Earth Yacht Independent Living Center

Fig. 1) Overview of the finished project

I have been paralyzed from the shoulders down since 1996, when I had a spinal cord injury at age 18. In the past 28 years I have had my share of ups and downs. I had a rewarding career with NASA and I earned a PhD in astrophysics from UC Berkeley, but I also had multiple hospital stays from issues related to living with paralysis. My dream of being a full-time research scientist seems out of reach, so I founded a non-profit organization in order to dedicate my life to service. I’m not good at manual labor, but I have a wealth of knowledge to share. I hope to create a space where I can teach people with disabilities and their caregivers things I had to suffer through to learn.

I found a small plot of land in the evergreen forest north of Seattle, where we could construct our new headquarters. I will reside there with a live-in caregiver, and there is a guest quarters with room for another person in need and their caregiver. The cost of the project can be estimated by calculating the sum of the following components: 1) Properly, 2) Fencing, 3) Foundations, 4) Power, 5) Water, 6) Grow space, 7) Hydroponics, 8) Human factors. The final cost will be between $250k-$300k, for which I’m planning to take out a mortgage, with a monthly payment near the amount I pay for rent now. 

The biggest obstacle right now is the down payment. We should be eligible for a subsidized loan with minimal down payment requirements, but we still have to come up with at least 3% down. Your donation will help me overcome this hurdle. Any donation over $100 will be rewarded with a free night for one person in the guest quarters. Donors of $50 or more will be invited to a nice meal at one of our fundraising events, and contributors of $10 or more receive one ticket to the mediation walk.