Abilities Unlimited Hawai‘i

Our participants out in the community sign waving with HPD! They were out there encouraging drivers to slow down, stop speeding and no cell phones while driving. We had a blast and they all felt great about doing something good for our community.

A group picture of our members that attended our basketball tournament last week! They build friendships with each other and the social interaction is so important for their mental health and well being.

As part of our programs we coordinate many activities that are enriching and educational. We visit local sites that are of cultural significance and our participants love learning about the rich cultures that make up Hawaii and its people.

Here is one of our volunteer groups at The Pantry. From left to right Participants William Cho, Gary Masumoto, and Sydney Simmons volunteer once a month by helping pack produce and orders placed online to be picked up at the Pantry warehouse in Kalihi. It’s a well organized food pantry system that takes a village of volunteers to provide fresh produce and food for free on Wednesdays and Fridays. There is usually a long line of walkers and cars lining the street of people waiting to pick up orders from the Pantry.

From sports, hula, cultural exploration, gardening and more our Waiver Program helps participants develop life skills and pursue personal interests and hobbies. This program is available to those referred to us by the State of Hawaii Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Program.

Our members enjoying some time independently. We encourage them to be self-directed learners and to participate in activities that they’re interested in. We also have regularly scheduled training classes led by our qualified instructors and faculty.

Happy Aloha Friday!
At Abilities Unlimited we believe that everyone deserves a fair chance at seeking and achieving meaningful work. Having a sense of responsibility and pride and duty gives people purpose and meaning to life. We thank every one of our team members for the amazing work that they do to help our participants find and maintain employment.



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Having a disability doesn’t mean you can’t live a fulfilling life and make a positive impact on society. With a little help and support they are able to live independently, work, and be responsible and productive in our community.

Here are some ways you can help individuals with disabilities.

Educate yourself- there are many different types of disabilities and conditions.

Engage with them- don’t hesitate to have conversations and develop friendships with them.

Don’t presume that they see their disability as negative.

Persons with disabilities need access to the same services and opportunities as those without a disability.

A recent trip to the state capital. We facilitate many community outings to places that are educational and enriching. Our participants love adventuring together and sharing these wonderful experiences as a group. Through these experiences, they may learn more about their world and community and develop a deeper sense of belonging and understanding of their world.

Happy Earth day! 🌎
Our participants enjoying time out in nature at Manoa Valley! We will often have excursions to parks and short hikes to keep everyone active and healthy. And being in Hawaii, we are so fortunate to have all this nature and beauty around us!

Our participants can choose to focus on academics or vocational goals as well as community service, self-expression and other engaging activities. Some of our participants actively participate in growing and caring for a vegetable garden. 🥕🌱🥬

We offer a diverse array of training programs at our center. From Hula to arts and crafts to sports, participants can choose the activities that interests them. These activities allow our participants to discover new areas of interests, stay active and engaged with others and to express themselves in a safe and inclusive environment.

2024 Mantra 🥰✌🏽 via

Here’s to a wonderful brand new year 😍❤️! Happy 2024!!!

LOUDER for the people in the back 🙌🏽 ✨

We ❤️ 🙌🏽!

First Monday, of the last month of the year 🤗 LET’S DO THIS! Via ❤️💚

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💛🩵 Be patient while you grow 🩵💛 via

Your potential is ENDLESS 😍! Love this reminder via 💖✌🏽.

Supporting the ones we love, always 🥰❤️!

Believe you can, and you will 🥰❤️. Via

So relevant, especially these days 💚💛. Be kind, because you never know what someone is going thru / healing from 💖.

Happy Monday 🙂! You deserve to be happy!

Everything will come to you at the right time 🌸 be patient 🤗❤️. Via

Remember to be kind, especially to yourself 💖! Via

A disabled Beyoncé fan's dream came true after the Beyhive helped him meet the singer after an airline refused to accommodate his wheelchair.

Jon Hetherington, a longtime Beyoncé fan, was scheduled to fly to Seattle, Washington, on September 14 to see the singer perform on her Renaissance Tour. However, when he arrived at the airport, he was denied access to his flight because his wheelchair was reportedly too tall.

Hetherington was devastated. He had waited 25 years to see Beyoncé perform live, and now his dream was being crushed. He shared his frustration in a TikTok video that quickly went viral.

"So after 25 years of waiting, I'm not seeing Beyoncé tonight, so ableism strikes again," Hetherington said in the video.

The Beyhive, Beyoncé's devoted fan base, quickly rallied around Hetherington. They tagged Beyoncé on social media and shared his story, urging her to help.

Beyoncé's team took notice. They reached out to Hetherington and invited him to see the show in Arlington, Texas. Beyoncé also arranged for Hetherington's transportation, including a flight that could accommodate his wheelchair.

Hetherington was thrilled. He flew to Texas and saw Beyoncé perform live for the first time. He also had the opportunity to meet Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles.

In an interview with The New York Times, Hetherington spoke out about the importance of accessibility for people with disabilities.

"When it comes to making spaces more accessible," he said, "I hope people will actually engage with this stuff and not just let it go. That's what's important to me."

Source: HuffPost

Progress not perfection ✌🏽 via 💖✨

Not everyday is sunshine and rainbows and that’s okay! 🩷💛 Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead 💖! Via ✨.

Via 💚🩵

Health still matters when it's been affecting someone for longer.
Health still matters when someone doesn't appear to be sick
Health still matters when it's a lesser known illness
Health still matters when it's a chronic illness
Believe us please. Thanks.

Image Description: A tweet from The Chronic Notebook. Black text on a white background reads:

Person 1: I sprained my ankle

Them: Oh gosh. That sucks. Are you okay? You need to rest. Health always comes first.

Person 2: I have a chronic illness and I'm in pain all the time

Them: But you look fine though?