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Winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund - January 27, 2009
Tricia Downing Honored with $5,000 Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund Award
January 27, 2009

Denver, Colorado Resident Wins Cash Award To Develop Adventure Camp For Women In Wheelchairs


(New York, NY, January 27, 2009) - Denver, Colorado resident Tricia Downing, 39, is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of creating a better tomorrow for her community. Tricia was named this week’s winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, a weekly $5,000 cash award program from Avon Products, Inc. to support individuals in their work to empower women. She is the first recipient of a Hello Tomorrow Fund award in Colorado since the program launched in 2007, and was selected by an expanded panel of judges that includes Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and actress Phylicia Rashad. Tricia will use her award to create an adventure camp seminar series for women in wheelchairs.

Disabled women face a multitude of challenges, not only physical, but social and emotional as well. Although we live in a society with many resources for the disabled, handicapped women can often feel isolated, depressed and socially rejected. It is also hard to access practical information about being wheelchair bound within the community, as there are seldom any support centers devoted entirely to disabled women.

Tricia was a competitive cyclist from 1997-2000, but her career was cut short when she was hit head-on by a car in the fall of 2000 in Golden, Colorado. She was paralyzed from the chest down, and decided that this was not the end of her life, but rather a new beginning. What Tricia found most challenging at first, was the lack of information and support within the community for women who use wheelchairs. Since her accident, she has met other disabled women in need of supportive relationships through aggressive outreach and her personal Web site, Trishdowning.com. She is now the first paraplegic female to complete an Iron distance triathlon and is a member of the physically challenged National Triathlon Team. Tricia also is a motivational speaker where she has given talks around the country about “reaching the finish line,” and uses her own personal story to inspire others to live their dreams.

Tricia always tries to help women who are struggling with similar issues that she faced after her accident such as changes in her body, dealing with a wheelchair and staying fit. She would like to pass on her knowledge and positive attitude in the hopes to empower other women and provide them with a new outlook on life. Tricia credits her involvement with sports as increasing her self esteem, toning her body and teaching her that a disability is not the end of life. She yearned to create a group where women in wheelchairs can come together and empower each other, and came up with the idea of an adventure camp seminar series. Tricia was inspired to apply for the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund so she could finance this life changing camp.

With help from the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, Tricia will be able to make her dream a reality and launch a two to four day adventure camp where approximately 10 women can come together and work on fitness, self esteem building, body image and have the chance to meet others who use a wheelchair. Tricia will find an expert in each field and hold these seminars in various locations throughout the duration of the camp. The funds will go towards lodging, transportation, food and equipment. Tricia is hoping after this initial seminar that she can continue to hold these camps and receive further funding from donors to support this passion to help others. Tricia believes this camp will empower women in wheelchairs to participate more freely in their own communities, realize their great potential and see that a disability is not the end of life, but a new beginning.

Tricia’s winning application to the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund met the criteria of clearly presenting unique and achievable objectives to empower women or girls and ultimately improve society. It was selected from a pool of strong contenders by an expert panel of judges, including personal finance expert Suze Orman, actress Phylicia Rashad, Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and experts in business and grantmaking. “This is a great way to create a community-based fellowship for wheelchair-bound women through an uplifting shared adventure/experience,” commented Sarah Ferguson on Tricia’s proposal.

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