Mobility Worldwide, TX-Austin

Reflecting the love of God by bringing the gift of mobility and dignity to those in developing countries who are unable to walk.

Our Mobility Cart (PET®) is a three-wheeled, off-road wheelchair, operated by hand power. Built by a faith-based, non-profit, volunteer organization, mobility carts are delivered at no cost to people in developing countries who have lost the use of their legs.

Donate nowYour blessed gift to

Mobility Worldwide, TX-Austin

helps lift crawling people up out of the dirt.

$300.00 builds a Cart

Amazon Smile all the time!!

AmazonSmile-web

Remember to shop at AmazonSmile when you do your online shopping year round.  If you are not already registered, go to www.smile.amazon.com and log in just like you do with you regular Amazon account.  At the top of the page click on 'Supporting:'.  Search for 'Personal Energy Transportation of Austin'.  Every quarter PET-Austin get .05% of our supporters purchases from the AmazonSmile Foundation.

cfc

Combined Federal Campaign

PET International is an authorized charity for the annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC is similar to the United Way in that all US Governmental employees (civilian and military, current or retired) can easily make contributions designated to specific charities or shared across all charities listed in the CFC. Please forward this news to your Federal Governmental friends and ask they consider designating PET International (CFC #38749) as one of their charities of choice.

 

A review of 2013

First off, I want to apologize for not getting updates out this past year.  I promise to do a better job in the future. Now I would like to start by reviewing what has gone on at PET Austin during 2013.

In 2013 seventy-one PETs were constructed.  Twenty of those PETs were sent to PET Rio Grande Valley to be distributed by the Lions Club in Mexico.  Twenty-seven PETs were sent to PET Brazos Valley to be included in their shipment to India.  We are currently preparing another shipment of twenty PETs to Rio Grande Valley. We are also planning a shipment of thirty-six PETs to Medical Bridges (a PET partner in Houston) to be included in their various shipments of medical supplies to missionaries around the world.

Our building campaign is going very well and we have raised $51,000+ of our $70,000 goal.  Bethany UMC included our building in their permit submitted to the city of Austin.  Once approved and we have our money in hand, we will begin moving forward with the construction of our new 3,000 sq. ft. home.

Also this year, Bethany UMC and PET Austin participated together in our fifth annual Lenten Challenge.  The membership at Bethany donated the funds and assisted in the assembly of forty PETs during the 2013 Lenten Season.  As always, the challenge was met and exceeded.  We are looking forward to the 2014 Challenge.

John Bosch Jr., founder and principle of the TyRex Group, Ltd., reached out to PET Austin to discuss a partnership.  Bosch had recently launched an intercompany bonding campaign called “2 Groups, 1 Family” within the iRex cable assembly and board design division, and believed that a community service project such as assembling PETs would provide the employees with a tangible experience in both volunteerism and team cooperation.  Details were discussed, a plan was put into place and TyRex agreed to an initial goal of assembling 10 PETs per month.

Today, the partnership between PET Austin and TyRex is strong and continues to grow stronger.  Sponsored by iRex’s “2 Groups, 1 Family” campaign, PET Austin has its own dedicated assembly and warehouse space, under the TyRex roof, where PETs are assembled and packed by TyRex business family volunteers.   TyRex employees have also found other ways to help out, from finding vendors and cutting material costs to assisting with PET Austin’s marketing efforts.

Finally we successfully launched our first newsletter in December.  To help keep our supporters informed, we are planning to issue a newsletter each quarter.  Be looking for future editions in February, May, August and November.  Those of you that received your newsletter in the mail and would like to receive it electronically, send your email address to info@petaustin.org to receive your newsletter electronically in the future.  For anyone that did not receive a copy of the December newsletter electronically or in the mail, please send your contact information to the same address and we will add you to the distribution list.

I would like to thank all of our supporters and volunteers that helped make 2013 a very successful year.

 

John Rudd

PET International Annual Meeting and Training Conference

PET International held its annual meeting and training conference in Bryan TX hosted by the PET – Brazos Valley Affiliate on September 14 – 15.  There were representatives from many of the PET affiliates around the US and from Zambia.  Unfortunately, I was only able to attend the last day; however, I was able to get some valuable information to bring back.  There were presentations about: Strategic Planning, Shop Safety, Cultivating Service Club Support, General Administration and Information Technology.  Presentations were also presented by several PET Distribution Partners including CHARA and MedShare.

The meeting ended with the Annual Board of Directors Meeting.

John Rudd

Tarrytown Youth Presentation

I had the pleasure of presenting PET to the Tarrytown UMC middle school youth group as they kicked off a new year.  Many of the youth remembered seeing the PETs that the Tarrytown mission team took with them to Uganda.  They also enjoyed riding the PETs that we took and will be leaving at the church for about a month.  I also took this opportunity to make the church leadership aware of our building program.

John Rudd

A New Building

The PET-Austin board reviewed estimates for the construction of a new shop building.  The board voted to officially kick off a capital building campaign to raise money to build a new PET shop.  The goal is to raise $70,000 for this project by soliciting donations from individuals and businesses in the area.  This amount will provide the funds to build the building (basic structure to be finished by PET volunteers) and leave operating funds for four months of normal operations.  That will allow PET Austin to get back on track and resume the growth we were experiencing before we lost our shop on Pond Springs Road.  We are talking to churches in the area who will allow us to build on their property.  When we are ready to build, the final decision for the best location will be made.

John Rudd

Austin Centennial Rotary Club Presentation

I had the opportunity to make a PET presentation to the Austin Centennial Rotary Club.  They are now aware of our building situation and want to continue showing us support.  We also discussed the possibility of a work day for their club.

John Rudd

Bethany UMC Missions Committee Meeting

I made a presentation to the Bethany UMC Missions committee about PET.  A number of the members of the committee had participated with us during the Lenten Challenge workdays at Bethany. They wanted an update about how we are doing after losing our shop space.   The committee will be making all of the adult Sunday School Classes aware of the fact that we will be starting a capital fund raising campaign to build a new building.

John Rudd

MW-Austin Lands' End Store Front

Click the logo to go to the store.

LandsEnd logo

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:40

Our Progress

PET Austin has delivered PETs to:

  1. Haiti
  2. Honduras
  3. Mexico
  4. Nicaragua
  5. Ukraine
  6. India
  7. Uganda
  8. Peru
  9. Nigeria

Help give the Gift of Mobility to someone in need!

Building and boxing PETs

Volunteers and donataions needed

Items Needed:

Clean soup can size cans

Shoebox size boxes

New Newsletter Link

New-Green Check out our new menu item "News".  There you will find news about our shop as well as the latest copy of the PET International Mini-Newsletter.