About Us
The Ability Center Front View
The Ability Center of Greater Toledo is a Center for Independent Living serving northwest Ohio. Our main office is located in Sylvania at 5605 Monroe Street, two blocks west of Whiteford Road. For directions to this location, or to either of our satellite office in Port Clinton, please visit Locations and Directions.
Our Vision and Mission
Our Vision: We believe in and support equitable and inclusive communities for people living with disabilities.
Our Mission is 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.
Therapists work with a child at Toledo Society for Crippled Children - 1949
History of The Ability Center
Founding of the Center
The Ability Center began as a Rotarian dream. Established in December of 1920 as The Society for Crippled Children, it served as hospital/rehabilitation facility for children (and, later, adults) with Polio until the advent of the Salk vaccine in the mid-1950’s. For much of this time, the hospital was located in what is now St. Anthony’s Villa.
Boys listen to the ball game on the radio at Toledo Society for Crippled Children - 1949
Evolution
In the early 1960’s the agency became known as Opportunity Kindergarten, providing educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
In 1976 the Center evolved again, as dictated by the needs of the day, to provide comprehensive services to people living with disabilities of all ages in the community. The name was then changed to The Toledo Society for the Handicapped.
By 1989, the movement to create a nationwide network of centers, which held with the Independent Living philosophy, had expanded and taken hold. The Board of Trustees changed its mission and became a Center for Independent Living (CIL). In keeping with this mission change, in 1990, The Society changed its name to The Ability Center of Greater Toledo.
The Libbey House - once home to Opportunity Kindergarten and Toledo Society for the Handicapped - 1960's and 70's
Today
The Ability Center serves seven northwestern Ohio counties (Lucas, Ottawa, Wood, Fulton, Henry, Defiance and Williams) via its main office in Sylvania, and regional offices in Defiance and Port Clinton. As detailed in this website, we offer a wide range of services and opportunities designed to assist people with disabilities in gaining, or maintaining, independence in everyday living. We also provide information and support to community organizations and businesses necessary for providing inclusive programs and services to all citizens.