Branson Cares
About Hope Haven International Ministries
Since 1994, we've been transforming lives through the gift of mobility.
Our Legacy of Hope
Since 1994, Hope Haven International Ministries has been a global leader in refurbishing, manufacturing, and distributing custom-fitted wheelchairs—provided free of charge—to transform the lives of children and adults in desperate need.
Each wheelchair is carefully selected and tailored to meet the unique needs of the recipient, ensuring comfort, mobility, and independence. Our mission is to connect those in need with generous hearts ready to make a difference.
"Often, it's hard to tell who benefits more—those receiving or those giving!"
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Our Comprehensive Approach
Expert Customization
On wheelchair distribution trips, physical therapists and other specialists accompany our team to customize each wheelchair to the individual specifications of the end user.
Family Training & Support
Families receive comprehensive training and guidance on proper usage and care, empowering them to support their loved ones effectively.
The Hope Haven KidChair
Our KidChair was designed through combined efforts from engineering students at Dordt University and rehabilitation engineers and specialists. Created in two sizes (12″–58 lbs and 14″–61 lbs), it easily adapts to a variety of children's shapes, sizes, and positioning needs.
The KidChair was inspected by Beneficial Designs in Minden, NV, and "cleared all requirements" for users up to 130 lbs.
Rigorous Testing Standards
- Drop tests and static testing
- Impact and fatigue testing
- Built for challenging environments
- Designed for unpaved roads and uneven surfaces
The Heart of Branson Cares
A special collaboration in America's entertainment capital
We have a very special program that takes place each year in Branson, Missouri—a city famous for wholesome family entertainment in more than a dozen theaters, welcoming over 7 million tourists annually.
Branson area theater owners, producers, and performers all collaborate under the banner of "Branson Cares" to help raise awareness and funding for the global need to provide pediatric wheelchairs for severely disabled young children.
Mission Trip Experiences
The performers also accompany Hope Haven on mission trips where they have heartwarming, face-to-face experiences with children they've never met. They participate in the assembling and fitting process with physical therapists at their side to ensure every child is perfectly fitted in their gifted new Branson Cares pediatric wheelchair.
Featured: Megan Mabe
From the world-famous Mabe family starring in Branson's longest-running show since 1959, the Branson Famous Baldknobbers
Photographed live on a Branson Cares mission trip in La Paz, Mexico | Photo by: Todd Scoggins
Branson Cares Initiative
Branson Cares is a program that provides pediatric wheelchairs for children in need of mobility all around the world – thanks to generous patrons and donors like you!
Branson's Music and Theatre Industry Organization, BAAMT, has been chosen to partner with Hope Haven International Ministries to spearhead this citywide effort.
"Branson has always had a big humanitarian heart. Working side by side with this global non-profit to provide pediatric wheelchairs for severely disabled children is something we hope all of Branson's live shows and theaters can get behind… together,"
— Bob Nichols, President of BAAMT
Your Impact: The Hope Haven KidChair
Your donation goes towards a Hope Haven KidChair – a $275 pediatric wheelchair that easily adapts to a variety of children's shapes, sizes, and positioning needs. A wheelchair empowers a child to go to school, interact with their peers, and participate in community activities!
Help Us Change Lives
Every $275 donation provides a Hope Haven KidChair to a child in need, giving them mobility, independence, and hope for the future.
Perhaps you have a ❤️ heart to help? We appreciate and are blessed with your generous contributions through our secure funding partner:
The National Christian Foundation
"Branson Cares Wheelchair Fund"
Branson Cares – Red Bucket Week
2024 marked our third consecutive year participating in Red Bucket Week, raising awareness for the urgent need for specialized Hope Haven Kids pediatric wheelchairs. These chairs are gifted—free of charge—to children in need, thanks to the generous donations of Branson audiences. During performances, stars and entertainers pass the iconic red buckets, inviting everyone to be part of this life-changing mission.
219 Wheelchairs Gifted Last Year
Thanks to your support, 219 custom-built Branson Cares pediatric wheelchairs were delivered on mission trips to children in desperate need. These chairs offer the gift of mobility—allowing kids to attend school, church, and family events without being carried or left behind.
Red Bucket Week Returns: Nov 12–23, 2025
In partnership with Hope Haven, Branson Cares is proud to bring Red Bucket Week back to the theaters of Branson. Look for our red buckets at participating shows and venues across town!
Sponsor a Wheelchair
Much of the raw materials are donated by generous American companies, and with help from volunteers, each wheelchair costs just $300 to build—though its retail value is $4,000–$6,000.
For only $12/month, you can become a sustaining sponsor and bless a child with mobility.
