Question 1

How does Walk For A Hero work?

Accepted Answer

It's a walk-a-thon with a mission. Everyday Americans walk a fixed 15-mile route and gather per-mile pledges. The money raised funds FDA-approved Wandercraft exoskeletons for specific named veterans — our 'Heroes' — starting with Joshua Holm.

Question 2

What is a Wandercraft exoskeleton?

Accepted Answer

The Wandercraft exoskeleton is an FDA-cleared, self-balancing bionic suit that enables people with lower-limb paralysis to stand and walk again. The technology is market ready today — what stands between a paralyzed veteran and walking is funding, not engineering.

Question 3

What does it actually cost to fund one hero?

Accepted Answer

$150,000, start to finish. That covers the exoskeleton itself, five years of maintenance, the travel required to get fitted and trained, and the physical therapy that turns the technology into a real walk. We don't call a hero funded when the box arrives — we call it funded when they're still standing years later.

Question 4

Where does my money go?

Accepted Answer

100% of donations go toward purchasing exoskeletons for our named Heroes, the physical therapy that gets them walking, and the logistics of delivery. Walk For A Hero Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3); all gifts are tax-deductible.

Question 5

Do I have to walk to help?

Accepted Answer

No. You can support a walker with a per-mile pledge, make a one-time donation, or back a specific Hero directly. Walking is one powerful way to help — but every backer matters.

Question 6

How do I track my walk?

Accepted Answer

Once you sign up as a Walker, you'll get access to the Walker Dashboard. It tracks your mileage live from your phone's GPS — you press Start, walk, and press Finish. Tracking keeps running with the screen off or the phone in your pocket, as long as you don't force-close the app. Miles are recorded from the GPS track itself and cannot be typed in by hand, which is what keeps every mile behind every pledge verifiable. Your pledges tally automatically.

Question 7

How can I support this in a bigger way?

Accepted Answer

Corporations, foundations and private donors can fund a hero's entire $150,000 journey, underwrite a named portion of one, sponsor a walker team, or set up a matching program that multiplies every pledge our walkers bring in. Foundations and donor-advised funds can grant directly to Walk For A Hero Foundation as a registered 501(c)(3). Major private gifts, stock transfers, estate and legacy giving are all welcome and handled personally — email us and Glenn or a board member will speak with you directly, not a form letter.

Question 8

Is Walk For A Hero a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Walk For A Hero Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. You'll receive an emailed receipt for every gift.

Question 9

Who qualifies as a Hero?

Accepted Answer

Walk For A Hero funds U.S. military veterans living with lower-limb paralysis who medically qualify for exoskeleton mobility technology. Candidates are reviewed by the board with clinical input, and each funded veteran is named publicly on this site with their own campaign page.

Question 10

How far is the walk, and how long do I have?

Accepted Answer

Every walker completes the same fixed 15-mile route, and you have 30 days to finish it. You can break it into as many separate walks as you want — fifteen one-mile walks counts exactly the same as one fifteen-mile walk.

Question 11

How many backers do I need as a walker?

Accepted Answer

Ten is the minimum to get started — and there is no maximum. Ten people pledging $5 a mile behind a 15-mile walk comes to $750 raised by one walker, which is the floor, not the target. Every backer past the tenth adds to the same walk, so bring as many as you can. That's the whole design: no single person carries this, and no walker has to ask anyone for a large amount.

Question 12

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Walk For A Hero Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3), so donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. A receipt is emailed to you automatically when your gift is processed — keep it for your records.

Question 13

How much of my donation reaches the veteran?

Accepted Answer

Every dollar designated to a hero's campaign funds that veteran's journey — the exoskeleton, five years of maintenance, travel for fitting and training, and physical therapy. That scope is fixed and it is the entire list: no gala budget, no brand campaign, no line item you have to go hunting for.

Question 14

Can I walk if I'm not in good shape, or not in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Yes to the first. Fifteen miles across thirty days is under two-thirds of a mile a day, at whatever pace you walk. Walkers of every fitness level and age take part. The campaign is U.S.-focused because the veterans it funds are American, but supporters anywhere can back a walker or donate.

Question 15

How do I know a walker actually walked the miles?

Accepted Answer

Miles are recorded from your phone's GPS track during the walk itself and cannot be entered manually. That's a deliberate integrity decision by the board: every mile behind every pledge is backed by a real recorded route, so a backer's money is tied to a walk that genuinely happened.

Question 16

Can my employer match my donation?

Accepted Answer

Very likely — thousands of U.S. employers match charitable gifts to registered 501(c)(3) organizations, often dollar for dollar. Submit your receipt through your employer's matching-gift program and reach out to us if they need documentation of our nonprofit status.

Common Questions