BOCAGE • COUNTRY CLUB • HIGHLAND • JEFFERSON TERRACE
THE SOUTHSIDE
KENILWORTH • PERKINS • SOUTHDOWNS • UNIVERSITY CLUB
ADVOCATE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, J u ly 24, 2024
MakeGood around the world
STAFF PHOTOS BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL
Noam Platt, founder of MakeGood, inspects a design to keep a spoon facing up while at UNO in New Orleans on Tuesday.
Assistive devices created at a fraction of the cost BY MARIE FAZIO
Staff writer
A few weeks ago, Noam Platt and Philip Dunham set up shop at Camp Dream Street, an overnight camp in Mississippi for children with disabilities. When one camper who uses a wheelchair said he had trouble drawing with a clipboard when he wasn’t near a table, Platt and Dunham worked with him to tailor a design that would fit his needs. Overnight they 3D-printed a contoured lap desk fitted to his legs, customized with his name and a Godzilla head sticking out. For a camper whose feeding tube kept slipping off the back of her wheelchair, they made a small clip to hold it in place. For another, who is vision impaired, they crafted a clip to attach a flashlight to her walking cane. In the grand scheme of technological advancement, the items weren’t heavy lifts: The pieces took less
Philip Dunham, a designer with MakeGood, left, and Noam Platt, founder of MakeGood than a day to design and print and cost a few dollars at most. But for the campers, they made all the difference. Platt, with his New Orleans-based nonprofit, MakeGood, creates customized assistive technology to help people with disabilities solve problems they encounter in daily life.
The nonprofit garnered national attention last year with their toddler mobility trainers — tiny wheelchairs made of wood and plastic that help small children move around — but their range of products is constantly growing, aided by open-source design, 3D printing and the input and creativity of those in the disability community. Some past designs include a plastic piece to hold a wheelchair buckle when it’s not in use and a handle for a toothbrush or other utensils to aid with grip. “A big reason people reach out to us is they can’t find what they need available on the commercial market and we’re able to make things very inexpensively that are really suited to their specific need,” Platt said. “We’ve found through our work that most people come to us knowing pretty much exactly what they need, they just need help seeing it to reality.”
Open-source design An architect by trade, Platt founded MakeGood in 2021 after he experimented with creating a portable toilet seat for a friend’s son with cerebral palsy who needed something
ä See MAKEGOOD, page 2G
If you would no longer like to receive this free product, please email brtmc@ theadvocate.com.
1Gn
Jan Risher LONG STORY SHORT
People have always been weird Growing up amidst so many relatives, I couldn’t imagine living in a place where I had none. And yet, that’s how I’ve spent most of my adulthood. Not a cousin, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, parent or grandparent in sight. People who live away from family often fill that void with nonrelatives. Turns out, most of my non-blood-relative-extendedfamily in Louisiana are history professors. Historians are generally interesting people. I love the grasp they have on perspective. When I called historian friends to discuss why they’re so cool, they were more hesitant to speak on the subject than expected. I had to coax them a bit. “You know how old people are generally more chill about the world because they’ve seen a lot and don’t get bent out of shape?” I said to Rob Hermann, one of my history professor friends. “I wonder if that’s part of the reason I like history professors so much. They just seem to have a broader perspective on the world and current events.” Hermann took his time in putting together his thoughts about the topic. That thoughtfulness is another characteristic I appreciate in historians. “I can’t speak for all of us, but we (historians) are able to at least try to keep things in some degree of perspective. We have a sense that people have always been generally weird throughout history,” he said. He went on to explain that when he hears people say things like, “This new generation is …” and then they and continue with the complaint du jour, he finds himself thinking, “If you go back to ancient Rome, a politician said something like, ‘You can’t get youth today involved in politics because they’re too busy writing books.’” Next, I said that most historians I know have a great sense of humor or are, at least, able to laugh at themselves. Hermann said that trait comes with teaching. “When I’m writing or teaching, I’m always looking for the hook to get the reader or students interested. Personally, I always go the funny route — or the absurd,” he said. “That always makes readers and students perk up. You can find so much evidence of people being just as kooky then as we are now.” Overall, Hermann said his goal is to get students to think. “If I’m laughing about something, I’m trying to figure out, ‘Why is that funny?’ That engages my brain cells in a different way,” he said. “Trying to get 18- and 19-year-olds engaged in history can be a challenge. I’m usually
ä See RISHER, page 2G
HOW YOU CAN HELP: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Louisiana Inspired highlights volunteer opportunities across south Louisiana. If your organization has specific volunteer opportunities, please email us at lainspired @theadvocate.com with details on the volunteer opportunity, organization and the contact/registration information volunteers would need.
Acadiana
Komen Acadiana, 303 Chance St., Lafayette, has a mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. For volunteer opportunities, call (337) 993-5745 or visit komenacadiana.org.
Baton Rouge
Disabled American Veterans Capital City Chapter No. 5, 133 Hummel St., Denham Springs, has been a strong and influential advocate for veterans’ rights and benefits.The national organization is committed to fighting for America’s more than 4.7 million disabled veterans, representing veterans on Capitol Hill and getting legislation enacted that protects the nation’s heroes and their families. To volunteer with the local chapter, visit dav.org/get-involved.
New Orleans
New Orleans Mission, 1130 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans, is dedicated to providing comprehensive assistance and support to individuals in need.We offer two options to address the unique needs of those we serve: our 21-day guest stay and our yearlong discipleship program. Its 21-day guest stay is designed to provide immediate relief and support, offering food, clothing and shelter with no questions asked. For volunteer opportunities, visit neworleansmission.org.