Everyone deserves the opportunity to participate fully in their community, including the 1 in 3 South Carolina adults estimated by the Disability and Health Data System to be living with a disability.
For individuals facing reduced mobility, hearing or vision, or less obvious disabilities like asthma or mental illness, Able South Carolina provides connections, services and a voice to work toward making South Carolina more accessible for all.
For more than 30 years, Able SC has helped people with disabilities live independently and fully by providing peer support, advocacy and practical help navigating systems like health care, housing, education, employment and benefits.
Kimberly Tissot, president and CEO, said a key factor in Able SC’s effectiveness is that it is disability-led, with over 80% of its staff and over half its board made up of people with disabilities. Tissot herself lost a leg to childhood cancer at age 2 and walks using crutches.
“If you haven’t lived with barriers, you don’t know how isolating it can be. Society is not built for people with disabilities,” she said. “What makes Able SC different is lived experience. We know where systems break because we’ve had to navigate them ourselves. We don’t ‘fix’ people; we remove barriers, change policies and build pathways so people with disabilities can make their own choices, stay out of institutions and live the lives they choose.”
Able SC offers programs to facilitate transition to adult life, out of institutions to the community, and adjustment to disability. Leadership training is available for youth and adults, as well as assistance with independent living, employment and assistive technology. Able SC also carries out accessibility assessments for businesses and organizations.
Recently, Able SC partnered with nursing-education programs to promote better support and broader opportunities for students with disabilities. For example, working in an emergency room setting may seem impossible for nursing students with certain disabilities, but their skills may be ideal for other nursing positions, including telemedicine.
This year Able SC, which receives significant support from federal grants, is facing a shortfall due to significant funding cuts. To help fill the gap, the nonprofit launched a crisis campaign, We are all Able SC, with a goal of raising $350,000 by year’s end.
“Losing this funding will cause disruptions to vital programs that are impacting real people and families every day,” Tissot said. “We hope to be able to continue to provide services that build critical skills for independence, break down barriers, identify real solutions and ensure the disability voice is not only heard, but at the decision-making table.”
Community Foundation of Greenville awarded Able SC a Capacity Building Grant of $10,000 in 2025 to upgrade their technology. The project provided tablets and laptops for staff serving disabled youth in rural communities.
Visit cfgreenville.org to learn more about the Community Foundation of Greenville.
For more information, visit able-sc.org. For data about those living with disabilities in South Carolina, visit cdc.gov/dhds/impacts/index.html.
