LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – Disability accessibility is a necessity, but that doesn’t always mean it’s affordable or readily available. For the past 40 years, the Texas Ramp Project has been working with people across the state to build free and accessible wheelchair ramps for their homes.
Today, a woman from Angelina County was a recipient, and it’s something she’s been waiting for for a long time. “I was so happy and I am so grateful, I don’t know how we got him, but we got him,” Sylvia Martinez, the ramp recipient, said. When Martinez was relearning to walk after her back surgery, in addition to being blind, the need
for more accessibility in her home was crucial. She and her daughter started looking for solutions. “The need was there, we needed it for sure. She had three or four stairs beforehand, and she would have to kick the step to see where the step was,” Chandler said.
However, throughout their search, they said that wherever they turned, they couldn’t find help until they stumbled upon the Texas Ramp Project. The non-profit builds accessible ramps for free around Texas for people who need them, and within the past year, the TRP has started building ramps around here in Angelina County. “Before, she had to stay inside because it was too dangerous to go up and down. So now with the ramp, she’ll be able to sit outside if she wants to,” Chandler said.
It’s what Lee Harris, the Angelina and Nacogdoches County regional director for the Texas Ramp Project, said is a labor of love. “No Texan should be denied safe access to their home because of financial limitations. And to that end, we provide the funding, and we provide the volunteers,” he said. Harris was joined by several volunteers, some coming from the Make It Happen non-profit. Rocky Carr, the vice president of Make It Happen, says that he’s always excited to be a part of missions like this, saying it makes him emotional. “Every time we leave, we get a sense of value in what you do and why you do it,” Carr said. He explained that organizations like Make It Happen and working with Harris through the Texas Ramp Project help serve the community in a big way.
Harris says there’s a huge need for services like this in East Texas, and while that need exists, he and his team will always be there. “There’s a huge gap in this area for this kind of service all around the county. There are people who can’t get safe access to their homes, and that’s our mission.” And after a ten-hour work day, he says it’s always worth it in the end. “When the recipient comes down the ramp for the first time- we’re making a difference in their lives and that’s what makes it all worthwhile,” he said.
Harris says that they are always looking for more volunteers – and you don’t have to know your way around a toolbox to get involved. If you’re interested, you can check out the Texas Ramp Projects website or contact him directly. His email is eeh@texasramps.org and phone number is 512-864-5538.
KTRE – ABC9, By Alivia Hartpence, Copyright 2025 KTRE. All rights reserved.