U. S. Steel Košice has been supporting the Košice Wheelchair Organization - Independent Life (KOV-NŽ) for over twenty years, which has been operating in Košice since 1998. The main activity of this non-profit organization is the transportation of physically disabled citizens and seniors with mobility impairments who cannot use public transportation.

The statutory representative and chairman of the board of directors of the Košice Wheelchair Organization - Independent Life has been Peter Baranič for the past five years. He is also our colleague - he works as a truck driver in the Transportation division plant. If necessary, he will exchange shifts at USSK so that he and his colleague from the KOV-NŽ civic association can provide transportation for people in wheelchairs.

“The civic association was founded by my mother and Mr. Anton Benča. Mr. Benča was in a wheelchair, a quadriplegic. He knew what these people needed. He was guided by the motto Be independent. Being in a wheelchair does not mean that you cannot live a full life. However, you need certain conditions to be created for this. In addition to barrier-free access, it is also transportation. Both of them have passed away and I continue their work. If possible, I try to make it work.”

The transportation service is provided by two specially modified vehicles with a ramp and a lifting ramp for boarding and disembarking with a wheelchair. The service is available 7 days a week.

“During the week, one car is always on duty and the other is in reserve. We take turns with two drivers. If we have a lot of orders, we are both on duty. In the mornings, we transport people with physical disabilities mainly to doctors. In the afternoons, clients use our service to visit families, cultural events, church services and go shopping. In the evenings, it is mostly about taking them to the train or plane, very often to specialized medical facilities for catheter replacement. We also drive outside the city on weekends. When you see how grateful people are, it's a reward for all the effort and problems we face. I would rather drive them for free. Unfortunately, the state only funds these services and clients have to pay part of it themselves.”

Since financial assistance from the state is not sufficient, the OZ is able to help disabled people only thanks to the help of donors and sponsors. Financial support from U. S. Steel Košice is used for the operating costs of the vehicles, usually for their insurance and service. In 2024, we supported the activities of the civil association Košice Wheelchair Organization – Independent Life with the amount of €2,500.

More information about their activities and transportation options can be found here:
 Košice Wheelchair Organization – Independent Life