Dear Deb,
Thank you so much for the warm welcome and the brie. I will set this out for everyone to enjoy. Now to your problem.
I know of many places to get you started in your search, so I hope these will help you and others. Right now, I am using the Office of Aging busses. For a nominal fee ($2) the bus picks me up, delivers me to my appointment and then returns me back home (and a caregiver). They will be taking me to my next appointment 3 hours away for $50. It would cost me more than that in gas and I don't have to drive.
Now to purchase one, I have several options available. Many states have Craigs lists, Pennysavers and auto traders. There are other options such as; the state auctions and the medical supply company where you purchased your wheelchair from. They not only do the upgrades to the vehicles but often times will resell trade ins for former owners. This should actually should be your first stop. They can tell you what to look for in a van. As a last resort, if you must purchase new, make sure the finance company is willing to give you a 10 year loan. Tkese should be tax deductible. And if you are not ashamed to beg, you could do a writing campaign to local dealers (usually in the larger cities) to see if one would be willing to donate the vehicle and you pay for the conversion part. It doesn't hurt to ask.
Good luck and happy hunting. Please let us know what happens.
Toto