PORTERSVILLE — The Sniezek family of Fombell will have a soup and sandwich fundraiser from noon to 3 p.m. May 17 at Portersville Christian School, 343 E. Portersville Road.

The family wants to raise $39,000 to buy a handicap-accessible van for 4-year-old Ford, who was born with Spinal Muscle Atrophy Type 1.

SMA is a neuromuscular genetic degenerative disease and is the number one genetic killer of infants.

Despite being told by doctors that he would not live past his first birthday, Ford has been doing well for several years, said his mother Kayla Sniezek.

Ford attends preschool twice a week from their home through a video-chat, and a preschool teacher visits the house to instruct him once a week.

He has a pediatrician locally, but must make a trip once a year to Wisconsin where he sees a specialist. The family wants to buy a larger handicap van to make the 14-hour drive more comfortable.

If they raise enough money, they want to donate their current van, which is smaller, to another family.

Donations can be made payable to Ford Sniezek, P.O. Box 2, Zelienople, PA 16063.