Special Needs Group Named a Finalist for Two 2011 American Business Awards

May 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Fort Lauderdale, FL – May 2011 – Special Needs Group, Inc. (www.specialneedsgroup.com), a global provider of special needs equipment for the travel industry, was recently named a finalist for two nationwide 2011 American Business Awards (also known as “The Stevie Awards”): Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year - Up to 100 Employees, and New Product or Service of the Year - Health Products & Services. The awards ceremony will take place on Monday, June 20 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

In 2010, Special Needs Group won the Stevie for Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year - Up to 100 Employees.

The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and businesspeople worldwide.    They are presented in over 40 categories each year, with more than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes, and in essentially every industry. More than 200 executives from across the country participate in the judging process to determine the finalists and award winners.

“It is a great honor to be a Stevie Awards finalist among so many other wonderful organizations,” said Special Needs Group founder and CEO Andrew Garnett. “We continue to strive to serve, and be an advocate for, the growing special needs market, and make individuals with special needs’ travel dreams a reality.”

The Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year Award recognizes organizations' contributions to society. Other finalists in this general category include Homewood Suites by Hilton, Campbell Soup Company, Cisco, and Bacardi USA Inc. The New Product or Service of the Year - Health Products & Services Award honors products and services introduced to the U.S. marketplace since Jan. 1, 2010. It is a new category for the Stevie awards this year.  

To vote for Special Needs Group in the New Product or Service of the Year - Health Products & Services category, visit http://peopleschoice.stevieawards.com/default.cfm?scode=R....

Nationwide, one in seven persons has some form of disability, and one in five families is touched. Special Needs Group’s broad range of equipment includes high-quality, reliable, cost-effective equipment for infants to adults weighing over 500 pounds. This includes scooters, wheelchairs, power chairs, portable oxygen concentrators, specialized mobility equipment, hearing impaired equipment, Braille printing, patient lifts, baby crib rentals and more. Delivering equipment directly to cruise ships, hotels, resorts, convention centers, theme parks, and other global locations, Special Needs Group makes it easy and convenient for customers to enjoy traveling.

In 2010, the company introduced an online wheelchair and scooter booking tool for cruise travel, expanded its services into additional tourist locations including Orlando, St. Martin/St. Maarten and Dubai, and implemented a sign language interpreter program for cruise lines.

Special Needs Group continues to raise awareness of special needs travel through newsletters, webinars, blogs, social media tools, panel discussions and presentations. A sponsor and speaker for Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH), the company helps to educate travel professionals about the special needs traveler and sensitivity issues, and distributes information to consumers addressing specific issues of special needs travel.

Special Needs Group is the only mobility and oxygen equipment supplier that is approved to deliver to all major cruise lines.

For more information about Special Needs Group, call toll free at 1-800-513-4515, email info@specialneedsgroup.com or log onto www.specialneedsgroup.com.

About Special Needs Group, Inc.
Special Needs Group, Inc. is the leading global provider of wheelchair rentals, scooter rentals, oxygen rentals and other special needs equipment rentals. It also offers a broad range of special needs equipment for purchase. Recommended by the world's major cruise lines for superior service and value, Special Needs Group also services guests visiting hotels, resorts, theme parks and convention centers. Special Needs Group / Special Needs at Sea is the industry's only total special needs travel solution. It is located at 2860 West State Road 84, Suite 107, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. For more information, visit www.specialneedsgroup.com or call 1-800-513-4515.

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