SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — A San Diego Marine Corps veteran received a life-changing gift Friday morning. Corporal Nick Voss was gifted a power chair from the company Bird in partnership with Easterseals Southern California (ESSC) at an event held at the U.S.S. Midway.
Voss joined the Marine Corps in 2016. After attending boot camp at MCRD San Diego he was deployed, during which time he suffered a spinal injury in a helicopter accident. Following months in rehabilitation at San Diego's Wounded Warrior Battalion Naval Hospital, Voss found transitional housing through the Warrior Foundation Freedom Station.
"For a while I was horrible about asking for help. Even while I was transitioning out of the Marine Corp, I was really wouldn't ask anyone for help--I got stuck a lot of times, but this kind of thing provides me the independence to put it in the car and take it out of the car and not have to have someone push me through something," Voss said.
"We are happy to offer this token of appreciation to Marine Corps veteran Nick Voss for his service," commented Blanca Laborde, Director of Government Partnerships at Bird. "Bird is committed to improving environmentally friendly mobility access for everyone and partnering with Easterseals Southern California has helped us march toward that goal. We look forward to continuing to find innovative ways to work together as we expand access to personal transportation services in San Diego and beyond."
Voss is now working with ESSC's Bob Hope Veterans Support Program, which provides one-on-one employment services to meet the unique needs of military personnel and veterans transitioning out of the military into a civilian job.
Since launching in 2014, the program has served nearly 2,350 veterans and families with employment support and referrals, placing more than 1,192 with civilian positions and leading 196 to pursue academic degrees. The service is free to veterans.
Veterans or potential employers interested in learning more about the Easterseals Bob Hope Veterans Support Program, click here. Bird offers discounts to service members and veterans, to learn more click here.