Avila Beach is just one area locally where you can find wheelchairs designed to give people with special needs access to the beach in a whole new way.
Jack’s Helping Hand started the Beach Mobility for All program back in February 2020 at both Avila Beach and Morro Rock State Park.
In Avila Beach alone, an average of 250 people use the wheelchair program each year at no cost to them.
“To be able to provide these chairs for free, we hear from people over and over again that they really get a chance to live at a higher quality of life and to be like everyone else who can get out there and enjoy this beautiful environment we live in,” said Bridget Ready, Jack’s Helping Hand co-founder.
There are five wheelchairs in total in Avila Beach and Morro Bay. Each location has two manual wheelchairs; Avila Beach also has one power wheelchair.
Grants from the California Coastal Conservancy and the Christopher Reeve Foundation funded the purchase of three of the chairs.
In Avila Beach, the wheelchairs are available at Avila Lighthouse Suites, which also cleans, maintains, and manages the reservations.
In Morro Bay, the Harbor Department manages access to the wheelchairs.
To reserve a beach wheelchair, click here.
Editor's note: The man seen in the video above is a hotel employee demonstrating the use of the wheelchair.
