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JOURNEY OF HOPE

The Arc Community Advocates team with The Ability Experience (Journey of Hope) to provide a platform where individuals with disabilities, their families, and the broader community can come together to share experiences, celebrate diversity, and learn from one another. By raising awareness, we hope to create a more inclusive society that values the unique abilities and perspectives of every person.

SAVE THE DATE

July 27, 2024

Milham Park

4:00-6:00 PM

In 1987, one man’s dream of riding his bike across the country came true. What he did not know was the inspiration and motivation his trek across America would give to The Ability Experience. The very next year his ride inspired The Ability Experience to create the largest fraternal fundraising and awareness event of its kind, the Journey of Hope. Today the Journey of Hope covers 32 different states, cycling over 12,000 miles combined, it is solely comprised of members of Pi Kappa Phi and continues to spread a message of acceptance and understanding for people with disabilities.  

Capturing Our Mission: A Photo Story of The Arc Community Advocates

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Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity | Beta Omicron Chapter

Northwestern state university, the ability experience.

True leaders empower others — and learn through experience. As the only national fraternity to establish and maintain its own non-profit organization, we pride ourselves in taking the lead when we see a need and have set the fraternal standard for hands-on, service-based leadership training. Through The Ability Experience you are taught how to be an effective leader and work better as a team. And you learn that it really is far greater to give than receive.

Undergraduate chapters across the country have, and continue to establish, volunteer relationships with local facilities that serve people with disabilities, in conjunction with fundraising on campus and in their local communities for the programs of The Ability Experience. Members of Pi Kappa Phi have raised millions of dollars for the programs of The Ability Experience as well as donated millions of man hours to renovate facilities that serve people with disabilities across the country.

The history of The Ability Experience is not complete. New programs are on the horizon, there are more funds to be raised and there are millions of Americans to reach with our mission — and the message of how members of Pi Kappa Phi are bringing that mission to life every day.

For additional information about The Ability Experience and its programs, visit http://www.AbilityExperience.org

THE ABILITY EXPERIENCE CORE VALUES:

Through programs of all kinds, participants display The Ability Experience’s four core values (abilities, teamwork, empathy and integrity) while serving others. Although the funds raised are invaluable, just as important is an increased awareness of the amazing things people with disabilities can do, as opposed to focusing on what they can’t.

Since 1988, over 1,500 men have participated in Journey of Hope, Gear Up Florida and Build America. Each year, those events combined raise over $600,000.

ABILITIES The Ability Experience believes in the abilities of all people. It is our goal to demonstrate to others the importance of seeing a person and their abilities before their disability.

TEAMWORK The Ability Experience recognizes that together, everyone achieves more. All programs of The Ability Experience are team-oriented and the impact can be seen, not only in the people we support, but also in the leaders we continue to develop.

EMPATHY The Ability Experience encourages empathy, rather than sympathy. We teach individuals to engage in conversation with people with disabilities just as they would with a friend. People with disabilities want to be treated just like everyone else and are not looking for people to feel sorry for them.

INTEGRITY The Ability Experience has a mission and realizes it is through honesty and responsibility of our work that we will continue to advance that mission. Our integrity and passion to our mission is what continually supports the development of leadership in the members of Pi Kappa Phi and improvements in the lives of people with disabilities.

THE ABILITY EXPERIENCE FOCUS AREAS:

To date, The Ability Experience has raised over $15 million to benefit people with disabilities and organizations dedicated to their service.

VOLUNTEERISM The spirit of The Ability Experience is carried on by volunteer relationships between chapters of Pi Kappa Phi and community organizations that help enhance the lives of people with disabilities. Establishing this relationship is a great way for chapters to give back to their community, learn more about the abilities of people with disabilities, and introduce new people to what Pi Kappa Phi is doing through The Ability Experience. Volunteer relationship activities include anything from bowling, holiday parties, lending a hand to fix things around their facilities, volunteering twice a month or more, or even being part of a buddy program with someone with a disability. The possibilities are endless and both the chapter members and people with disabilities always benefit from the experience.

DISABILITY AWARENESS Disability awareness is accomplished by chapters of Pi Kappa Phi through numerous empathy training events and by educating the public. By promoting an understanding of another person’s situation, feelings, thoughts and attitudes, The Ability Experience’s empathy training exercises simulate what it may be like to live with a disability. Individuals gain firsthand experience and a better perspective on some of the challenges that people with disabilities face in their lives every day. People with disabilities often have to do things a little differently, but they have jobs, play sports and join fraternities just like everyone else.

FUNDRAISING Pi Kappa Phi remains the only Greek organization to have developed and maintain its own national philanthropy. Creative fundraising events like bike-a-thons, scaffold sits and pageants have helped the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi collectively fundraise over $15 million in support of The Ability Experience’s programs. These funds are distributed across the country to benefit people with disabilities and provide more service opportunities for the men of Pi Kappa Phi. Undergraduate chapters continuously support The Ability Experience and are excellent advocates in spreading a message of acceptance and understanding for people with disabilities.

NATIONAL PROGRAMS

The Ability Experience directly impacts the lives of people with disabilities. Click the link above to learn more.

LOCAL PROJECTS

The Ability Experience can be found working here in Natchitoches. Click the link above to learn more.

MAKE A GIFT TO THE ABILITY EXPERIENCE

A secure online way to support the service projects of The Ability Experience. Click the link above to learn more.

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'journey of hope': cyclists raising awareness from coast to coast.

The group of cyclists cover about 70 miles per day

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Dozens of cyclists biking across the United States in a “Journey of Hope” stopped in Omaha today.

They’re raising awareness for those living with disabilities at every stop.

The Ability Experience is putting on the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity initiative.

After starting the journey in San Francisco, they’ll eventually finish in Washington D.C.

The group of cyclists covers about 70 miles per day.

One cyclist says this “journey of hope” is personal to him.

"I actually have a cousin that has disabilities. And seeing all that he goes through each day, he motivates me, and he's a hero to me. That's why I want to give back to people like him in the best way possible, and I feel like this is a great way to do so,” Cole Bright said.

Their stop in Omaha marks the halfway point in their trip, with 30 more days until they reach Washington, D.C.

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