Helen Phillips Levin

Helen Phillips Levin (March 26, 1924 – January 6, 1985) was an American social worker, philanthropist and disability rights activist based in Los Angeles. A polio survivor, she had tetraplegia.

Biography Helen Adele Phillips was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Rose Ebin and Jay Phillips, founder of the Phillips Distilling Company. Her parents were Russian Jewish immigrants and philanthropists who founded the Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation.

In 1941, Helen Phillips married Jack I. Levin. They had two sons, Thomas and John.

Polio When her children were young, Levin contracted polio during the 1951 polio epidemic, becoming paralyzed. She spent almost a year in an iron lung during her recovery, and used a wheelchair. Her physical disabilities were considerable. As described by her son John, "She had virtually no use of her physical capacities but an outstanding mind — a lot of curiosity and a lot of energy".

Volunteerism and activism Levin looked for ways to be involved in the community. She completed a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University of Southern California in 1981. She was described as one of the first disabled students at the USC School of Social Work, with the school making accommodations for her attendance before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Legacy Levin died in 1985 at her home in Bel Air.

The Jay and Rose Philips Family Foundation has funded the Helen Phillips Levin Endowed Chair of Research at Craig Hospital in Colorado to support research into customized treatments for spinal cord and brain injuries.