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This Week's Speaker
Chris Brand, CEO, FODAC

Join us this Friday at Maggiano's to hear from Chris Brand, Stone Mountain Rotarian and President of FODAC (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children). 

Chris Brand has a lifetime of experience in disability issues. While growing up in Atlanta, GA, he bonded with a close friend of the family who had Muscular Dystrophy (MD). For 19 years, he watched the effects that thevdisease had on the human body of his best friend, as well as the family structure. After losing his friend, Chris knew that his vocation would always be tied to this community whose challenges he knew so well. This experience prompted him to work the MD telethons and summer camps for many years. He worked at three different companies doing accessibility modifications to vans and automobiles, then became a rehabilitation specialist at the Gwinnett Medical Health System working in-patient, out-patient, sports medicine and acute rehab.

Chris joined FODAC in 1993 as the donations manager. Because of his work to develop new resources for donations as well as expand existing ones, Chris was promoted to executive director of FODAC in 2001 and voted president in 2003. During this period, he guided FODAC through a difficult growing period to become what is now a national best practice program and the largest domestic distribution program of used Home Medical Equipment (HME). This program promotes increased independence and more participation in education, the workplace, and the community in underserved regions of Georgia and the Southeast. Under Chris’ guidance, FODAC has launched two of its largest capital campaigns. The first campaign included major building renovations, such as energy efficient updates, lobby expansion, more interactive equipment for client usage and thrift store improvements. The second has focused on improving warehouse and production flow of HME throughout the facility, adding solar and LED retrofits and retiring the debt on the facility. These changes have increased efficiencies in service and capacity for delivery to clients and other regional partners. He created volunteer drop-off sites that have now expanded to over 30 locations around the state and South Carolina.

Chris secured a Federal Demonstration Grant from 2006-2010 to help create a network of access points for medical equipment across Georgia and the Southeast and the U.S. He is a member of Georgia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and has established a relationship with Red Cross and GEMA to house and distribute disability shelter kits for general population shelters in Georgia. He also leverages new HME donations to assist regions affected by disasters around the country in collaboration with FEMA. Chris currently serves on the National Task Force for Disaster Preparedness and the National Task Force for ReUse of Assistive Technology. He also serves on the Board of the Georgia Tools for Life Advisory Board at GA Tech. He has made presentations on the ReUse of assistive technology in S. Carolina, Denver, Orlando, California, Washington D.C. and Atlanta.

Chris joined Rotary in 2006 after helping the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain with several wheelchair projects in the Dominican Republic.  Since then, he has served as President of the Stone Mountain Rotary Club and Chair of the DeKalb Rotary Council, as an Assistant Governor in District 6900, and currently coordinating disaster relief efforts for Rotary. Chris was named District 6900 Rotarian of the Year in 2016-17, and received the 2015-16 District “Club Builder” award and the 2015-16 Dekalb Rotary Council “You Are the Key” award.

For over 25 years, Chris has led the nonprofit, now with an annual budget of $3 million and 39 staff members. FODAC leads the country in domestic AT/DME reutilization in size and scope of services. All 50 states and 5 territories have received items since 1986 with a value of over $280,000,000. Thanks to Chris’ oversight FODAC can provide these items due to the large collection/distribution network. Under his leadership, FODAC maintains the gold standard rating from GuideStar and is accredited as a home medical equipment provider by the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation. FODAC headquarters is in Tucker, GA based in a 65,000 sq. ft. facility, and recently added 2 more locations – Savannah, and Griffin, GA.

Chris is a member of National VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), 6 other state VOADs as well as the National Assistive Technology Act network. Chris serves on the National Reuse Task Force, advising and training at national conferences. Chris has been requested to speak at FEMA’s national conference and is a member of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). FODAC has provided DME after disaster for 24 states and 5 territories. Chris has been “boots on the ground” in several areas, providing direct service for disaster relief. Chris is active in Rotary International and Briarlake Church, and lives in Decatur GA with his wife and three children.

Rotary history for Chris Brand:

  •  Joined Rotary in 2006 after helping the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain with several wheelchair projects
  • District Committee for special initiatives such as disaster relief in Nepal; Haiti, LA, S.C.
  • International service partner with Buckhead Rotary Global Grant in Ecuador
  • Rotary Club of Stone Mountain Global Grant coordinator for Liberia Project 2010-11
  • 8-year Honor Air wheelchair donor and guardian for Roswell Rotary Club
  • Past President of Rotary Club of Stone Mountain 2014-15
  • Co-chair of 2015-16 District event “Harlem Ambassadors” Polio fundraiser
  • 2015-16 District “Club Builder” award
  • 2015-16 Dekalb Rotary Council “You Are the Key” award
  • District Global Grants committee member for 2016-17
  • Rotary/Shriner’s District Pilot Committee member 2016-17
  • District 6900 Rotarian of the Year 2016-17
  • Rotary International Conference Host Committee for 2017
  • DeKalb Rotary Council Chair 2018-19
  •  2019-20 Completed Bahamas Disaster relief with Roswell Rotary and other clubs. Also worked with many Rotarians on COVID disaster relief distributions to hospitals and other frontline workers along with those recovering from COVID needing DME.
  • 2020-23 District 6900 Assistant Governor for Rotary Clubs of Tucker, Stone Mountain, Atlanta Southern Crescent, and Emory-Clifton.
  • 2020-21 District 6900 Assistant Governor of the Year.
  • 2021 PPE/masks and sanitizer distribution through all Rotary Clubs of GA (6900,6910,6920).
  • 2022 District 6900 liaison for Ukraine relief, over 100 pallets sent worth over $1Million. Continues to assist with Rotary efforts.
  • 2023-24 District 6900 Disaster Relief Chair
  • 2024-25 District 6900 Disaster Relief Chair
Posted by Jackie Cuthbert
July 27, 2026

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