Dick Goodwin, the founder of IMPACT Inc., an independent living advocacy group, passed away at age 65. Goodwin graduated from Alton High School in 1964, but he was known best for his work running IMPACT, an Alton-based independent living advocacy group for people with disabilities. “He was very intelligent, very caring and very tough. He was a fighter,” said Associate Judge Nelson Metz, one of his best friends.
Early on he was able to procure funding through the Alton City Council to fund curb cuts in most sidewalks in the city, so people who use wheelchairs could have full access to sidewalks. After this achievement he continued with similar causes, such as ramps in public buildings, which made accessibility possible for people with disabilities. He and others who worked for IMPACT also became advocates for adherence to the Americans With Disabilities Act and would consult on matters related to accessibility.
IMPACT started in 1985 and during his 19 years as their executive director he expanded the programs to include all types of disabilities. “Without him, there would be no IMPACT. He was my mentor,” said Cathy Contarino, who succeeded Goodwin as executive director of IMPACT and is the current director.
Goodwin was injured at the young age of 21. He was involved in a severe injury in a traffic crash on Brown Street in Alton. The car he was in flipped, and he apparently landed on his neck. He used a wheelchair for the rest of his life and became interested in rights for people with disabilities when he was attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s degree in sociology.
At SIUE, he learned about Ed Roberts, a student at the University of California at Berkeley, a student with disabilities who started the first independent living center. Metz said he recalls when Goodwin did not have a motorized wheelchair. He was determined to get an education and would ride to the school with friends. He would get out of the vehicle using a wooden plank and get around campus on his own power, except when barriers such as stairs would block his way. Only then would friends help him get around.
He said in a 1987 interview that he became even more acutely aware of the need for an organization such as IMPACT when he applied for jobs in the Alton area but was unable to find work, despite his advanced degree.
After his work with St. Louis for independent living agencies, including Goodwill Industries from 1976 to 1985, he returned to Alton in 1985 to found IMPACT. He said he always considered Alton his home, and friends helped convince him he needed to start an independent living organization here. “I remember he was on Social Security, and he told me he was determined to get off SSI,” Metz said. “Once he started working for IMPACT, he never was on SSI again.”
During Goodwin’s 19-year tenure, the organization’s budget grew from $100,000 to $1 million. Among his many awards was the Alton YWCA Man of Distinction Award for 2008. He will be missed.
About United Access: We offer the finest products the mobility industry has to offer. We offer new wheelchair accessible vans, used wheelchair vans, wheelchair van rentals, scooter lifts, hand controls, mobility seats and transfer seats, wheelchair ramps, and accessible equipment for all abilities. We are a member of the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association and a nationally accredited Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealer with nine locations across the Central United States. They are committed to giving back to the communities they serve through volunteer time, event sponsorships and donations. Where Freedom and Independence Meet, you will Find United Access.
To find out more about the mobility equipment, wheelchair vans and other solutions offered by United Access, visit http://www.UnitedAccess.com.
Tell a Friend
Add to Favorites
Print This Page