SC nonprofit celebrates decades of helping people with disabilities

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Whether its mental or physical condition, one organization in Columbia has worked to advocate for anyone in the Palmetto State with a disability. 

Able South Carolina marked three decades of service this afternoon alongside a special guest.

“Able South Carolina got started in 1994 when a group of individuals with disabilities opened it up because they were tired of non-disabled people running organizations and telling us what to do,” said Kimberly Tissot, Able South Carolina CEO and president.

Able South Carolina celebrated its 30th anniversary Monday afternoon. Mayor Daniel Rickenmann presented the nonprofit organization with a key to the city. 

“We equip people with disabilities with tools to foster their independence,” Tissot said. “We also educate the community to break down barriers to equity and inclusion. We also advocate. We’re doing a lot of system change.”

A lot of that change to help people with disabilities happens in the statehouse. 

“I’m happy to say that South Carolina is leading in several areas. One of those areas is sub-minimum wage,” Tissot said. “Starting August 1st, we will no longer have sub-minimum wage where employees with disabilities were paid less than minimum wage. We are also the 17th state to pass a bill to protect the rights of parents with disabilities. We’re leading in a lot of areas but we still have a lot of opportunities.”

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Able South Carolina has launched a new online exhibit called ‘People Not Patients’. The exhibit focuses on the lives of some of the first people institutionalized in the South Carolina State Hospital on Bull Street. 

“A lot of times the stories around Bull Street are about the architects and doctors but never touch upon the patients,” Tissot said. “We partnered with Historic Columbia to do some deep diving into the patients’ history. We were able to tell their stories. That information is up on our website and it’s fascinating.”

A link to that online exhibit can be found here.