The River Deep Foundation has joined forces with Quality of Life Plus, an organization that challenges university students to create novel solutions to improve the lives of injured veterans, first responders, and service members by designing and developing adaptive equipment.

In 2018, River Deep Foundation launched an initiative, made possible by QL+, with engineering students from Colorado School of Mines. The students were challenged to design user-controlled adaptive equipment providing individuals with disabilities the chance to participate in archery, fishing and recreational shooting.

This collaboration has allowed the students to work closely with these individuals at River Deep outings, developing real-world solutions to their needs. As the project evolved and the value of this relationship became clear, River Deep Foundation invited QL+ to join the River Deep Foundation Alliance, a collaboration of aligned nonprofit organizations that share resources, knowledge and ideas with the goal of providing more efficient and effective programming and outreach.

The alliance now includes eight agencies working to eliminate redundancy, combine strengths, streamline services and significantly fortify the safety net. River Deep Alliance members are Anglers of Honor, Craig Hospital, Operation TBI Freedom, Safari Club International—Denver Humanitarian Outreach Program (SCI HOP), Task Force: ISO, Victory Service Dogs, Quality of Life Plus and River Deep Foundation.

As the newest alliance member, QL+ will be able to reach more individuals who can benefit from the innovations made by engineering students.

River Deep Foundation, based in Denver, provides opportunities for recreational outings and activities to veterans and other individuals who have suffered a life-changing catastrophic spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder or other physical, psychological or emotional trauma. The goal is to help them heal and re-acclimate and re-engage in life.

These activities include fishing, archery, hunting, camping, ballooning, photography, fencing, horseback riding, cooking, art and other collaborative therapeutic recreational outings. Each outing also provides participants and their families with the opportunity to relax and enjoy the outdoors, network and engage with others, experience camaraderie and learn about other resources in a supportive environment.

River Deep Foundation is planning a golf tournament fundraiser on Monday, Oct. 7 at Meridian Golf Club. Money raised will help fund planning and logistics for the recreational outings. Meridian is a private club featuring a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. Tickets are $150 per person and include 18 holes of golf with power cart, breakfast and lunch, golf games/contests and more. Foursomes are $600 and corporate teams are encouraged to participate. Tickets can be purchased online at’ www.riverdeepalliance.org. Sponsorships for this event are available. Please contact Carol Heiden at Carol@Riverdeepfoundation.org for information.

For more information on River Deep Foundation, go to www.riverdeepfoundation.org. For more about Quality of Life Plus, go to https://www.qlplus.org.