ABILITY Awareness is a non-profit corporation registered in California and is a public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Board Members
Chet Cooper,
President
Founder, ABILITY Awareness
Publisher, ABILITY
Magazine
Maya Sabatello, JD,
PhD
International Disability Rights Attorney and Scholar
Teaching Faculty, New York University and University of Southern California
Representative to United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive
and Integral International Convention on the Rights and Dignity of
Persons with Disabilities
Lawrence Goldstein,
MD
Chief of Vascular Surgery, St. Vincent Hospital, Santa Fe,
New Mexico
Interior Designer, New Jersey
E. Thomas Chappell,
MD
American Board of Neurological Surgery, Clinical Instructor, Department
of Neurosurgery, University of California, Irvine
Chet Cooper speaking with First Lady Laura Bush. Cooper received the Presidential Community Volunteer Award by President George W. Bush in a private White House ceremony for his exampliary commitment to volunteering and his efforts to bring volunteer opportunities to people with disabilities.
The History of ABILITY Awareness
In 1990, America prepared for a new era of inclusion for people with disabilities with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As with legal victories in other civil rights movements, almost overnight, millions of people with disabilities achieved the promise of full access in employment, education, telecommunication and transportation. But as with all social advancements, the challenge was to translate these new legal rights into public awareness, attitudinal change and effective implementation.
From this challenge came ABILITY Magazine. The brain-child of business leader and former publisher of National Lampoon Chet Cooper, ABILITY Magazine uses celebrity interviews and human interest stories to build awareness that disability is part of the fabric of life. Included are articles on technology, education, employment, travel and medical advancements, all with a healthy dose of fun and humor.
From the beginning, Cooper embraced the idea of recruiting qualified people with disabilities to produce the publication, highlighting the employability of people with disabilities and modeling a truly inclusive work environment. Through the years, over 90 percent of the people involved with ABILITY Magazine have had one or more disabilities, including bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, blindness, attention deficit disorder, fibromyalgia, deafness or hearing loss, social anxiety disorder, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, diabetes, immune conditions, dyslexia and many others.
As a social entrepreneur, Cooper saw that the magazine was only one part of the puzzle. Wanting to actively demonstrate solutions for issues people with disabilities confront on a daily basis, in 1995 he established ABILITY Awareness, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, to promote opportunities for people with disabilities in housing, employment, volunteerism, education and media.
Early on, it became apparent that some of the greatest barriers people with disabilities face arise in the employment arena. Even today, people with disabilities face a 70 percent unemployment rate. Prior to the full integration of the Internet, Cooper set-up J.O.B.S (Job Opportunity Business Services), a designated national voicemail job and resume bank that potential employees and employers could use to find one another. With the success of J.O.B.S. and the progression of technology, the telephonic resume bank has transformed into JobAccess.org, one of the nation's premiere employment sites for people with disabilities and employers seeking qualified candidates.
Another issue Cooper sought to address was the need for accessible housing. Long familiar with Habitat for Humanity and its provision of homeownership opportunities for families in need, Cooper met with Habitat founder and CEO Millard Fuller for an article in ABILITY Magazine. As they sat together for the interview, Cooper brought up the importance and ease of incorporating basic accessibility features into new home construction, a position Habitat for Humanity International later promoted officially on their website. Additionally, he asked Fuller if he would consider a program incorporating people with disabilities as the core base of volunteers for a Habitat build. While Fuller's initial response was an inquisitive, "Do you really think we could do that?" he soon embraced the idea fully and directed Cooper to the Greater Birmingham affiliate of Habitat for Humanity to launch the partnership that would become the ABILITY House project. With the support of Bell South, Bell South Pioneers and other sponsors, ABILITY Awareness and the Greater Birmingham Habitat affiliate began planning the very first ABILITY House, built for homeowner Chris Wright, who has paraplegia. In 1999, hundreds of volunteers with disabilities gathered in Alabama to help raise the roof; paradigms were shattered and a community was forever changed. The ABILITY House concept was so successful that the Lion's Club, after attending the Birmingham build, put $9 million toward similar builds across the nation.
Through the ABILITY House project and other endeavors, in just a few short years ABILITY Awareness was profoundly impacting lives across the country. In recognition of the value these programs brought to the community, Cooper was recognized with numerous awards.
As multiple homes were being built in the South and up and down the East Coast, ABILITY Awareness was staffed entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers. Cooper also provided those who worked for ABILITY Magazine relief from magazine duties to enable them to volunteer. In 2005, a financial and technology contribution from HP made possible a vital, innovative new program and the hiring of ABILITY Awareness' first full-time employee. The ABILITY House College Students with Disabilities Initiative uses the assistance of colleges' disabled student services centers to help students with disabilities connect with their local Habitat for Humanity affiliates to participate in ABILITY House projects. At the same time, ABILITY Awareness was awarded a grant from the Corporation for National & Community Service to fully launch the college student initiative as well as the ABILITY House Veterans with Disabilities Initiative, which provides meaningful volunteer opportunities to veterans who have health conditions or disabilities.
Today, through corporate and governmental support, ABILITY Awareness is run by a professional staff dedicated to the organization's mission of enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities through housing, employment, education, media and volunteer opportunities.
Contributions to ABILITY Awareness are tax deductible within IRS regulations. Always consult with your estate planning representative, tax advisor or attorney for more information on how you may benefit by making a charitable donation to ABILITY Awareness.
Download IRS Letter 1050 confirming tax exempt status. (PDF Format, Requires Acrobat Reader software).
ABILITY Awareness endorses The Donor Bill of Rights, created by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Download The Donor Bill of Rights . (PDF Format, Requires Acrobat Reader software).