Life Ops Testimonial

To brighten your Christmas season, we would like to share a success that our team has encountered this past year.  The name has been changed to protect the identity but the story is true….

Henry was born with a severe disability which limits his ability to speak and to communicate his needs.  For more than 25 years he made his needs known by pulling on or grabbing his caregiver, making loud noises, and acting inappropriately.  This made it difficult and sometimes unsafe for people to be around him and greatly limited his social opportunities.  Henry lived at home until his parents got older.  It was a difficult but necessary decision for them to let him move into another supported environment. 

When Henry moved, he began to receive supports and services from ABiLITY’s Behavioral Support Program in the LIFE OPS group.  Here Henry spent six hours of his day, five days per week.  The caring and knowledgeable staff worked diligently with him.  They assessed his needs and used various strategies to enhance his life and communication.  Finally, they found a special program that loans communication devices and tried several different units to teach Henry how to communicate. For the first time Henry could talk to people, calling them by name.  He found his voice and let others know what he needed by pressing the right selections on the devise.  It became apparent that as he began to express himself, the negative behaviors began to dissipate.  It was a miracle for him and a very touching moment when he was able to say for the first time, “Hi, Mom!”  The process has just begun. A whole new world has opened up for him since he is now able to use his voice rather than grabbing or yelling. His life and the lives of those around him have greatly improved.

ABiLITY has operated for the past 18 months as a new “non-profit” (501c3 tax exempt) with a history going back 30 years.  As we approach the end of another year, we would ask that you kindly consider making a “gift” to ABiLITY supports and services.  Your gifts to ABiLITY will allow us to continue to expand and reach those in our community that may never have the opportunities that Henry has.

To make it easy to give, we have included on our newly re-designed website a DONATE NOW button where you can make an on-line gift.   To do so, check us out at www.abilityds.org.  Or, if you like the old fashion method, you can mail your gift to ABiLITY, 104 S. McKinley, Suite F, Union, MO 63084.