst Sports: Provides access to adventure for people with physical disabilities within a supportive community.

These partners are also recipients of the Quality of Life Grants Program, supported by the Foundation’s NPRC, the only federally funded program of its kind that directly serves individuals living with spinal cord injury, MS, ALS, stroke, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and all other forms of paralysis. The NPRC provides free and comprehensive information and support to navigate the challenges of living an independent and fulfilling life with paralysis. Since its creation by Dana Reeve in 2002, the NPRC has distributed more than $48 million in Quality of Life Grants throughout the U.S.

“The ‘Outdoors for Everyone’ initiative is opening doors to the health and well-being benefits of outdoor activity,” said Dan McNeal, Director of the Quality of Life Grants Program at the Reeve Foundation. “Adaptive exercise and recreation for all abilities doesn’t just improve physical fitness — they build confidence, nurture mental health, and create vital social connections. The Reeve Foundation is proud to champion programs that give people living with paralysis and their caregivers the chance to stay active, grow stronger, and rediscover the joy of movement.”

Visit ChristopherReeve.org or call our Information Specialists at 1-800-539-7309. Our Information Specialists are available Mondays through Fridays from 7 AM – 8 PM ET. Live agents are available to chat via the Reeve Foundation website. You can also leave a message if you are calling after hours.

About the Christopher & Dana 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. 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 128,000 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 ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.

This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as part of a financial assistance award totaling $10,000,000 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The content is those of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by ACL/HHS or the U.S. government.

SOURCE: Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

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