About The Ability Center

The front view of The Ability Center

The Ability Center of Greater Toledo is a Center for Independent Living serving Northwest Ohio.

The Ability Center of Greater Toledo actively seeks partnerships with community organizations and supports individuals with disabilities and their families to achieve our vision.

Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision

We believe in and support equitable and inclusive communities for people living with disabilities.

Our Mission

To assist people with disabilities to live, work and socialize within a fully accessible community.

Our Core Values

We believe in consumer control and community inclusion

  • People with disabilities serve in leadership positions at The Ability Center.
  • We facilitate collaborative efforts between people with and without disabilities to remove barriers to equal opportunity and community inclusion.

We believe in advocacy

  • We are committed to changing systems, public policies and attitudes that prevent people with disabilities from living, working and socializing in their communities.

We believe in delivering best practice programs

  • We strive to provide the highest quality independent living programs and services based on national independent living standards as well as local consumer needs and satisfaction.

We believe in establishing high expectations for success among people with disabilities

  • Program participants are expected to establish goals and achieve independent living success.
  • We work to change attitudes so the general public can raise their expectations of persons with disabilities.

We believe in the power of partnerships and positive public relations

  • Businesses, community organizations and government agencies are important partners as we work to create fully accessible communities.
  • We assist individuals and families to tell their stories to the community as a technique to increase awareness and remove barriers.

Strategic Plan for 2012

Strategic Plan 2012The Ability Center’s strategic plan highlights agency-wide and departmental goals that will move us forward as the Center steps into the next phase of its history.

Office of Public Policy

Sue Hetrick - Director of Public Policy

In an effort to stay closely connected to legislative matters facing Ohioans living with disabilities, and as a support for all fellow Centers for Independent Living in the state, The Ability Center maintains an Office of Public Policy in Columbus.

From this office the Center can monitor legislation, help to move forward potential legislation and respond immediately, if necessary, to political change. The Office of Public Policy provides input to legislators while alerting Ohioans with disabilities to opportunities in which they can become involved in influencing policy.

Public Policy Office

670 Morrison Road, Suite 200
Gahanna, OH 43230 USA
(614) 575.8055 (Voice)
(866) 575.8055 (Toll Free)
(614) 861.0392 (Fax)

History of The Ability Center

To learn more about the Center, please visit the History page.

The Ability Center Board of Trustee

You may visit the Board page for information on the current members of the Center Board of Trustees.

Auxiliary to The Ability Center

The purpose of the Auxiliary to The Ability Center of Greater Toledo is to serve as an ambassador in the community, promoting major fundraisers for the benefit of programs sponsored by ACT.

Employment at The Ability Center

If you are seeking employment, please consider the Center. For details on how to apply, visit the Employment page.