Kelly Brush Foundation Celebrates the Organization’s Growth, Opportunity, and Impact with a New Visual Identity

BURLINGTON, Vt. (May 18, 2021) — The Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF) is thrilled to unveil a new visual identity, created to reflect the organization’s increased impact in the spinal cord injury (SCI) community. The new logo and color scheme reflect the positive and energetic attitude of the adaptive sports community, and a steadfast commitment to our mission to help even more people with SCI live their best active lives.

This past year has been one of the most challenging years in our collective lives, and as the skies begin to clear for spring we are also rejoicing in the opportunity to begin to hug loved ones and gather outdoors. The KBF wants to mark this incredible point in our shared history with a new visual identity that captures the hope and opportunity of this moment. 

The KBF began out of Kelly Brush’s incredible story of resilience following a traumatic spinal cord injury. Kelly’s injury inspired her and her family to create the KBF, an organization that helps ensure that anyone who suffers a spinal cord injury can have the opportunity to enjoy sports and recreation. Now, 15 years later, the KBF has grown from a small family-run non-profit to professional organization with over 1,172 grant recipients across the country, nine partner organizations, and an exciting new online resource for the SCI community called the Active Project that was launched earlier in 2021.

The KBF worked with Pencil Worx Design Studio, an enthusiastic supporter of the organization, to create the new visual identity. Pencil Worx founder and creative director, Sam Ayling, has a very personal connection and commitment to this project. Sam knew KBF Executive Director Edie at the time of her spinal cord injury in 2017, as a close friend and former running club teammate. Edie suffered a spinal cord injury when she was struck by a car while riding her bike. For Sam, working with Edie to create a dynamic new identity for KBF was an inspiration and motivator for his own life and career.

Sam Ayling describes the new look he created for the KBF as “beginning with a bright yellow and blue palette in the colors of the sun and sky—the visual embodiment of hope and limitless possibility. The circular symbol surrounding the “KBF” creates a sense of motion and energy, of coming full-circle on the path to recovery. The encircled “b” forms the image of a wheelchair, the most basic and empowering of all adaptive sports equipment for those with SCIs.”

Kelly Brush Foundation founder Kelly Brush was integral to the process and enthusiastically supported the effort to create a new visual for the KBF. “We have come a long way in the past 15 years. This new look represents the growth and potential of the national organization we have become. It has been amazing to work alongside Edie Perkins, a fellow athlete and wheelchair user, to find new and important ways to reach more people with spinal cord injuries and provide life-changing adaptive sports equipment.”

“The timing couldn’t be more perfect to introduce a new look for the KBF. We are at an inflection point in the growth of the organization, the impact of our mission and the development of new programs to help people with SCIs thrive after their injuries,” said Executive Director, Edie Perkins. “Having it coincide with the emergence from COVID isolation and being able to do the Kelly Brush Ride in-person makes it all the more perfect.”

About the Kelly Brush Foundation
The Kelly Brush Foundation is a dynamic and growing Burlington, Vermont-based non-profit inspiring and empowering people with spinal cord injuries to lead active and engaged lives. The Kelly Brush Foundation was founded in 2006 by Kelly and her family after Kelly sustained a spinal cord injury while racing in an NCAA alpine ski race. To date the Kelly Brush Foundation has awarded more than 1,172 adaptive equipment grants to people in 48 states.