Messages from our CEO: Kickin’ It with Kimberly
It’s essential to us that we keep you well-informed about current issues and barriers affecting people with disabilities. Our CEO, Kimberly Tissot, recognizes that you are at the heart of our efforts to promote disability rights, justice, and freedoms. Letters will be written to you, our key supporters, about the injustices we uncover and the solutions we can offer as a disability-led organization.
September 2025
October
Kickin’ It with Kimberly: We’re Not Begging — We’re Building
Truth be told — asking for money isn’t my favorite part of being CEO. I’d much rather be celebrating our incredible staff, announcing new partnerships, or sharing another win for accessibility in South Carolina. But honesty matters, and right now, I need to be real with you.
We’re not in crisis because we didn’t plan. We’re in crisis because we did everything right — and the system is broken.
Able SC is a rock-solid, disability-led nonprofit built on accountability, transparency, and results. Every year, we undergo federal financial audits and pass with flying colors. We take pride in being good stewards of every dollar, stretching every resource, and ensuring every investment directly impacts the people we serve.
With 64 employees, over 80% of whom have disabilities, Able SC is powered by lived experience. We represent and fight for the one in three South Carolinians who live with a disability, and what makes us truly unique is that we serve people of all ages and all disabilities. While many organizations focus on a single diagnosis or population, we serve the entire disability community. From children learning to self-advocate to older adults pursuing independence later in life, we’re here for everyone.
And when we talk about “independent living,” we don’t mean doing it alone. We mean helping people live in their communities with the support they need because true independence comes from choice, access, and connection.
If you’re new to our work, here’s something you should know: Centers for Independent Living (CILs) like Able SC are not nursing homes or segregated facilities. We’re a movement. A bold, disability-led movement that’s been reshaping South Carolina’s systems for decades — ensuring that people with disabilities lead, decide, and thrive.
Our work also starts early. For example, through our youth transition programs, we help young people with disabilities prepare for adult life. We guide them in building confidence, skills, and leadership so they can shape their own futures, because when youth are empowered with the tools or support, they grow into adults who drive change and their own lives.
We listen deeply to our community and act on what we hear. That’s why our voice is often the loudest and respected in the room — and sometimes the hardest to ignore because we speak about reality.
But here’s the truth: funding opportunities are drying up. This year, we lost over $800,000 in program funding. Even after securing $450,000 in new private support, we’re still facing a $350,000 deficit.
A deficit doesn’t mean we did anything wrong—it means we’re spending more to help people than the system gives us. We had that funding last year, but this year the system pulled back and stalled resources, creating a deficit that will impact jobs, programs, advocacy, and most importantly, the people who need us the most.
We currently manage 34 different funding sources because diversification isn’t just smart—it’s federally mandated. The federal government recognizes that it doesn’t provide enough to sustain organizations like Able SC, so we’re expected to seek additional support from the very communities we serve. That means turning to partners, state and federal agencies, and supporters across states and systems. It’s challenging, but it also underscores something powerful: when communities everywhere invest in inclusion, everyone wins.
Before these cuts, we had big dreams — like creating something one-of-a-kind in the Southeast, right here in South Carolina. A space that would also generate income and reduce our reliance on grants. That dream is on pause for now, but it’s not gone. We’re still holding on to that vision and working toward it every day.
So, here’s my promise to our funders and supporters: Your investment will always be handled with integrity, accountability, and gratitude. We’ll continue to meet every audit, every standard, and every expectation of excellence. But more importantly, we’ll continue to lead boldly, innovate fearlessly, and use every dollar to build lasting impact. When you support Able SC, you’re not funding a charity — you’re fueling a movement for equity, access, and independence.
That’s what our new “We Are All Able SC” campaign is all about. It’s more than a slogan — it’s a belief that inclusion benefits everyone. Whether you’re disabled or not, when barriers are removed, our whole community thrives. “We Are All Able SC” is a reminder that this work isn’t about a few of us — it’s about all of us.
So if you believe in a South Carolina where disability is seen as a natural part of human life, now’s the time to step in and make a difference.
- Give today: Your gift — whether $25, $250, or $25,000 — helps close our funding gap, sustain vital programs, and keep the disability community’s loudest, proudest voice strong.
- Share our story: Use your platform to remind others that inclusion matters.
- Stand/Sit with us: Help us build the next generation of access, equity, and opportunity.
At Able SC, we serve, we advocate, and we build — every single day — so people with disabilities of all ages can live, work, and thrive in their communities. But we can’t do it without you.
We’re not begging. We’re building. And with your partnership, we’ll keep building a South Carolina that’s strong, proud, and unapologetically inclusive — one barrier at a time. We’re not waiting for permission to exist.
– Kimberly Tissot, President and CEO, Able South Carolina
For over 31 years, Able South Carolina has been a critical force for disability rights, belonging, and the right to live on one’s own terms. As a disability-led organization, we don’t just serve our community—we are the disability community. We Are All Able SC!
Now, Able SC faces a real moment of crisis. We’re calling on allies, advocates, and community members to generously invest in disability empowerment and justice. Please invest in those most affected and impacted by policy decisions. When empowered and equipped, our disability community is truly a force to be reckoned with. Donate to Able SC today: allable-sc.org