This local nonprofit’s adult participants just got 2 beautiful new classrooms—check it out

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Last October, when a few of the folks at Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) took a tour of United Ability‘s campus, they immediately knew they wanted to be a part of the work they saw. Fast forward a year—they just finished transforming two of the adult program spaces into a life skills classroom and a library.

Read on to see the incredible transformation and learn more about why they knew they had to get involved.

It all started with a tour of United Ability

United Ability connects people with disabilities to their communities and empowers them to live full and meaningful lives—from providing life-changing therapies for children with others to equipping adults to find jobs.

When Gary Owen and Ashley Henson of Goodwyn Mills Cawood visited United Ability last year, they never knew how much it would affect them. Being able to see the work in action and notice the tangible needs is what changed the game for them.

“I looked at Ashley when we got back and said ‘We have to be here. We have to do something here.’ We got a call shortly after asking if we could help put together a pumpkin patch, so that’s how we got started helping.”

Gary Owen, Regional Vice President, GMC

From there, they sat down with some of the leaders at United Ability to plot out the next year and find out how they could use their talents, resources and abilities to help.

“They showed us two adult learning classrooms that really needed a breath of fresh air. They wanted to revamp how they were being used by turning one into a library and the other a life skills room. We jumped right in and got to work.”

Ashley Henson, Executive Administrator, GMC

United Ability participants were involved every step of the way

When they started working on the project, one thing was for sure: they wanted to get the participants involved.

“We came up with a plan and presented it exactly as we could to a client. They chose many aspects of the design which makes this all even more wonderful and moving.”

Ashley Henson, Executive Administrator, GMC

Susan Sellers, United Ability’s CEO, said that empowering participants to get out there and make decisions like this is a huge part of what they do.

They wanted the adults to be a part of everything down to the final touches, so the adults were able to make and paint pieces of art to be displayed in the new library.

The finished product is full of amazing detail

The staff at GMC clearly took this project very seriously, not leaving one detail behind and even coming in on Saturdays to get the work done. Staff members were able to volunteer as well as purchase needed items off of an Amazon wishlist for the classrooms.

For the life skills room, they wanted it to look and feel like a real studio apartment, so that’s exactly what they did. Here are some of the coolest features of the space:

• A closet rack with a rod that can be pulled down by someone in a wheelchair
• A Murphy bed that folds out for participants to learn how to make their bed every day
• Tables that fold into the wall when they aren’t being used (two at standard height, one at standard wheelchair height)

This project was just as special for the people at Goodwyn Mills Cawood as it was for the participants and teachers who will reap the benefits.

“Having the opportunity to bring employees out to see what’s going on here and then see them want to get involved and help is just incredible. There’s so much good happening here.”

Gary Owen, Regional Vice President, GMC

Learn more about United Ability and how you can get involved today.

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