Most of us are not aware of all the many obstacles and challenges others with disabilities face in their everyday lives – not until we may need access ourselves. That sidewalk curb. That unplowed sidewalk. The stairs. The Ability Collective is a non-profit home for anyone with a disability, a family member, or a caregiver seeking meaningful involvement. Maggie Bayerl, whose occupation is as recreational therapist, founded the non-profit when she recently moved to Barry County along with her husband who has a spinal injury.
“We are focused on advocacy work and providing services for people in our community who have disabilities and also our community members like business owners and organization leaders who are interested in making their services and programs more accessible,” Bayerl says. “My husband and I moved to Barry County about four years ago. My husband has a spinal cord injury, so we had this lived, first-hand experience about what it was like to live in a community that didn’t have a lot of resources.”
Bayerl got to work. According to The Ability Collective, more than 6,000 Barry County residents under the age of 65 have a disability. One in 10 Barry County residents have a disability that is not based on age. Bayerl founded the collective in January 2025 for anyone with a disability, a family member, or a caregiver seeking meaningful involvement. The organization’s central goal is to reduce barriers by giving community members a platform to share their stories.
“From the standpoint of physical barriers, which tend to be the first thing people notice, we have really poor infrastructure in terms of our sidewalks and our accessibility to our businesses, commerce and employment. Folks who us mobility devices, they are lucky if they can get into 10% of our businesses.”
With their work to improve accessibility, the collective also offers community-driven programs and support groups for those who have disabilities but also their caregivers.
“I would really love for more legislators and advocates to pay attention to the unique needs of rural communities instead of continuing to identify the barriers that we are really well aware of and are well documented and instead start coming up with creative solutions.”
To learn more or to donate, visit The Ability Collective.
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