Our Community Partner
The Ability Center of Greater Toledo is the premier community partner of the Disability
Studies Program at The University of Toledo. On November 14, 2001, The Ability Center
and UToledo announced an innovative partnership leading to the development of the first
B.A. Program in Disability Studies in a liberal arts college in the United States.
The announcement included a gift from the Ability Center of 1.9 million dollars, which
established The Ability Center Endowed Chair in Disability Studies — currently held by Dr. Jim Ferris. Today, the Disability Studies program has graduated over fifty majors and minors who
have gone on to do important work in direct service, public policy, and allied health
fields.
Following its transformational gift, The Ability Center also gave the University of
Toledo Carlson Library more than 2,000 books and periodicals on disability issues
in February 2002. Since then, this donation has compounded and the University of Toledo
Library has come to be known as one of the leading Disability History archives in the United States.
In 2020, The Ability Center celebrates 100 years of faithful service to the Toledo community!
For more information please visit The Ability Center of Greater Toledo website.