Caregivers’ Timeout

Our goal is to provide support and connect caregivers to resources that enable them to attend to their own needs. Too often, caregiving is a thankless job, and there are no timeouts. At the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation, we see your hard work, patience, and the sacrifices it takes to step into the role of caregiver for a person with a spinal cord injury (SCI). We want to say Thank You! - by providing eligible caregivers with gifts to spend so they can call their own timeouts. 

The Ryan Shazier Fund created the Caregivers’ Timeout Program to help individuals who are caring for someone with an SCI by providing gifts of up to $1,000.  

Gifts will be awarded to caregivers who meet certain criteria. Selections are based on factors like the level of caregiving responsibility, financial or personal hardship, and overall need. The program is intended to support a broad group of caregivers and is administered using consistent, objective standards.

Guidelines and Eligibility

• The caregiver must be the caregiver of an individual with a medically diagnosed SCI. Other conditions are not eligible for our grant programs, including (but not limited to) spina bifida, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, post-polio, Guillain-Barre, Strohl Syndrome, ALS, all other neuropathies, and all other conditions causing disability.
• The caregiver must be an informal caregiver. Informal caregivers are individuals who provide unpaid care to family, friends, or neighbors. Family members who get paid under the state waiver program are informal caregivers for our purposes.
• The caregiver and individual with SCI must currently reside in Pennsylvania, Ohio, or West Virginia. 
• Recipients are not expected to provide any services or anything in return. Receiving a grant does not create an employment or contractor relationship with the Fund, and there is no requirement to continue caregiving to qualify.
• Funds can be used however the recipient sees fit for caregiving-related needs, like temporary help, transportation, household support, or general well-being. These are not reimbursements and are not tied to specific expenses.

 Procedure

• Caregivers can be nominated or self-nominate by applying online via Submittable. 
• Nominations will be reviewed, and a member of the Ryan Shazier Fund Programs team will reach out to the      caregiver to set up a brief interview.
• During the interview, the Ryan Shazier Fund staff member will learn about their caregiving responsibilities,      financial or personal hardships, and overall needs. Gifts will not be sent to caregivers who do not participate in the interview, even if they receive multiple nominations. 
• A gift of up to $1000 is a one-time gift. Only 1 caregiver per individual with an SCI may receive the gift. For example, both the mom and dad of John Doe cannot receive the gift. 
• When appropriate, the program team member will share additional resources and make connections to help support the caregiver and the person with the SCI. The program team member may also request that the caregiver submit a photo or testimony highlighting the impact of the gift. This is completely optional but highly encouraged.
• The Fund reserves the right to modify, terminate, or withhold the distribution of funds, and the decision to do so is at the sole discretion of the Fund. 
• If you receive an award, we may use your first name, state of residence, photos, and answers to specific questions for marketing purposes. If you do not agree please email cslayton@ryanshazierfund.org and indicate that you decline to participate in any marketing or promotional materials.