ABLE, Able Bodies Learning to Excel, Donation
Everyone needs a helping had every not and again, and for 40 years the Oklahoma Mustang Club has been helping ABLE and their clients in hope of enriching their lives. We have felt honored that they have allowed us to be a part of their organization. At a recent OMC General Membership meeting nearly a dozen staff and clients visited us to receive a donation of $2,500. They will use this money for the personal needs of their clients. Over the years, the OMC has donated tens of thousands of dollars to this charity. We hope to continue to work with them for many more years to come. Thank you to all the club members that helped us to raise this money for such a worthy case.
Here’s a little more information about the organization we have supported over the years.
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About ABLE: ABLE is a nonprofit, community-based organization that supports adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. ABLE provides access to independent daily living assistance, group home facilities, vocational training, day-activity programs, on-the-job support, and community service activities. By acquiring self-sufficient living abilities and marketable work skills, people with developmental disabilities can expand their options of lifestyle, housing, and employment.
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ABLE’s History: ABLE is a community-based nonprofit that has been serving adults with special needs since 1982. It began when a small group of teachers, parents, and professionals collaborated to provide their adult children with intellectual disabilities a more meaningful and fulfilling life at a time when individuals with disabilities and the families who cared for them had few, if any, options. Few companies employed people with limited job skills. This was the catalyst needed to open a sheltered job workshop. The ABLE Workshop began with six adults with developmental disabilities. The workshop offers training in job and work skills. The Norman, Oklahoma area was not only lacking in job opportunities, but also lacking in independent housing options for these individuals. Therefore, ABLE opened its first group home in 1985.
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Today, ABLE operates four group homes and two Direct Living-Assistance Services homes. There is trained, around-the-clock staff at both the houses and the workshop to support residents in living as independently as possible. Our residential services give a home-like environment and teach daily living skills to a maximum of thirty-seven residents. The residential program provides residents with even greater autonomy, offering ready access to support for tasks such as banking, shopping, and transportation. Vocational programs serve clients through two different services. Our two vocational services are the Sheltered Workshop, which accommodates a maximum of 40 clients, and Community Integrated Employment, which accommodates a maximum of 16 clients. ABLE solicits contracts from Norman businesses to be completed by program participants at our community-integrated employment office or job sites. This provides skills development and earned income for ABLE clients. ABLE accepts clients from all over Oklahoma and provides vocational assistance across Cleveland County, including Norman, Noble, the University of Oklahoma, and private employers.
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Check out more about ABLE at their website: https://www.okable.org/
