On Saturday, East Austin was bustling with good deeds as volunteers assembled to build a wheelchair ramp for Jimmy Garcia, a local resident whose mobility was hindered by stairs. An initiative of the Texas Ramp Project, this construction marks their 40th anniversary—four decades dedicated to forging accessibility and independence for those constrained by physical barriers. Garcia, once reliant on family support to navigate his home’s entry, can now claim back some autonomy. "I feel grateful. I appreciate it," Garcia told CBS Austin. "It's a good program."
As part of their anniversary celebrations, the nonprofit committed to erecting 40 ramps throughout the state, with Garcia’s ramp just one part of that broader effort. Jackie Gardener, the lead on the construction initiative, rejoices in the transformative effect each project delivers. Having aided more than 30,000 Texans over the years, Gardener shared with CBS Austin, "It is such a special feeling of joy to be able to see a client take a look at their ramp and know that in less than a day, we've really changed somebody's life."
In Travis and Bastrop counties, Randy Kerkman, who coordinates the Austin Central Region, has indicated that volunteers typically build up to 115 ramps each year. It's not just the beneficiaries who are grateful; the volunteers who've taken down those barriers to mobility find a profound satisfaction in their work. Kerkman, witnessing the impact first-hand, recounted to KVUE, "You can see it in their eyes—the freedom they have now to move in and out of their homes."
Among those served by the Texas Ramp Project, veterans, too, have received a second wind of freedom. Tom Cook, an 86-year-old Air Force veteran and beneficiary of a six-hour build by a Houston church group, highlighted his renewed lease on life thanks to the ramp installation. "It changed my life a whole lot because the ramp helps me out because I use a walker," Cook said to KVUE. The project claims to have built ramps for five veterans like Cook this year, as they continue to commit to more builds through the end of 2025.
Backed by more than 3,500 volunteers and generous donations from across the community—like those from WellMed and the WellMed Charitable Foundation, which have notably contributed over $100,000 and aided in over 100 ramp constructions—the Texas Ramp Project is set to keep on breaking down the physical constraints one ramp at a time, ensuring safer and more accessible homes for Texans with limited mobility.
