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About the ABILITY House Program
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has identified people with disabilities as one of the primary populations experiencing worst-case housing needs.
In response, ABILITY Awareness created the ABILITY House project. Built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity affiliates, each ABILITY House is an accessible home built for a family where one or more members have health conditions or disabilities. Additionally, the ABILITY House project reaches out to volunteers with health conditions and disabilities to help build the homes, demonstrating to the community their skills, talents and potential as volunteers and employees.
"The ABILITY House will remove the barriers that keep people with disabilities from owning their own homes," said Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International, at the launch of the first ABILITY House. "This build will send a powerful message: People with disabilities can make a house into a home."
"Volunteerism: For the Sake of Others" Learn more about the ABILITY House program by viewing the episode from Goodlife TV Network's series "Volunteerism: For the Sake of Others," which featured an ABILITY House built in partnership with Arundel Habitat for Humanity. Click here to view the video. This episode features a brief introduction by Executive Director Gillian Friedman, MD, and actor/advocate, Max Gail.
Featured Initiatives of the ABILITY House Program:
ABILITY House College Students with Disabilities Initiative
The ABILITY House College Students with Disabilities Initiative was established to facilitate the participation by students with disabilities in all stages of planning and construction of an ABILITY House. Potential areas of involvement include helping plan universal design and accessibility features, training/disability awareness, marketing and development, collaborative networking, fundraising, public relations/communications, volunteer outreach and construction.
The main goals of the ABILITY House College Students with Disabilities Initiative are to allow college students with disabilities to demonstrate their potential as employees, community leaders and volunteers as they prepare to enter the work force.
The AHCSDI is underwritten by grants from Hewlett Packard and the Corporation for National & Community Service and sponsored by ABILITY Magazine.
ABILITY House Veterans with Disabilities Initiative
In recognition of veterans who have acquired disabilities in the line of duty and the specific issues they face during recovery and rehabilitation, the ABILITY House program has launched the ABILITY House Veterans with Disabilities Initiative. In cooperation with the Department of Veterans Affairs' vocational rehabilitation and employment service departments, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and numerous private and state veterans' services agencies, AHVDI will engage in active volunteer service veterans and servicemembers who have health conditions or disabilities.
In addition to their participation on ABILITY House construction sites, veterans will also be targeted as potential recipients of an ABILITY House.
The AHVDI is underwritten by a grant from the Corporation for National & Community Service and sponsored by ABILITY Magazine.
Become an ABILITY House Homeowner
Since ABILITY partners with Habitat for Humanity affiliates to build ABILITY Houses, all family selection is done by the respective Habitat for Humanity affiliates. If you are interested in applying for an ABILITY House, contact your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate to request an ABILITY House and learn about their criteria for potential homeowners.
As the partnership between ABILITY Awareness and Habitat for Humanity originated at the national level, not all local Habitat affiliates are familiar with the ABILITY House program. Encourage them to contact our office at (714) 277-4330 for more information on how they can benefit by partnering with us and making their next home an ABILITY House.
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