We are proud to share Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation’s growth and accomplishments in our 2024 Impact Report as we continue to update and expand our resources and programs. 

We published our 8th Edition of Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. Updates were made to include information on investing, identity theft, AI-generated fraud, digital currency, and fintech tools. We also collaborated with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and other stakeholders to write the Academic Standards for Personal Finance, so that students with disabilities have access to financial education. 



2024 was our biggest year yet, and we are excited to share the numbers with you. 

451

borrowers obtained loans to purchase assistive technology worth

$3,895,469

1,408

people received 1-on-1 information and assistance for funding resources for assistive technology

11,885

people received financial education through webinars, publications, and visits to StudyMoney.us

Type of AT: Inclined Platform Lift

Program: Mini-Loan

“I can navigate safely from floor to floor, enhancing my mobility at home, providing peace of mind for myself, my loved ones, and my caregiver. It’s made such a difference in my life,” said Colleen of Lebanon County.

Colleen is one of many PATF borrowers whose lives have been transformed by assistive technology.

As we are coming to the end of our Fiscal Year, and, as I am coming to the end of my first full year here at PATF, I am incredibly grateful.

I’m grateful for our borrowers and others who inquire about our information and assistance. I’m grateful for our amazing staff. One-third of our employees started full-time with PATF in the last year, while others have been here much longer.

I’m grateful for the way the team pulls together through all the transitions to push our work forward. I’m grateful for our Board of Directors, who give generously of their time, wisdom, and resources to keep PATF healthy and growing.

Finally, I am grateful for every stakeholder and supporter who has shown up and pitched-in during my first year. PATF is an incredible community, and I am most grateful that we get to do the work that we do. 

Please join us on Saturday, June 7th for the Annual Celebration of Disability Pride Philly. Disability Pride PA and Councilmember Kendra Brooks are hosting this event to honor the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

PATF and the Philadelphia Office of Community Engagement and Opportunity are hosting two disability resources fairs aimed at bridging the gap in access to disability resources in underserved communities in North and South Philly.

Day One:

Date: September 12th

Location: Concillio located at 141 E. Hunting Park Avenue

Day Two:

Date: Septemb 13th

Location: St. Thomas Aquinas Church located at 1719 Morris Street

For more information, contact Wendy Davis, Director of Marketing and Outreach, at wdavis@patf.us.

On May 3rd PATF co-hosted the 2nd Annual Allentown Bilingual Disability Resource Fair with Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation and Plan 504 Podcast.

We want to express our sincerest gratitude to Highmark Wholecare for stepping up to be the Lunch Sponsor for the second year in a row and demonstrating their commitment to bridging the gap in access to disability resources.

Without the support of sponsors, we would not be able to host this event and continue our efforts to reach underserved communities and better serve Pennsylvanians from all communities and cultural backgrounds.

We are looking forward to hosting the 3rd Annual Allentown Bilingual Disability Resource Fair in Spring 2026!  

Thank you to the following organizations that shared resources at the resource fair: 365 Health Services, A Bridge to Independence, Aetna Better Health Kids, AmeriHealth Caritas, Arc of Lehigh and Northampton, Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, Disability Rights PA, Enhanced Vision, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, Highmark Wholecare, HUNE, Leigh Valley Center for Independent Living, Migrant Education Program of Millersville University, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, OneWell, PA Office of Attorney General, Pediatric Stars, PA Treasury, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, Plan 504 Podcast, Salvation Army, Sights for Hope, TechOWL, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, United Way, Via of the Lehigh Valley, and Vision for Equality. 

PATF and the Pennsylvania Treasury Department collaborated to present a Money Talks webinar about changes to PA ABLE which provides individuals with qualifying disabilities a way to save and invest without impacting their benefits. A lot has changed in the last several months, and more is to come.

So, check out the webinar to find out what’s new with ABLE. The recording, slides, Spanish audio, and transcript are now available. 

Karen Hassett, PATF’s Director of Financial Education, retired in April 2025. During Karen’s time at PATF, she made many strides in expanding our Financial Education program.

She made updates to our financial education publications, Cents and Sensibility, its Educator Companion Manuel, and its Family Companion. She also hosted valuable webinars as part of our Money Talks webinar series.

We thank Karen for her commitment to financial education and empowerment, and we wish her well in her retirement! 

With Summer right around the corner, learn more about how a smart AC controller may be useful during these warmer months. Smart AC controllers allow you to turn on your air conditioning before you get home or without having to walk into another room.

They can work with AC units, mini-splits, or in-wall units. You can issue commands, such as adjusting the temperature, turning it on and off, adjusting the fan speed, and more, from the smartphone app or controls on the unit itself.

Check out Consumer Reports for reviews on different products. 

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) helps Pennsylvanians of all ages, all disabilities and health conditions, all income levels, and all communities and cultural backgrounds. We offer information about acquiring assistive technology (AT), funding resources, financial education, and financial loan programs. For more information, call 484-674-0506 or visit www.patf.us.

PATF is a state and federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and is the Commonwealth's designated Alternative Financing Program (AFP) under the federal Assistive Technology Act.