Ability Montana: A Non-profit With a Mission
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Ability Montana: A Nonprofit with a Mission
David Poole was paralyzed from the waist down in a skiing accident at Copper Mountain, Colorado in 2006. It changed his life forever. Now he advocates for others who live with disabilities. Poole was helping man the Abilities Montana booth at Fall Fest on Saturday where he and his friend Brenden Dalin, also a paraplegic, from Butte, visited with the crowd about the nonprofit’s mission and services. The organization began as Montana Independent Living in 1985. They have offices in Butte, Bozeman and in Helena at 825 Great Northern Blvd. “Our mission is to empower and promote independence for people with disabilities,” according to David.
The organization’s five core services include self-advocacy, systems-advocacy, transitional services and peer support. “We reach out to people with disabilities to meet them where they are and to show them what other avenues they have for life. We help them find housing and a support group. We teach them how to navigate the services system. Currently, we are planning a fishing program,” he explained. The group is raffling off a drift boat on Facebook Live on Oct. 28. They hope to raise $100,000 to get their fishing advocacy program up and running. The tickets are $100 and can be purchased through their website as well as from members.
David said his accident and life change has taught him to push barriers that society has set for disabled people. “My family and friends in the community gave me the courage to cut through those barriers.” He said he fought depression with a strong will, but mostly with family support and by networking with others. In 2016 David suffered a broken back during his participation in the X games, skiing for disabled persons. He spent two years in hospitals and nursing homes recovering from the accident. His advice to the newly disabled: “We are the largest group that anyone can join at any time. Reach out to peers. We will help.”
David, who is originally from Townsend, now lives in Bozeman.
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