Northeast Passage, program of the University of New Hampshire
At Northeast Passage we use the power of sport and recreation to make good things happen for people with disabilities, both visible and invisible, every day. Whether we have an athlete with a disability aspiring to Paralympic glory, a veteran seeking community, a senior in search of active living opportunities, a student with autism learning to navigate the social context of the world or a person in recovery from a substance use disorder looking for support in maintaining sobriety, the context of meaningful engagement in sports and recreation is fertile ground for personal growth, healthy living, community engagement and joy.
Northeast Passage (NEP) is a nationally recognized leader in the fields of adaptive sport and recreational therapy. NEP was founded as a private non-profit in 1990 to provide adaptive sports opportunities through an all-volunteer staff. In year 1 NEP served 27 people. After years of collaborative grant-writing and research, NEP merged with the University of New Hampshire in 2000, adding depth to the service and research arm of the College of Health and Human Services. With steady growth and program development directly tied to trends and needs of people with disabilities, NEP now has a professional staff of 21 who manage the day-to-day operations serving over 8,000 people per year through 3 primary areas of service, Adaptive Sports, Recreational Therapy and Teaching.
Our adaptive recreation and sports programs promote health, happiness, and community engagement through a wide range of activities. These include cycling, paddling, archery, pickleball, golf, fishing, ice skating, sled hockey, power soccer, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair lacrosse, water skiing and more. NEP also offers an adaptive equipment rental program allowing people to participate with friends and family, outside of our programs, when and where they choose.
Northeast Passage is funded through multiple streams of revenue but relies heavily on philanthropic support to fund direct services to clients especially for adapted sports, which is the focus of this funding effort.
