Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is a legitimate Charity registered in the United States (view PVA financial statements here) and PVAhero, a website owned by PVA, is also legitimate. 

PVA was founded in 1946 and has helped hundreds of thousands of veterans through benefits counseling, adaptive sports, career support, a disability civil rights advocacy, and has funding over $57 million in critical spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) research.  

PVA holds a Platinum seal of transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar) , is a top-rated nonprofit on Great Nonprofits, and a 91% score on CharityNavigator. PVA is also recognized as one of the “Big Six” Veteran service organizations, and in 2018 was rated the Military & Veteran brand of the year by Harris Poll. 

Learn more about PVA’s programs that help veterans here.

Learn more about PVA’s financials and how we use donations here.

Yes, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is a national 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization that was founded in 1946. PVA’s 33 chapters are registered as separate 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profits.

PVA is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or diseases, like MS and ALS.

Our work impacts every aspect of a veteran’s life, from Day One of their injury or diagnosis, and throughout their journey.

Yes, Paralyzed Veterans of America is the best organization to donate to in support of our nation’s most severely wounded veterans. For 80 years, PVA has filled a unique need by specifically serving veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D), and diseases, like MS and ALS in all areas of their life.

PVA’s wide-ranging benefits provide free counseling, adaptive sports, career support, research and education, advocacy, accessible architectural design, and more. PVA is also the only veterans service organization that routinely audits VA hospitals, and the only one with on-staff architects to help veterans modify their homes. PVA is the only veterans service organization that routinely audits VA hospitals, and the only one with on-staff architects to help veterans modify their homes — and pushing for accessible public spaces.

In 2025, PVA filed nearly 27,000 benefit claims on behalf of veterans, helping to secure $286 million in new and retroactive benefits, testified about member priorities at 18 congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, invested more than $85 million in life-changing programs for veterans, and funded $1.2 million in research grants — bringing PVA’s total investment in research in support of our mission to over $57 million.

PVA’s strong charity ratings reflect the organization’s long impact. PVA has also been given a three-star rating on Charity Navigator and is a top-rated nonprofit on Great Nonprofits and Candid (formerly Guidestar).

When you donate to Paralyzed Veterans of America, you can trust that your gift is supporting its programs. In 2025, 72% of donations directly supported veterans and people with disabilities. This surpasses the recommendations from the Better Business Bureau.

The additional 28% goes toward fundraising and administrative costs, including employing our National Service Officers — who directly fight for veteran benefits every day.

Learn more or donate to PVA now.

Carl Blake, CEO of Paralyzed Veterans of America, was paid $240,095 by PVA in 2024 . Like much of PVA’s leadership team, Carl Blake is a leader with lived experience. Carl joined PVA as a member in 2000 after sustaining a spinal cord injury during a parachute training exercise in the U.S. Army.

Robert Thomas, President of PVA made $126,615 in 2024. Robert Thomas is also a member of PVA. Robert has been a PVA member since 1992. In 1991, while on active duty, Thomas severed his fifth and sixth vertebrae in a diving accident. He was introduced to PVA through the Cleveland VA Medical Center.

Read more about PVA’s unique leadership team.

Send an email to donorservices@pva.org or call us at 800-555-9140. If you would like to sign up for PVA emails, please fill out this form.

Paralyzed Veterans of America has a National Office and a mail facility. Our National Office is where we conduct most of our administrative and managerial activities, and is located in Washington, DC. We also have a mail facility located in Topeka, Kansas. This is where we process donations and update our mailing list.

PVA National Processing Center

P.O. Box 758589 

Topeka, KS 66675-8589

Thank you for supporting our mission. Processing can take up to four to six weeks. We appreciate your patience!

No, we are all individual organizations. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) works closely with Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Wounded Warrior, and other non-profits in our space on issues of mutual concern.

PVA’s programs reflect an expansive view of the needs of our members, offering support extending beyond traditional Veteran Service Organizations. We not only offer help securing veteran benefits and health care, but also host sports and rehabilitation events, assistance making homes accessible, legal support, as well as a range of other benefits to help people with disabilities independently access their communities.

Our long impact as the leader in the veterans’ community for disability civil rights, has strengthened protections for all disabled Americans. Together with our allies, we secured the passage of legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Architectural Barriers Act, Elizabeth Dole Caregiver Bill, and the Air Carrier Access Act — benefiting all people with disabilities as well as our members or other injured veterans in all spheres of life.

PVA logo and other digital assets on our digital assets webpage can be found and downloaded here.

Membership is free and open to anyone who:

• Is a citizen of the United States or its territories;
• Is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces whose discharge was other than dishonorable; AND
• Has a spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) The injury or disease does not need to be service-connected and can have occurred following a veteran’s discharge or retirement from military service.

Learn more about membership.

Yes! Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Veterans Career Program provides FREE employment support and vocational counseling assistance to ALL transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers, regardless of whether they’re a member or not.

Whether you need help with job search and networking strategies or with obtaining necessary accommodations at work, our team is here to support your career at every stage of life.

Please reach out to members@pva.org for assistance.

No. In fact, Paralyzed Veterans of America ‘s programs intentionally compliment those offered by government programs. PVA offers critical assistance to and oversight of benefits and services provided by the VA.

PVA also empowers veterans with spinal cord injuries or diseases who encounter barriers to advocate for their removal. In a time when government services are often underfunded, PVA fills a void. Without our assistance, many veterans would not have proper access to the benefits, services, and rights that they have earned and deserve.

Find out how you can support our vital veteran programs.

Yes. Paralyzed Veterans of America offers legal services to help with your claims for benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Our attorneys have litigated hundreds of VA benefits cases on behalf of our members and other veterans to ensure that they receive all the benefits they have earned. In 2025, we achieved a 100% favorable decision rating with the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and before the VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

If your claim for VA benefits has been turned down and your appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals has been denied as well, PVA can file a federal lawsuit on your behalf with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. In certain cases, we may also appeal an adverse decision from the Veterans’ Court to other federal appellate courts.

Our legal staff also provides appellate representation for VA benefits claims that have been initially denied by a VA Regional Office before the VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Our staff will work directly with you (or your caregiver) along with your local PVA National Service Officer to gather evidence and present a written and/or oral argument before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

In certain cases, PVA will also provide free legal representation to veterans and active-duty service members at hearings before military Physical Evaluation Boards, Boards of Correction for Military Records, and Discharge Review Boards.

While PVA does not provide direct legal representation in other kinds of cases, such as domestic relations matters, bankruptcies, criminal misconduct, negligence, and other civil matters, we may be able to provide you with other sources of pro bono (free) or discounted legal services.

Learn more about our legal services.

Disability compensation is a tax-free financial benefit paid to veterans who are considered at least ten percent disabled due to an injury or disease that occurred or became worse during active military service. This is true even if the disability arises after active service is over. The disability can be a physical condition, such as spinal cord injury, or a mental health issue, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

To learn more about your eligibility for disability benefits, please reach out to PVA’s Membership team at members@pva.org, or reach out to the Veterans Benefits Hotline at 1-866-734-0857 to speak with a PVA National Service Officer in your area.

Benefit amounts range from ten percent to 100 percent, depending on the veteran’s disability rating. A veteran’s “disability rating” refers to the level of impairment they are living with. Special Monthly Compensation may be provided when the level of impairment exceeds 100 percent. Disability compensation may be affected if a veteran receives military retirement pay, disability severance, or separation incentive payments.

Learn more about veteran benefits.

The VA provides tax-free, supplemental income to low-income wartime veterans through the Veterans Pension benefit. To qualify, a veteran must have at least 90 days of active-duty service, with at least one day during a wartime period. The pension benefit also requires that veterans be:

• Age 65 or older
• Totally and permanently disabled
• A patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care
• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income
• In addition, the veteran’s yearly income must be less than the amount set by Congress.

Please note that veterans who’ve entered active-duty service after Sept. 7, 1980, generally must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were ordered to active duty (with some exceptions) with at least one day during a wartime period.

Learn more about veteran benefits.

Yes. Any decision made by the VA regarding an application for benefits — including disability, health care, or cemetery benefits — can be appealed for any reason. Veterans have up to one year from the date of their first denial to appeal the decision. Find out how our legal team can help with an appeal.

Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Research Foundation promotes innovative research to find better treatments and cures for SCI/D, support efforts to improve quality of life for those living with SCI/D, and train post-doctoral fellows in SCI/D while the Education Foundation supports efforts to improve quality of life of those living with SCI/D, support education of secondary health effects, and improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals who serve those living with SCI/D.

Each year, the Education Foundation issues a call for education proposals in Consumer, Caregiver, & Community Education; Professional Development & Education; Research Translation, and Conference & Symposia — while the Research Foundation calls for research proposals in Basic Science; Clinical Applications; Design & Development; and Fellowships.

During the last cycle, PVA received 23 Education Foundation grant applications. Those applications led to $530,000 in education grants funded, bringing PVA’s total funding of education grants to over $11 million. 

During the last cycle, PVA received 142 Research Foundation grant applications, the most in our 80-year history. Those applications led to ~$1.2 million in total research grants funded, bringing PVA’s total funding of research grants to over $57 million.

Both Education Foundation and Research Foundation grant applications undergo a stringent, independent peer review for merit and relevance to SCI/D. A panel of reviewers, assigned by the Peer Review Contractor, evaluates each eligible application with a stringent set of criteria. The Board of Directors for each Foundation which is composed of a majority of PVA members, considers reports from the peer review. Final funding decisions rest solely with the Directors.

You can find updates about grants from both of Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Foundations on PVA.org.

Principal Investigators (PIs) for each grant also present their work at national conferences and meetings, including PVA’s Healthcare Summit + Expo. They also publish their work in articles in journals and magazines, including PN magazine. PVA continues to share updates about work we’ve supported.

View our most recent Research Grant Foundation winners.

View our most recent Education Grant Foundation winners.

There are frequently opportunities available for veterans to take part in the applications research projects. Often, grantees will send out recruitment requests through VA SCI/D Centers and other VA hospitals. We also feature ads in Paraplegia News (PN) magazine

PVA often sends out information to members about research opportunities through the organization’s membership email list.

You can subscribe to PVA’s emails here.

For the best way to learn about clinical trials in spinal cord injury, MS or ALS, visit clinicaltrials.gov and enter your disability and specific studies you are interested in (ex. bladder, pain, stem cells). All of the available studies will be listed.

Paralyzed Veterans of America funds research through donations from individuals, families, health professionals, PVA chapters, the Combined Federal Campaign and corporations.

Paralyzed Veterans of America hosts a variety of in-person and virtual adaptive sports and recreation opportunities during each calendar year. Our events take place all throughout the United States. For more information on our current event schedule, please check out the calendars on our Sports page You can also follow us on Facebook @PVASports.

Paralyzed Veterans of America provides a wide range of adaptive sports, wellness activities, and recreation opportunities designed for veterans with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D). PVA membership is not required to participate and most of our programs are also open to other members of the disability community as well as non-disabled participants.

This inclusive approach helps create a supportive, integrated environment where individuals of all abilities can participate together, learn new skills, and build community.

Only the National Veterans Wheelchair Games are exclusively for military veterans.

Learn how to get involved with our sports programs.

Paralyzed Veterans of America works closely with its chapters and other organizations to help identify potential funding sources for athlete grants but does not offer an ongoing grant for individual athletes. Although we try to offer as many free programs as possible, some of our events charge an entry fee.

Follow us on Facebook @PVASports to stay updated on future funding opportunities.

Paralyzed Veterans of America does not provide endorsements for individual athletes or teams.

Paralyzed Veterans of America has 33 chapters across the country, each with its own volunteer program offering a wide variety of service opportunities. PVA National has additional volunteer opportunities through the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Code of Honor Wheelchair Rugby tournament, and other events.

If there isn’t a chapter where you live, you can also volunteer with your local VA Voluntary Service program. When you sign up with the VA, just let them know that you are volunteering your time in the name of Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Find a PVA Chapter near you.