VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Give Local 757 brings people together to make a difference for local nonprofits that deliver vital services to everyone in our Hampton Roads community.
One of those nonprofits is a place in Virginia Beach where everyone can find friendship, a laugh and a good time.
At the Ability Center of Virginia, inclusivity is the name of the game.
“We are an organization that provides programs and services to children and adults with different disabilities,” said Ability Center Executive Director Michelle Prendergast. “Our goal is to create purpose and help with independence.”
Prendergast has helped nurture that inclusive experience for the last 28 years.
“I started out volunteering as a kid on the block puppeteer,” said Prendergast.
The center’s eight-week summer camp and day program for adults with disabilities has been a critical resource for families in Hampton Roads. This year, the organization is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
At the center, 13News Now met John – a great example of the organization’s mission. A picture taken during his first trip to the Ability Center more than 20 years ago sits in an office upstairs.
Today, John is happier than ever - a kind soul surrounded by lifelong friends.
But Prendergast says she’d like to reach even more people in our community.
To do that, they would need a new facility with more space. Right now, like many nonprofits in the region, money is tight.
But there’s no shortage of love, and fun at the Ability Center of Virginia — the kind of love and fun that fulfills and changes lives every day.
“That’s so rewarding for us,” said Prendergast.