AbilityPath

12/24/2025

Wishing our AbilityPath community a warm and joyful holiday season!
Please note that our offices will be closed on December 25 and January 1.

We look forward to connecting with you in the new year—happy holidays from all of us!

12/23/2025

https://hubs.la/Q03YTnZT0

An affordable housing project on Charleston Road in Palo Alto that is meant to support adults with developmental disabilities is finally welcoming tenants to the building, and expects to fill all of the apartments later this month.

12/22/2025

Happy Holidays! Adults in our Pathways Program’s weekly Film and Media Class created a music video for Jingle Bell Rock in preparation for last week’s Holiday Bazaar. It was much more than a fun project, it was an opportunity for creativity, self-expression, and learning about film production. Enjoy the performance!

Winter celebration dance performance by the adult students in the Visual and Performing Arts class collaborating with the Film and Media classes (Fall 2025)...

12/18/2025

Celebrating a Year of Impact and Connection! 💙

2025 has been a powerful year for Thrive, The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County. Despite economic and policy shifts, we’ve stood together as a network of over 200 nonprofits to advocate for equity and community well-being.

Big News in Leadership 🌟 We are thrilled to celebrate Georgia Farooq’s official recognition as Chief Executive Officer! For nearly a decade, Georgia has led with vision and empathy, turning Thrive into a vital part of our county’s civic infrastructure. We also welcomed Irma Zoepf as our new Chief Operating Officer, whose operational expertise is already helping us tackle major issues such as climate resilience and workforce shortages.

2025 Highlights at a Glance:

🗽Policy Power: Our Landscape Survey helped local leaders understand exactly how federal policy affects nonprofit staffing and equity.

✊Workforce Support: Through the "Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative," we’re building a diverse leadership pipeline and helping staff avoid burnout.

🌊Climate Action: We co-led the Climate Summit for San Mateo County to find local solutions for our most vulnerable communities.

🎙️New Board Voices: We are so grateful for the fresh perspectives of our newest board members, Rita Mancera and Eric Glader.

🙏A Heartfelt Thank You. Everything we achieved this year is thanks to our incredible staff and dedicated partners. Together, we are proving that collaboration is the best way to light the way forward.

12/17/2025

We’re honored to be featured in The Giving List, recognizing nonprofits creating meaningful, lasting impact in our community.
At the heart of this recognition are people like Julie—now a longtime employee, volunteer, and community member—whose journey reflects what lifelong support can make possible.

Thanks to our supporters, more than 1,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities receive support each day to build skills, confidence, and connection.

Help ensure this impact continues. Make a year-end gift today and be part of the lifelong support that changes lives
https://hubs.la/Q03Yy6tt0

12/17/2025

Thank You, Enterprise Mobility Foundation!

AbilityPath sends a huge "Thank You" to the Enterprise Mobility Foundation™ for their generous grant supporting our employment services programs.

We are especially grateful to Steve Faber and Dan Herbst for championing our mission. They were inspired to get involved after attending our SF Peninsula luncheon at the Marriott Bayshore last spring, where they heard about our 30-year employment program with the Marriott team, and they said they were "thrilled" to add AbilityPath to their list of supported organizations!

This grant will enhance our ability to serve individuals with developmental disabilities across the Bay Area, promoting independence, dignity, and a sense of belonging.

Thank you to the entire Enterprise Mobility Foundation™ team for helping us build a more inclusive future.

12/12/2025

Build a Career — Not Just a Job — at Learning Links

“There’s real opportunity to grow here. Learning Links encourages you to explore new roles and expand your skills.”
— Meslei, Lead Preschool Teacher

We support our educators with:

4 weeks PTO + 10 paid holidays
Medical and dental coverage from day one
401(k), bonuses, and recognition programs
Ongoing training and professional advancement

From classroom teaching to specialized roles, Learning Links is a place where educators can evolve while making a meaningful impact.

Now hiring in Palo Alto
Apply today: https://hubs.la/Q03Y2khy0

12/11/2025

Our Holiday Gift Guide for Kids is here!

AbilityPath pediatric therapists handpicked their top toy recommendations to support children’s development through play — no matter their abilities.
From sensory-friendly favorites to creativity boosters, these gifts make learning joyful.

Explore the full guide:
https://bit.ly/48zwv1I

12/11/2025

Turn any walk into a nature adventure! Let your toddler lead, play “I Spy,” collect leaves or rocks, and talk about what you see, hear, smell, and feel. Simple moments outside build curiosity, language, and connection—right in your own neighborhood.

Download the pdf here:
https://bit.ly/4pRPXMR

12/10/2025

Fantastic news in the art community! We can’t wait to expand our art programming in 2026!

🤯 HUGE news this week in our community of artists with disabilities! Neurodiverse artists are speaking, and the art world is starting to listen!

From the Guardian article: "Nnena Kalu has won the 2025 Turner prize for her colourful drawings and sculptures made from found fabric and VHS tape, becoming the first artist with a learning disability to take home the £25,000 prize.

Alex Farquharson, chair of the jury and director of Britain, said the win by the British-Nigerian represented a watershed moment for the international art world.

'Nnena’s work was very much selected for its quality but given she’s a neurodiverse artist, given her verbal communication is limited, she’s someone who previously would have been on the outside,' he said.

'[Her win] begins to erase that border between the neurotypical and neurodiverse artist. You suddenly become aware that actually it’s been a boundary around our history, and around contemporary art. But that boundary is dissolving.'"

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/dec/09/nnena-kalu-first-artist-learning-disability-win-turner-prize

12/10/2025

Sometimes kids want to run, explore, or escape big feelings—and they need clear, supportive guidance to stay safe.

This social story uses simple language and visuals to teach children:
• Why running away isn’t safe
• How to wait for their turn
• How to ask for a break
• Safe alternatives to running
• When it’s okay to run (like at the playground!)

A helpful resource for caregivers, educators, and therapists supporting children with impulse control and safety awareness.

Read more at
https://bit.ly/48T6SZy

12/08/2025

This fall, AbilityPath, Futures Explored and Helpers Community & Helpers Artisan Boutique launched Creative Spotlight: An Art Collective for Change—a collaboration that brings neurodiverse artists together to share their stories, perspectives, and creative voices. As part of this growing collective, we are proud to shine the spotlight on one of the participating artists: Benji Cheung.

Benji is an emerging artist whose saturated brushstrokes, bold graphic style, and love of depicting animals come together beautifully in his watercolor zodiac series— including his striking piece Aries. He is also expanding into ceramics, where he brings images to life with natural skill and enthusiasm. For Benji, art is a way to express who he is—his personality, his culture, and his passion for giving back. “Art is a way for me to show the creative side of me… and to share my passion with the community,” he says. Creative Spotlight exists to uplift artists like Benji—artists whose work challenges assumptions, sparks conversation, and enriches our community with powerful stories. We look forward to continuing this collaborative effort to ensure neurodiverse art is accessible, celebrated, and seen across the Bay Area.

Learn More at https://bit.ly/4iAVqFi