Mobility is more than movement – it is dignity, independence, and freedom. For those living with physical disabilities and without financial means in Costa Rica, the absence of a wheelchair often means being confined to their homes, relying on family members to carry them, or crawling on the ground to get from one place to another.
That’s why we at the Do It Foundation, in partnership with the Free Wheelchair Mission, have spent the past two decades working to change this reality through Costa Rica wheelchair donations – including our most recent event, which distributed 156 wheelchairs throughout the country.
Celebrating 20 Years of Our Foundation: A Mass Donation Event
In early August 2025, our Costa Rica non-profit foundation completed another Vision Trip with the Free Wheelchair Mission, delivering 156 life-changing wheelchairs across communities in Guanacaste and Alajuela. Here’s who we served, in collaboration with our partners:
- Upala Municipality: 57 wheelchairs (5 home deliveries)
- Asociación Pro-Adulto Mayor Upala (Pro-Senior Citizen Association Upala): 10 wheelchairs
- Upala Health Center: 12 wheelchairs
- Puntarenas Municipality: 33 wheelchairs (8 home deliveries)
- Liberia Municipality: 26 wheelchairs
- Liberia Lions Club: 6 home deliveries
- Bagaces: 8 home deliveries
Each chair was assembled by hand, fitted to its recipient, and given free of charge – a simple yet profound act that transforms lives forever.
For many families, these Costa Rica wheelchair donations mark the difference between isolation and inclusion. Parents and grandparents can watch their children’s soccer match. Adults can rejoin their communities, churches, and workplaces with dignity. Loved ones who had been carried or confined to bed now move independently for the first time. The ripple effect is immediate and lasting – restoring not only mobility, but also opportunity, confidence, and hope.
And behind every number, there is a story. This mission brought us face-to-face with people whose resilience humbles us and whose gratitude reminds us why we do what we do.
María Félix: A Smile That Endures
At 41 years old, María Félix lives with her mother in a modest home tucked into a neighborhood where the roads are nearly impassable. María has battled hydrocephalus her entire life, a condition that has limited her motor development and taken away her ability to walk. Yet, anyone who meets María is immediately struck not by her condition, but by her radiant smile.
Though her movements are limited, María channels her energy and creativity into jewelry-making, crafting each piece with patience and love. But daily life for María and her mother has been a constant struggle. Their old wheelchair was broken, making movement a daunting, often impossible task. Leaving home was rare. Independence was out of reach.
That changed the day María received her new wheelchair.
Her joy was indescribable. For the first time in years, she could move with ease, regain a sense of autonomy, and imagine venturing into places for so long had felt unreachable. For María, this was more than a mobility aid – it was hope restored, dignity renewed, and proof that her smile, even in adversity, had not been in vain.
Santiago: A Grandfather’s Gratitude
In Upala, a humble town near the Nicaraguan border, lives Santiago, a kind-hearted man who shares his home with his wife, son, and grandchildren. Seven years ago, Santiago lost mobility on the left side of his body. Since then, he has relied on a wheelchair – one that had deteriorated over time, leaving him with little support and growing discomfort.
When Santiago received his new wheelchair from the Do It Foundation, his reaction was immediate and heartfelt. With emotion in his voice, he expressed deep gratitude, calling the chair a blessing that gave him back not just mobility, but comfort, safety, and independence.
For Santiago, this gift means more than moving from one place to another. It means sitting at the family table without pain. It means going outside to enjoy his community again. It means being a grandfather on his own terms.
From People Magazine to a Movement Creating Impact
Stories like María’s and Santiago’s are why the Do It Foundation exists. And it all began with a single article.
In the mid-2000s, John Scheman, our founder, came across a story in People magazine about the lack of wheelchairs in developing countries. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that 80 million people worldwide need a wheelchair but cannot afford one.
Without mobility, these millions are trapped in cycles of dependence, poverty, and isolation.
For John, this wasn’t just a statistic – it was a call to action. Fueled by the People article and a subsequent – and serendipitous – conversation with a stranger in a wheelchair, in 2005, he founded the Do It Foundation, a Costa Rica non-profit and the charitable arm of the Scheman Family Foundation. John purchased a container, distributed the first wheelchairs, and our purpose was born.
That first event planted the seed of what would grow into one of Costa Rica’s most impactful philanthropic initiatives and wheelchair charities in Costa Rica. Today, we have a clear mission: to improve quality of life through Costa Rica wheelchair donations and access to health, education, and mobility.
Partnership with Free Wheelchair Mission
At the heart of this work is our long-standing partnership with the Free Wheelchair Mission, a faith-based nonprofit based in California.
Free Wheelchair Mission designs and manufactures durable, cost-effective wheelchairs tailored for developing countries, where rough terrain and limited resources make standard models impractical. Since its founding, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed over 1.5 million wheelchairs in 95 countries, offering the gift of mobility to those who need it most. Their vision is bold: to reach 3 million people by 2035.
At the Do It Foundation, we are proud to be one of their closest allies and partner wheelchair charity in Costa Rica, ensuring that these donations make it from factories to homes throughout the country. Over the last 20 years, the Do It Foundation has distributed 30,000 free wheelchairs, each one representing freedom, dignity, and the chance for a fuller life.
It doesn’t take much to make this happen. For about $100 + import duties + in-country transportation, a wheelchair can be built, shipped, and delivered to Costa Rica – transforming someone’s life forever. You can be a part of this change.
A Year in Wheelchair Missions: Scaling Through Shipments
Each year, we import multiple bulk shipments of wheelchairs – approximately four full containers annually, each containing around 450 wheelchairs. That totals nearly 1,800 chairs per year, assembled and distributed across the nation, thanks to our wheelchair charity in Costa Rica.
These containers are not merely logistical operations – they’re lifelines.
Once the wheelchairs arrive in-country, our foundation’s dedicated team – assisted by local partners like Lions Club chapters, municipal governments, and Ebais clinics – identifies local recipients, assembles the chairs (often at Do It Center’s warehouse), and coordinates delivery.
The Evolution of Our Wheelchairs: From GEN 2 & GEN 3 to GEN 4 JOY
Over the years, this mobility technology has evolved – offering even greater durability, adaptability, and comfort for recipients.
GEN 2 wheelchairs (introduced around 2009) featured four sizes (S–XL), adjustable leg rests, better postural support, and a sturdy frame designed for longer commutes and individualized fit.
Then, GEN 3 chairs rolled out in 2013, maintain the GEN 2 customization but add foldability, making them easier to transport and store – especially valuable in homes or locations with limited space or more rugged terrain. Due to their foldability, these have been our most popular wheelchairs.
Now, in a leap forward, we’re looking toward importing the GEN 4 JOY, debuting in early 2026 (arriving in Costa Rica mid-2026). This upgraded, still foldable model will introduce notable enhancements that will be invaluable to our Costa Rican recipients:
Greater Longevity: GEN 4 JOY’s extended lifespan is crucial in our local communities, where replacements and repairs are difficult or costly to secure. This ensures recipients’ mobility that truly endures.
- Broader Inclusion: With sizes from XS to XXL, we can serve a wider demographic – children, larger-bodied adults, and everyone in between.
- Enhanced Quality of Life: Improved posture support and comfort mean recipients spend more time in meaningful, independent movement – attending school, work, family gatherings, or worship.
- Scalable Generosity: The robotics-enhanced production and efficient distribution pipeline means funds and logistics can stretch further – impacting more lives with each dollar, each container, each mission.
We at the Do It Foundation are looking forward to transitioning our annual shipments to include GEN 4 JOY as soon as they become available, ensuring that every new container – and every person who receives a chair – benefits from these significant improvements. And you can be a part of this roll-out!
Why We Keep Going: The Impact of our Costa Rica Wheelchair Donations
María and Santiago’s stories remind us that our work is deeply personal. Each wheelchair delivered is more than a piece of equipment; it is a new lease on life. It gives parents the ability to take their children to school. It allows people to rejoin the workforce. It enables grandparents to be present for the little moments that matter most.
Mobility changes everything.
As John often says, “We’re not just delivering wheelchairs. We’re delivering dignity, independence, and the chance to live fully.”
How You Can Help
Our recent Costa Rica wheelchair donations are another reminder that while the challenges are great, the solutions can be simple – and powerful. One chair, one smile, one story at a time, we are building a future where no one is left behind because of disability.
The need is staggering, but so is the impact. Together, we can change lives. Here’s how you can help:
- Donate: Every gift helps place a wheelchair into the hands of someone who needs it most.
- Partner: Corporations, churches, and local governments are vital in scaling this impact, identifying needs, and getting chairs to recipients.
- Volunteer: Join us for a future distribution event and see firsthand how mobility transforms lives.
From a small idea sparked by a magazine article to a movement that has touched tens of thousands of lives, the Do It Foundation continues to stand on one belief: mobility is dignity and dignity is a right, not a privilege.
Learn more about our mission, our partners, or to make Costa Rica wheelchair donations. Together, we can lift people up – one wheelchair at a time.
The Do It Foundation: A Broader Impact
While mobility remains at the heart of our mission, our work goes beyond wheelchairs. Over the years, we’ve:
- Supported hundreds of schools with renovations, supplies, and scholarships.
- Expanded access to rural healthcare through partnerships with hospitals and the Costa Rican Red Cross.
- Organized environmental initiatives, from beach cleanups to wildlife preservation.
- Touched the lives of more than 100,000 people across Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
This dual-track approach – blending philanthropy with long-term community investment – reflects founder John Scheman’s belief that building infrastructure is not just about roads and buildings, but about creating systems and deeply rooted communities that serve people for generations.
