ARISE - EFR

Building Access: The Ramp Program that Keeps People Home

• Tim Mahar • Season 2025 • Episode 111

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 Join host Bruce Drake of ARISE – EFR as he sits down with Scott Pecoy, Ramp Coordinator for their community mobility program. Discover how this incredible volunteer-driven initiative designs, builds and installs modular access ramps so individuals with mobility challenges can continue living independently in their homes. Learn about the building process, the partner churches and corporate volunteers, and the impact behind the 500-plus ramps built to date. 

SPEAKER_01:

This is the Arise Exceptional Family Resources Podcast with your host, CEO Bruce Drake.

SPEAKER_02:

Hi everyone, I'm Bruce Drake, the CEO at Arise and Exceptional Family Resources, and I'm your host for today's Exceptional Talk on Disabilities. I'm excited today to be joined by uh Scott Picoy, the Ramp Coordinator at Arise and EFR. Welcome, Scott.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you, Bruce. It's great to be here.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm really excited to talk about it today. But before we get started, why don't you tell everybody a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. I stuck it on as a program. In 2017, I took I started in this position that I'm in now. I coordinate the ramp program. We put in access ramps at people's homes for people that can't afford them.

SPEAKER_02:

So were you a guy who just always liked to build ramps? What's your background?

SPEAKER_00:

So I started out in construction when I was in high school. Did la labor work, um, got into drafting, um, worked on the drawing. Manual drawing, actually, at that time. Of plans and stuff like that. Plans and stuff. And uh that's what I went to school for. Um I worked for two different architectural firms. I spent ten years drawing plans for different construction projects, including the office space at um 635 James Street.

SPEAKER_02:

Wow, I didn't know that. That's uh for people who don't know, that's the administrative offices for a rise in exceptional family resources. Right.

SPEAKER_00:

So I've always been um always been building. I like I like to build.

SPEAKER_02:

So if we don't like the layout at that property, you're the one to blame?

SPEAKER_00:

Is that what I'm hearing? Yes. That's that would be the that would be correct.

SPEAKER_02:

So So do you have any connection to the the field of disabilities, or was it your experience as a drafter and in construction that drew you to the ramp program?

SPEAKER_00:

I've had people like I have people in my family that are that are disabled. Um always had a passion for people with disabilities. Um want them to be treated fairly and justly, and and the ramp program seemed to fit what I like to do. So I did.

SPEAKER_02:

Excellent. So why don't we why don't we explain what the ramp program is for people who aren't familiar with it?

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so the ramp program is um a program that uses uh volunteer labor and it's the actual cost of the material. It's funded by donations. Um we build pr modular built sections. Um so everything is is pre-built. So I go out on the site, prior to the build date, I do an assessment, I figure out how how long the ramp has to be according to the ADA, then we put all the all the pieces together, bring it to the job site, and then the volunteers install it at the job site.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, so so let's say I I live in my house, and for whatever reason I'm no longer able to do stairs. And the ramp program will come and support me if I need a ramp in order to continue to live independently out in the community, is that right? That's correct. Yep. So does the person have to own the home or can they rent the home?

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Ross Powell So we would prefer they own the home, but if they rent, um we actually go and confront the landlord and ask them to pay for the material to have the ramp put in for them.

SPEAKER_02:

Trevor Burrus And are people willing to do that?

SPEAKER_00:

Um most of the people are willing to do that, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Aaron Ross Powell And the again the criteria for for us to go and build a ramp at a at somebody's home or apartment is that they need this in order to continue to live independently in the community.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell That's correct. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So is it also maybe people are some of the ramps temporary? Are they all permanent?

SPEAKER_00:

So our ramps, all our ramps are temporary. Okay. When the people are done with them, we go back and pick them up.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, yes. So let's just I want to clarify that, right? Because there are temporary ramps where they're like I've seen you use the small metal ramps that you know can deal with one or two stairs. But you and I did a ramp build together that I'm guessing the ramp was probably about 70 feet long, give or take, right? It was made of uh composite materials. Right. Uh it didn't feel temporary. So maybe maybe we should just back up just a little bit. So in the in the beginning you had talked about that that a ramp build is really two phases, right? There's one where we're building the modular pieces and then one where we're assembling it. So why don't we why don't we break that down a little bit? What is when you say you we're building the modular pieces, what does that mean?

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. So the ramp is built of the inclined sections. They're 39 by 6 foot. Okay. Those are assembled prior to going to the job site. Um platforms are typically 5 by 5 or 5x7, depending on if there's a uh what we call a switchback. Okay. So all those are built prior to going out to the job. Um we have volunteers that come to the church. They build the sections. We have jig tables set up so that everything is square and true.

SPEAKER_02:

So when you say a jig table, so you put all the pieces onto this table and people just need to put the screws in. Okay. And so I could I could barely hit a nail with a hammer, right? I'm I'm not the most uh from a construction standpoint, I I have no skills. What what are the prerequisite skills of volunteer needs in order to to help with uh putting the pieces together?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. We work with we can work with anybody.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Whether they have skills or not. Okay. So it's not it doesn't discriminate against who's able to construct stuff and whatnot. Um we have a system set up so that everything is really easy.

SPEAKER_02:

We'll guide you through the the steps and what are the different jobs a volunteer might do?

SPEAKER_00:

So volunteers might um if they're on the section build, they may cut cut wood.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. Um so they use a saw.

SPEAKER_00:

They use saws. Or they uh do the assembly part. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

That's using the jigs?

SPEAKER_00:

That's using the jigs and drills. We don't use hammers anymore. Or just moving stuff from point A to point B. We put them on what we call boogie boards. Okay. It's a board with wheels. Okay. Makes it easy for transport and stuff.

SPEAKER_02:

And where does all this happen?

SPEAKER_00:

So all that happens at the church.

SPEAKER_02:

Which church?

SPEAKER_00:

Uh the Oswego First United Methodist Church.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. And do we have to pay for the space there?

SPEAKER_00:

No.

SPEAKER_02:

So they donate this space out.

SPEAKER_00:

They've partnered with us with the from the with the program since Arise took it over in 2008. The church actually started the program somewhere in the early 2000s. And then in 2008, the engineer that was coordinating everything was moving out of s out of state. Okay. He didn't want the program to die. Okay. So we approached Arise and said, Hey, we have this program. Would you guys consider taking this on as a program? Right. And they said, Yes, we'll do it. So that's so since then the church has stayed as a partner with the with the program. Um they're actually putting up a 30 by 40 pole barn for us to build our sections in. Wow. Um, so that's really nice. That's very generous. That's going on this week, actually.

SPEAKER_02:

Um so once you have all the once you have all the volunteers there for a day and you build all the pieces, then what's the next step after that?

SPEAKER_00:

So the next step is we get people to do the assembly at the job site.

SPEAKER_02:

At the person's house.

SPEAKER_00:

At the person's house, yeah. Um so there you might be lifting, carrying, also running tools.

SPEAKER_02:

Um Do I have to know how to put things, where they go? Who does all that?

SPEAKER_00:

I'm I'm on all I'm on all the installs. Okay. So I'll I'm the one that guides the people and shows them where everything has to be and gives them direction.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, that's great. That's great. Now so so you said they're temporary, but when you when you put up a wooden a wooden ramp to somebody's house, how long would you expect that that ramp is going to be there?

SPEAKER_00:

At least at least two years. Okay. Um I actually have one that I have to pick up in the next few days.

SPEAKER_02:

Two years because that's as long as it'll last, or two years that that's as long as somebody needs it?

SPEAKER_00:

That's as long as somebody needs it.

SPEAKER_02:

So if you if if we put one right we put one on a building that a Rise an EFR owns earlier earlier in the summer, how long would I expect that ramp to be there?

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Ross Powell That'll be there as long as it's either painted or stained, it'll be there twenty years.

SPEAKER_02:

Aaron Powell 20 years. So though you call them temporary, they're really only temporary because the person in the house only needs them for a period of time. When we construct them, they're meant to last. Right. Excellent. So how do how do people hear about the program?

SPEAKER_00:

It's mainly by word of mouth. Um we have relations with relationships with um the local medical places and uh nursing homes, nursing homes, doctors' offices, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep. And then just people in the community, they know what we do because we've been doing it forever. Right. Um they so like word of mouth travels quite well.

SPEAKER_02:

So how how many ramps do you build in a typical Right? You can't build right, you're probably not building in the winter, I would guess, right? Or not a lot in the winter.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, we usually don't build too many in the winter.

SPEAKER_02:

So about how many ramps do you build a year?

SPEAKER_00:

Um we s we usually do between thirty and forty ramps a year.

SPEAKER_02:

Aaron Ross Powell Okay. And how many ramp builds have you been part of?

SPEAKER_00:

Um over I would say close to 520.

SPEAKER_02:

520 ramps. Well I know it's at least 500 because I went to one and had a piece of cake celebrating your your ramp build.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So we had 500 back in June, and I think I've done 20 ramps since.

SPEAKER_02:

That's fantastic. It really makes a difference in the person's lives, right? Because without this service, they either couldn't leave their house or more likely they couldn't live there. So they have to go either find a new place to live or they end up in a skilled nursing facility or something like that.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell That's correct.

SPEAKER_02:

So where where do you find your volunteers?

SPEAKER_00:

So volunteers, um most of our volunteers are corporate volunteers. They're from different organizations. Um I reach I reach out to a lot of them to see if we can get uh set up a relationship with them where they send us um people to What do you mean?

SPEAKER_02:

So like a bank or something, we'll have a you know, we're gonna everyone who works at the bank is gonna volunteer at this ramp build day thing.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep. Actually, speaking of the bank, we have um Cyuga Lake National Bank. Um they've done I think seven, six or seven ramps with us. Wow. Um it's just the people that work at the bank.

SPEAKER_02:

And what what counties will we build a ramp in?

SPEAKER_00:

So right now we cover Oswego and Cayuga counties. We're starting to uh get things set up so we can start doing ramps in Madison County.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. That's great. And you talked about corporate sponsorship and uh you know relying on donations of people and organizations. Do we have any uh donors that you want to recognize?

SPEAKER_00:

Um Novellus is uh it's a huge uh Who's Novellus? They're uh an aluminum company located in the Swiggle. Okay. Um they donate money to us every every year.

SPEAKER_02:

That's great. So is there any cost to the person?

SPEAKER_00:

There's no cost to the person. Like I said, it's all donated material and stuff. Um but if the person wants to make a donation, they can do that.

SPEAKER_02:

We'll always accept a donation of of volunteer time or goods or dollars, right? That's correct. Excellent. Do you have a wish list for the program? Is there something that uh equipment or anything that you could think of that you really wish you had? Just more funding.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh more funding so we can cover more area with our program.

SPEAKER_02:

Are you restricted? Is is your only restriction on where you can build ramps the amount of funds that we have?

SPEAKER_00:

It's the funds that we've received in those areas, yes.

unknown:

Got it.

SPEAKER_02:

How do people access the program? So if you're somebody who knows someone who needs a ramp or you need a ramp yourself to stay independent in the community, how do they find out about the program? How do they get a hold of you?

SPEAKER_00:

So they can contact Rise EFR. Okay. Um mention the brand program, they'll transfer you to my desk and I'll call you or talk to you.

SPEAKER_02:

Do you have an email address that you can share?

SPEAKER_00:

I do have an email address. It's S Picoy, it's S-P-E-C-O-Y at contact EFR dot or g. Excellent.

SPEAKER_02:

Scott, uh, I love the ramp program. I love the two days I spent on the build. I'm really excited. We're going to be building another ramp at the farm, at Rise at the Farm, which we're going to be talking about later today. Uh, thanks so much for finding the time today uh to spend with us. Ladies and gentlemen, that was Arise and Exceptional Family Resources Ramp Coordinator Scott Picoy. As always, thank you all for listening, and we hope you join us next time as well.

SPEAKER_01:

This has been the Arise Exceptional Family Resources Podcast with CEO Bruce Drake, recorded and produced at the WCNY public broadcasting studios. For more information, visit our website at contactefr.org. You can also follow us on Facebook. Thank you for listening.