Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Inc.

MS Focus' Emergency Assistance Program provides full or partial financial assistance for urgent needs related to rent, utilities, or medication. This one-time grant is available to individuals with an MS diagnosis who are experiencing financial crisis as a result of their health condition.

There is a wealth of information and resources available online for people with MS. The Internet allows them to join supportive communities, share their stories, and learn about anything they choose. Unfortunately, people with disabilities sometimes don't have the means to afford a computer in order to access that information. Our Computer Program provides laptop or desktop computers for individuals with MS on limited or fixed incomes.

More often than not, heat and MS don’t mix. As body temperature rises, weakness, fatigue, visual disturbances, and other symptoms can become aggravated and temporarily worsen. While heat does not actually make MS worse, it does alter the passage of nerve impulses, causing a feeling of weakness, especially in the limbs.

But keeping cool can help you work, shop, and maintain your home during the summer months. It can also help you reclaim countless activities associated with the warmer seasons, like gardening, fishing, walking, biking, family outings, barbecues, and baseball games. Our Cooling Program offers a variety of items, free of charge, that will help you stay cool in the heat.

Each year, The Brighter Tomorrow Grant allows MS Focus to makes dreams come true across the country.

The goal of the grant is to provide goods or services that will improve the lives of people with MS, but are not available through our other programs. These items range in value, with a max of $1,000 per recipient, and can vary from household essentials to hobby supplies.

The MS Focus Healthcare Assistance Grant assists uninsured individuals with the cost of visiting their MS specialist as well as dental assistance. The grant, which can pay for one visit and one follow-up, is designed to assist those already diagnosed with MS who may need a visit to their treating physician to renew a prescription or handle other important needs.

The MS Focus Health and Wellness Program offers you the opportunity to participate in various forms of adaptive exercise or alternative therapy. Where there are a sufficient number of people interested, classes are formed. Where classes are not available, individuals may apply for full or partial funding to participate in activities through local gyms, fitness facilities, and wellness centers.

Across the country, MS Focus has sponsored classes and programs for individuals including: yoga, aquatics, exercise and fitness, therapeutic horseback riding, adaptive sports and recreation, art therapy, dance therapy, and other activities that promote health and wellness.

All classes are led by qualified instructors, and are free of charge for the attendees. These therapies are designed to assist in symptom management and pain relief, as well as to help improve physical and emotional health.

The Assistive Technology (AT) Program may help locate, partially fund, or provide full funding for one of a wide range of devices. These allow those with MS to function more independently in their daily lives, as well as more easily participate in recreational, educational, and vocational activities.

Speaking with other people who have MS can be one of the most empowering and helpful things for someone with MS. Sharing stories, feelings, and experiences with people in similar situations is not only therapeutic, but also enlightening, and can often improve emotional health. Support groups frequently provide the best available opportunities to have these interactions, and MS Focus is here to help individuals find or start a support group in every community.

Available in English (888-MSFocus [673-6287]) and Spanish (800-448-4727), callers receive personal attention and assistance from service coordinators and peer counselors, who can help them find information and resources, provide referrals, or assist callers with applying for MS Focus services.