Experience The Ability Experience in motion. Ride alongside cyclists on The Journey of Hope during the Colorado Ride Along and experience the mission up close. Throughout the journey, you’ll take in Colorado’s landscapes, stay with the team at their overnight stops, share meals and build meaningful connections with both riders and crew. Be part of bringing the mission to communities across Colorado. Sign up using the link below. https://ow.ly/CLwO50YPfmb
The Ability Experience
Non-profit Organizations
Charlotte, North Carolina 4,591 followers
We use shared experiences to support people with disabilities and develop the men of Pi Kappa Phi into servant leaders.
About us
Formerly known as Push America, The Ability Experience uses shared experiences to support people with disabilities and develop the men of Pi Kappa Phi into servant leaders. The Ability Experience was founded in 1977 by Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity with the purpose of instilling lifelong service in its members and enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities. The Ability Experience has grown into a national organization with numerous programs designed to educate undergraduates, alumni, and communities about the abilities of people with disabilities as well as provide opportunities for volunteerism and service. The Ability Experience is heavily involved in the construction of accessible environments nationwide for people with disabilities. Volunteers work year round, providing funds and man power, to help create a barrier-free society for people with disabilities. Build America provides a unique and unforgettable six-week experience for undergraduate students and alumni to spend their summer creating accessible facilities for deserving camps across the country. Since 1988, The Ability Experience has been cycling across the country to benefit people with disabilities. Cycling has been the best communication vehicle for the organization as they take to the roads of America to spread a message of friendship and understanding for people with disabilities to millions of people. Our cycling events raise over $700,000 each summer to build hope for the future of people with disabilities while developing tomorrow's leaders. More than one hundred young men undertake the challenge of these trips each summer, stopping daily to visit organizations serving people with disabilities.
- Website
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http://www.abilityexperience.org
External link for The Ability Experience
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1977
- Specialties
- Leadership, Disabilities, and Community
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
2015 Ayrsley Town Blvd
STE 200
Charlotte, North Carolina 28273, US
Employees at The Ability Experience
Updates
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This week, Kappa Omega (Utah) and Delta Delta (Truman State) returned to Ability Camps for the first time in years, reestablishing partnerships at Camp Kostopulos and Camp Courageous. From deck repairs, tree cleanup and full camp setup in Utah to roofing, building and ground work in Iowa, the impact was immediate. But it went beyond the projects. From organizing camp spaces to a prom dance floor, these brothers built real connections with campers and staff along the way. A long-awaited return and a strong step forward, with the kind of momentum that lasts beyond one weekend.
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Rain or shine, The Ability Experience shows up. This past weekend, 131 Pi Kappa Phi alumni and undergraduates served at four Ability Camp locations across the country, improving spaces that support people with disabilities while strengthening the bonds that define our brotherhood. Together, they took on meaningful, hands-on work — building and repairing essential structures, enhancing safety features and completing projects that will directly impact campers this summer. From long days of physical labor to the shared moments in between, each volunteer showed up with purpose, leaving these camps better than they found them. This is The Ability Experience in action.
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The latest top fundraising leaderboard just dropped! ⭐️ Shoutout to the chapters breaking into the top 20 and making their mark, and to those who have held strong and continue to lead the way. The momentum is real, and it’s only building! We’re excited to see how the rest of the semester unfolds. Keep pushing! 🤝
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This is more than a ride. It is a chance to experience the mission up close. Each year, The Ability Experience invites participants to ride alongside Gear Up Florida, Gear Up New York and Journey of Hope. As a ride-along participant, you will travel with the team, stay at team lodging, share meals and ride alongside members of the crew as they bring the mission to communities across the country. Interested in joining the experience? Click the link below to learn more and register today. https://ow.ly/CnnW50YFI6e
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Push yourself to something bigger this year. There’s still time to join The Ability Experience Challenge events and show up as a champion for people of all abilities. Whether you bike, hike or run, every mile creates impact, for your community and for you. Check the link below to learn more and get started! https://ow.ly/sxOP50YFS4p
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Introducing your 2026 March Mayhem Champions: Alpha Phi (Illinois Tech). After a strong finish, Alpha Phi took the title, raising $291.50 per man to secure the win. Across the tournament, chapters raised a total of $144,662.37 in support of The Ability Experience and people with disabilities nationwide. Every round helped create more access and opportunities for the communities we serve. Thank you!
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The Ability Experience reposted this
A year ago, I faced a tough choice for my Sophomore summer. I was told a professional internship was a necessity for my future, but another opportunity was stuck on my mind: The Journey of Hope, a 67-day, 4000-mile cross-country bike trip supporting people with disabilities. I realized that if I passed this up for a traditional summer, I’d spend my life wondering "what if." It was a chance to push my limits while serving a greater purpose. So, I took the leap. Staring down our starting point at the Golden Gate Bridge, the road ahead was daunting. We faced the isolation of the "Loneliest Road in America," grueling climbs over the Rockies, and exhausting 100-mile days baking in the summer heat. Whenever morale dipped and the physical toll felt like too much, I reminded myself why we were riding: for individuals navigating a world not built for them, who face unimaginable hardships without losing their spirit. To keep our team moving, I focused on that "why." Whether it was sharing our last water on a scorching afternoon, shouting encouragement on steep climbs, or telling terrible riddles to distract us, I witnessed the sheer power of a team pushing each other to be their best. This was cemented during a friendship visit at Rocky Mountain Village in Colorado. In a crowded lunchroom, I sat next to Matt. He was in a wheelchair with limited mobility, and his disability made speech incredibly difficult. We stepped away to go fishing in the lush mountains, and as we waited for a bite, I learned how similar we really were. Matt shared his love for the outdoors, fishing, and college basketball. He told me he had planned to study law at Duke before suffering a severe aneurysm at 15. Because of his speech, people often incorrectly assumed he had a cognitive disability and didn't give him a chance. Hearing this struck me deeply. To many, his situation would seem impossibly unfair, yet there he was, smiling, laughing, and cracking jokes the entire afternoon. Matt's outlook redefined the rest of the journey. At the end of our trip in D.C., I was humbled when my teammates voted for me to receive the Bruce Rogers Award for leadership and teamwork. But the plaque wasn't the real reward. The true reward was Matt's perspective. He showed me that resilience isn't about physical dominance or pedaling the fastest -- it’s about how you face the unimaginable. It’s about pushing forward, keeping a smile, and supporting those around you when the road gets heavy. We didn't cross the country because of athletic ability; we succeeded because we carried each other on our hardest days, inspired by the people we rode for. Now, whenever I face a challenge that feels impossible, I think of Matt. I will carry his perseverance and the power of a unified team into every problem I solve. As you decide on your summer plans, don't count out the "nontraditional" opportunities. You never know what you might learn. The Ability Experience #JourneyOfHope #ODH
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The only thing better than a top 10 is a top 20! Here are our current top 20 fundraising chapters. From coast to coast, these men are putting in the work to champion The Ability Experience, leading call-a-thons, bike-a-thons and other impactful philanthropy events that move our mission forward. And they did not do it alone. The women who stood alongside them played a major role in that success, so we are also recognizing the top 10 sororities helping elevate these efforts! Keep showing up, keep fundraising and keep pushing the mission forward. Your chapter could be next on the board.
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That's a wrap on Gate River Run 2026! 🐊 More than 70 athletes took on the 5K and 15K, including 30+ athletes with disabilities, pushing limits with purpose. Together, this group raised over $20,000 in support of The Ability Experience. To everyone who showed up, stepped up and gave it their all in the 15K charity run, thank you. Thank you for pursuing something greater than yourself. Ready for the next challenge? Click the link below! https://lnkd.in/gE65pVAP
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