Paralyzed Veterans of America describes itself as having "developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members—veterans of the Military of the United States| armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction". It is also involved with promoting and protecting the civil rights of the disabled.
Programs and services
Paralyzed Veterans of America says it delivers holistic recovery and transition for severely disabled veterans through integrative programs and services that fulfill all needs. These programs and services include veterans benefits and PAVE program, medical services and health policy, research and education, architecture, government advocacy and legislation, and sports and recreation. In 2017, the organization celebrated the passing of legislation that enables the VA to provide fertility counseling and treatment. The services will be available January 19, 2017 through September 30, 2018 and Paralyzed Veterans worked hard to achieve that success for its members. The organization's professional staff is augmented by local chapters and at-large membership activities, corporate relations, and public/media engagement. While the organization's programs and services particularly target veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases, it also offers services to able-bodied, ill, wounded, and injured veterans as well as to dependents, survivors, and caregivers to the global disability community. All support is offered free of charge to veterans and families and without government funding. Programs are funded by the support of individual donors and corporate sponsors.
Ratings
The organization received a Gold Star rating from GuideStar based on organizational mission, impact, financial data, and commitment to transparency in accordance with GAAP. In 2017 PVA received a rating of two out of four possible stars from Charity Navigator, based primarily on the fact that the organization spends less than two-thirds of its expenses on the programs and services it delivers, and more than one third on fundraising and administration.
Presidents of PVA
Gilbert Moss: 1947 Richard Moss: 1948 Bernard Shufelt: 1948-1949 Patterson Grissom: 1950 Stanley Reese: 1951 William Green: 1952-1953 Robert Frost: 1954-1955 Raymond Conley: 1956-1957 Harry A. Schweikert: 1958 Dwight Guilfol: 1959 Robert Classon: 1960-1961 John Farkas: 1962-1963 Harold Stone: 1964 Harold W. Wagner: 1964-1965 Leslie P. Burghoff: 1966-1967 Wayne Capson: 1968-1969 Carlos Rodriguez: 1970-1971 Frank DeGeorge: 1972-1973 Donald Broderick: 1974-1975 Edward Jasper: 1976-1977 Joseph Romagnano: 1978-1979 Micheal Delaney: 1980-1981 Paul Cheremeta: 1982-1983 Richard Hoover: 1984-1986 Jack Michaels: 1987-1988 David Parker: 1989 Victor McCoy: 1990-1991 Richard Johnson: 1992-1993 Richard Grant: 1994-1995
