The most common questions we hear about DBNR, the Help Me Fit Challenge, and how to be part of the work. If yours isn’t here, reach out on the Contact page and we’ll get back to you.
Disabled But Not Really (DBNR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Kansas City, Missouri. We empower individuals with physical disabilities through adaptive fitness, nutrition coaching, and mental health support. Our flagship program, the Help Me Fit Challenge, runs in 10-week cohorts and has served 60+ sponsored adaptive participants since 2015.
Wesley Hamilton founded DBNR in 2015 after sustaining a T12 spinal cord injury in January 2012. After two years of rehabilitation and reclaiming his own health through adaptive fitness and nutrition, Wes founded DBNR to become the help he wished he had been given. He serves as Executive Director.
We are based in Kansas City, Missouri. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 11850, Kansas City, MO 64138. The Help Me Fit Challenge currently runs out of our partner training facility in Kansas City, with participants from across the region and a global graduate network.
Yes. DBNR is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax documentation is provided with every gift.
Start at the Help Me Fit Challenge page on this site. There you will find application details, timing of the next cohort, and how to submit your interest. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis for each upcoming cohort.
The Help Me Fit Challenge is designed for individuals with physical disabilities. Participants come from a range of backgrounds, including spinal cord injuries, amputations, chronic conditions, and other mobility challenges. The program is committed to meeting each participant where they are.
The Help Me Fit Challenge is a sponsored program. Accepted participants receive their cohort experience at no direct cost, supported by our donors, corporate partners, and grant funders. This is why donations directly translate into lives changed.
The Help Me Fit Challenge runs as a 10-week intensive cohort. It combines one-on-one adaptive fitness training, group sessions, nutrition coaching, and mental health support. Graduates become part of the DBNR alumni community, which continues to support them long after the formal program ends.
One-time and recurring donations can be made directly through our Keela donation page. Every gift is tax-deductible, and you will receive a receipt for your records. $100 supplies a training session, $250 supports outreach and community events, and $300 covers a full adaptive fitness session.
We welcome volunteers at events, as mentors for participants, and for skill-based support (photography, writing, design, operations). The best starting point is to email volunteer@disabledbutnotreally.org with a short note about your interest and availability.
We partner with companies in a few ways: corporate sponsorship of cohorts, event partnership for the annual Triumph Gala, in-kind donations (equipment, services, venue), and employee engagement days. For a conversation, email info@disabledbutnotreally.org and we will connect you with the right team member.
Yes. We actively seek talented professionals from all backgrounds to join the Board of Directors. If you bring networks, resources, or a passion for giving back, we would love to have a conversation. Send a short note to info@dbnrkc.org and we will be in touch.
We are a small team and we read every message. Send us a note, pick up the phone, or drop us a line on social. We aim to respond within one business week.
