Head to the What Ability Foundation website for more
CommBank Stadium is thrilled to partner with the What Ability Foundation on their official launch event – an all abilities experience at the Stadium on Friday 3 December, International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD).
Founded by former Parramatta Eels player, Steve Dresler, What Ability Foundation is a new registered Australian charity with a mission to unlock community experiences for people living with a disability or diminished capacity and their families.
The Foundation partners with experience providers nation-wide across sport, live entertainment, adventure, hospitality and dining to provide ticketed experiences for not only the individual, but for the whole family!
The day will bring together 100 people with a disability accompanied by their families and carers from disability support services across Sydney, as well as a team of professional and semi-professional athletes to help unlock the charity’s first live sporting experience.
Thanks to CommBank Stadium, children and young adults with a range of disabilities and their support workers will access the field, explore the locker rooms and play alongside athletes including Manly Sea Eagles NRL player Sean Keppie, Australian Olympic boxer Harry Garside and Australian Netball player Jamie-Lee Price.
A corporate function to officially launch the charity will feature a speaker panel hosted by author and journalist Elle Halliwell. The panel will challenge how we think about disability by exploring how we can all help grow a more inclusive Australia. It will include an athlete who is also a support worker, a parent and a politician.
For What Ability CEO and founder, Steve Dresler, What Ability Foundation is an extension of the service provider What Ability. It is all about putting smiles on the faces of people living with a disability, while bringing joy to families who may be experiencing financial hardship or who are unable to fully participate in the community.
“So many families who are raising children with a disability struggle to provide activities and experiences that most of us take for granted. It can be as simple as a game of bowling and movie tickets or as epic as a day pass to a theme park.”
“The Foundation is here to break down barriers and unlock experiences to give families an equal opportunity to access the communities they live in – the ability to move, jump, play, swim and experience life to the fullest.”
“We know that disability affects the entire family and that siblings and parents can also benefit from such experiences…life for families living with disability can be challenging and these families deserve to have fun.”
Individuals can register to apply for fully-funded ticketed experiences in their State or Territory for themselves or the person in their care at www.whatabilityfoundation.org.au.
Follow the Foundation on Facebook @WhatAbilityFoundation Instagram @WhatAbilityFoundation or LinkedIn @WhatAbilityFoundation.
Background
What Ability Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that exists to unlock community experiences for people with a disability and their families. The additional costs for families who have a loved one with disability are significant.
Often parents are unable to work and the pressure on household budgets means they cannot afford to access community events or activities.
Our Founder Steve has worked with countless families who are constantly challenged to fund activities we ourselves enjoyed as kids. Something as small as a bowling ticket or as costly as an overnight’s accommodation are out of reach for many. He saw the benefits first hand, and the impact these experiences had on their lives.
What Ability Foundation aims to unlock over ONE MILLION experiences across Australia to people with a disability or diminished capacity and their families by 2026!
