Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch Receives $30,000 Grant from The Hartford

Company surprises local athlete with custom-fit adaptive sports equipment

PINELLAS PARK, FL, UNITED STATES, June 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch (WWAR), a non-profit organization based in Pinellas Park, was recently awarded a $30,000 grant from The Hartford for new adaptive sports equipment.

The grant enabled WWAR, a member of the Move United network, to purchase adaptive sports equipment, including rugby wheelchairs, basketball wheelchairs, pickle ball nets and bats, archery and table tennis equipment.

The Hartford also surprised Ryan Wright, a 32-year-old athlete who plays on their wheelchair basketball team, with a custom-fit, wheelchair basketball chair. Wright said he was overwhelmed after receiving the equipment. “I’m speechless. I have no words. It’s one of the proudest moments of my life.”

Wright said adaptive sports equipment can be as expensive as a car, preventing him from replacing his wheelchair for more than a decade. “It’s like going from a 1960 broken-down Jeep to a 2026 Lamborghini.” Wright said receiving the new wheelchair means he can continue competing with equipment designed specifically for him. “Like a little kid in a candy shop or playing video games; the kid wants to play video games all day — I’ll be in my basketball chair all day,” he said. “It’s a whole new world.”

Adaptive sports equipment is often a barrier to people’s participation in sports. Adaptive athletes pay approximately 16 times more for equipment than non-adaptive athletes.

“At WWAR, our mission is to help injured veterans recognize that meaningful opportunities remain available to stay active and engaged in the pursuits they valued prior to injury,” said Michael Delancey, founder of WWAR.

Based in Pinellas County, WWAR provides an ADA-accessible space where wounded warriors, veterans, adaptive athletes and their families can build strength, connection and well-being through recreation and community. Serving more than 500 veterans and adaptive athletes, WWAR launched its first adaptive sports program in 2018 and now supports five teams that compete nationally in wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball.

“Our goal is to expand access to adaptive sports and recreation so veterans and community members of all abilities can build confidence, connection and well-being through inclusive programs and shared experiences,” Delancey said. “All of our programs are offered free of charge to veterans and members of the community.”

Shuan Butcher
Move United
+1 240-268-2180
email us here

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