The Hartford’s Commitment to Adaptive Sports
Through a partnership with Move United, The Hartford has provided more than 3,300 pieces of adaptive sports equipment to individual athletes and Move United member organizations across the country since 2019. To date, 38 communities have benefited with new program equipment, impacting over 35,000 people.
One of those programs is Adaptive Adventures, a non-profit organization based in Westminster, Colorado, with a satellite program in Chicago, IL A $35,000 grant from The Hartford enabled the Move United member organization to purchase a portable climbing wall and accessories and four adaptive bicycles. The new equipment will help expand the organization’s adaptive rock climbing and cycling program and provide opportunities to underserved areas in the Midwest region.
“We are so very grateful for the opportunity to add this portable rock-climbing wall and expand our mobile programming opportunities,” said Adaptive Adventures Program Director Greg Zbrzezny. “This is a wonderful asset for our program and will create new memorable experiences for individuals with physical disabilities in the Chicagoland area and beyond.”
During the grant celebration, The Hartford along with Parasport World Champion Oksana Masters, a Team Hartford athlete, also surprised two athletes each with a custom-fit piece of equipment to further pursue their recreational goals. Amanda Lojeski received a Dynamique bi-ski and Peter Ruiz received an Invacare XLT handcycle. The custom equipment will help the two athletes achieve greater independence and provide the opportunity to partake in recreational and competitive events outside of organized programming through Adaptive Adventures.
Masters knows the importance of custom-fit equipment. “It was amazing,” Masters told Forbes after the event. “It never gets old seeing the expression when they realize that it’s their own equipment and they get to go home with it.”
“Growing up, we didn’t have finances to get running legs or other equipment, wheelchairs, for me to try things,” Masters said. “But it’s amazing to know that with what The Hartford and Move United is doing, no one will have to know what that feels like anymore. Every single person has the right to try and be active in sports,” Masters said. “Adaptive athletes deserve equal opportunity and access to sports. Money should never be the limiting factor, equipment should never be the limiting factor.”
At Move United Junior Nationals presented by The Hartford, Team Hartford Athlete and World Champion Basketball Player Matt Scott helped surprise three individual athletes with their own custom-fit sports equipment. “I remember distinctly not having the right equipment. Having the right equipment means you can thrive in the sport,” Scott said at the Denver event. “It takes specialized equipment that is imperative to competing at a high level.”
The Hartford has been inspiring human achievement through adaptive sports for nearly 30 years. As a leading provider of disability insurance, the company has seen first-hand the positive impact sports can have on people and is dedicated to making adaptive sports and equipment more accessible. This includes equipment donations to local sports clubs nationwide, raising awareness about equity in sports in partnership with its world class Team Hartford athletes, and hosting The Hartford’s Competition Series, five premier competitive adaptive sports events.
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