Assistance Funds- The SBA of AL Assistance Fund is a program designed to assist Alabama families and individuals affected by Spina Bifida purchase medically necessary equipment, supplies and services. 

Eligible Categories for Assistance

• Medical expenses
• Equipment
• Therapy
• Urological supplies
• Continence products for individuals over the age of 3

Assistance Fund Application and guidelines

Digital Newsletter- r includes up-to-date medical information as well as informational articles pertinent to families and individuals affected by Spina Bifida. We also include event photos, announcements for upcoming activities, membership information, and awareness and fundraising opportunities. This program allows us to stay in contact with our members on a regular basis and provides ways for our members to get involved. Frequently members are asked to write articles to provide new perspectives and support to all of the families we represent.

Family Connections- The family connections program plans activities and meetings across the state aimed at connecting members to others with Spina Bifida in their communities. The purpose of this program is to promote opportunities to build self-esteem, physical wellness, and early independence skills; and to provide parents or caregivers with resources, information and a chance to connect with other parents. To find out more information on this program, contact our staff.

New Parent Program- The purpose of the new parent assistance program is to provide families who have a newborn with Spina Bifida support beginning at birth. Through this program we provide each family with needed resources, support, and information. Hospitals in our state have been provided with our contact information to share with new families. New families who contact us will have the opportunity to receive financial support, educational material, and the chance to speak with other parents and families of children with Spina Bifida. Because of privacy laws, a family must contact us or give hospital personnel permission to do so. Expectant parents can also contact us for information or the opportunity to speak with families affected by Spina Bifida.

Nurse First - The nurse first program involves a representative from the SBA of AL attending nursing schools within the state to educate nursing students on facts about Spina Bifida and folic acid. The SBA of AL implements our Nurse First awareness project by targeting one of the most important resources we have within the medical profession: the nurse. A nurse’s primary responsibility is one on one care and education of patients. The nurse’s ability to work in a variety of settings during their career also allows them to reach a larger population of individuals. No other group or profession could more effectively spread awareness of the role of folic acid in the prevention of Spina Bifida than nurses. If you are a representative of a nursing school in our state and would like for us to visit your school to present, please contact us.

Education Days- our organization works to provide education through both hosting and teaming with other partners to provide educational opportunities and conferences. The purpose is to provide expert knowledge on issues related to Spina Bifida. These events are open to our families, medical and educational professionals, and the community as a whole. Our goal is to raise awareness of Spina Bifida and provide the most updated resources on its management. We also provide scholarships to Alabama Spina Bifida families when any registration fees are required.

Betty Bell Advanced Education Scholarship- The opportunity to apply for a scholarship to pursue higher education is available through our Betty Bell Advanced Education Scholarship. Each year up to four, one-thousand dollar scholarships are given to deserving students from Alabama that meet certain predefined criteria. Each applicant must have graduated high school with a minimum 2.0 GPA. They must also write an essay and annually provide a copy of their grades for our review.

Advanced Education Scholarships

Conference financial grant/ Camp Financial Grant- SBA of AL offers scholarship opportunities to assist families when attending camps or conferences outside of SBA of AL hosted events. These camps and conferences must be geared toward helping families affected by Spina Bifida gain important medical and social information or experiences that promote health and independence. Grants are also offered to Alabama families through a grant from Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) which focuses on helping families attend out of state conferences. 

Annual Christmas Party- The annual Christmas party is scheduled to be the first Saturday of each December and is a wonderful time of fellowship with our families. We ensure there is plenty of fun, food and entertainment. Families are able to spend time with one another while listening to wonderful Christmas music provided by a live musician, are able to visit with Santa and receive a professional photo with him, and all children receive a gift. We partner with Toys for Tots for this event, so many times Marines are known to make an appearance and take photos with our families. This is a wonderful way for our members to re-unite with people in the Spina Bifida community, make new friends, and renew old friendships.

Awareness- Our mission is to find every possible opportunity to educate others about Spina Bifida, its secondary effects, and its prevention. We strive to share personal stories and information to highlight how incredible individuals with Spina Bifida and their accomplishments are. Our mission is also to provide information on folic acid’s role in prevention of this birth defect. During October (Spina Bifida Awareness Month) and throughout the entire year, our Association works to raise awareness through community and medical presentations, spreading our message through various media and social network resources, and in connection with our annual events.

Camp V.I.P. (Victory, Independence, Possibilities) - is our weekend family camp we host each summer at Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin. It is a fun-filled weekend packed with activities such as adaptive water skiing (Adaptive Aquatics instructors), tubing, fishing, swimming, canoeing, and many other incredible opportunities. There is also an educational aspect to each camp such as wound care education and one-on-one self-catheterization instruction, given by the Children’s Hospital nursing staff. We begin taking applications each April, with preference given to first-time camp attendees. Ages of Camp VIP attendees is 4-16.

We want to thank Children's Harbor for helping us make Camp V.I.P. and V.I.P. Retreat possible by generously donating their facilities. We couldn't have these amazing experiences every year without them!

VIP Adult Retreat - After several years of overwhelming Camp VIP success, we decided to begin hosting a similar experience for our young adults and adults. Adults with Spina Bifida, ages 17 and up, are invited to join us for a weekend retreat experience hosted each summer at Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin. The retreat includes many of the same activities as Camp VIP, including adaptive water skiing (Adaptive Aquatics instructors), tubing, fishing, swimming, canoeing, and many others, but our VIP Adult Retreat also offers a weekend packed full of educational sessions related to both gaining and maintaining health and independence. Registration opens in April, with preference given to first-time attendees.

Mylar Balloon Program- If you have a friend or family member with Spina Bifida who is in the hospital due to Spina Bifida related issues, please fill out the form below to have a mylar balloon and gift ++delivered from our organization directly to their hospital room. We know that being in the hospital can be a scary and stressful time, so we would like to show our support and let them know that they are in our thoughts and prayers. request form

Fundraising Events

Bowl a thons- Birmingham, Huntsville

Gadsden Monster Bask 5K/1mile run/walk/roll

Walk n Roll-Montgomery

Spina Bifida Awareness Game hosted by the Brett and Heather Horne and Fairhope High School

Bass Tournament- Pell City

Website and Electronic Networking- In an effort to follow the lead of technology and online communications, SBA of AL has implemented a web page, www.sbaofal.org, and initiated a presence on Facebook with a Spina Bifida Association of Alabama page, a Group-Spina Bifida Connections-ALABAMA page, and a Spina Bifida Association of Alabama Adult Support page.