covid-19

Henry and Mary

Resilience and Disability in the Time of COVID-19

People with disabilities need our help now more than ever.

A Message from Our CEO


To our talented staff, dedicated trustees, generous donors, and our community,

During these challenging and uncertain times, all of us here at Kessler Foundation express our deep concern for all of you and wish you peace and good health. Many of you may have questions about the disruptions we are experiencing in our daily lives, and the impact on the Foundation and the important work we do.

My message to you is one of resolve. We are pushing ahead with our research and philanthropic activities in a landscape that has suddenly and radically changed. To maintain our resolve, we recall 2008, when we weathered the devastating economic downturn with the support of our staff and our donors, and the guidance of our Board of Trustees. Today, it is the spread of COVID-19 that tests our resiliency.

Given current threats and future uncertainties, the work we do is more important than ever. With health and safety as our number 1 priority, we’ve closed our offices, suspended travel, and postponed events.

Thanks to the ingenuity of our staff, we continue to move our research forward—focusing on work that does not require physical contact. Staff members are working remotely, utilizing technology to connect with one another and maintain communication with their research participants.

Some studies have been adapted to tele-studies, allowing people with disabilities to participate from home, without the risks of in-person meetings. The unseen work of our scientists—analyzing data, writing papers, and submitting grant proposals—also continues—fueling the momentum of our research.

And to help our grantees maintain their programs for jobseekers with disabilities, we have shifted funds to make COVID-19 emergency funding available.

While we have all witnessed many losses, we have not lost our ability to take action.

This new reality is fostering creative solutions that promise to fundamentally alter how we plan our future.

I’m confident that Kessler Foundation’s leadership team and our Board of Trustees will continue to make the kind of decisions that enable us to push forward. And I’m confident that our donors—who understand the impact that our efforts have on the lives of people with disabilities—will act to continue their support.

To channel this support, we have created a special fund. Your donation to the Resilience Fund at Kessler Foundation helps those most vulnerable to today’s challenges—people with disabilities.  

With gratitude and best wishes for the good health of you and your loved ones, 

Rodger DeRose
Rodger DeRose
President and CEO
Kessler Foundation 

Hear from Our Experts

Listen to our renowned rehabilitation researchers discuss the impact of COVID-19 on people living with disabilities.

 

participate in research from home

Participate in Research from Home

Stay connected to us.

All you need is access to a computer or phone.

Join a Tele-Study

Current Tele-Studies

 

While we have all witnessed many losses, we have not lost our ability to take action. Your donation to the Resilience Fund at Kessler Foundation helps those most vulnerable to today’s challenges.

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Are you interested in learning more about the work we do, want to see what our researchers have been up to, or have concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on you and your family? Check our blog for the latest Foundation news.