EnAble of Georgia, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to enabling individuals with developmental disabilities to live full and independent lives in the community, was recognized June 4 by Roswell Mayor Jere Wood for significant contributions to the Roswell community.

In an official proclamation, the mayor specifically cited EnAble for the vision of the organization’s founders thirty years ago when they recognized a need for residential and support services for their adult children with developmental disabilities. These same founders, represented at the ceremony today by founding parent Ginny Riley, went on to establish two group homes in Roswell serving 10 adults with disabilities.

Today EnAble has twenty residences across the metro Atlanta community and provides residential and community living support services for over one hundred individuals. In addition to housing, these support services include job training and coaching, transportation, recreation and community involvement.

Cec Camp, Executive Director of EnAble, recognized and thanked Mayor Wood for his leadership in fostering a vibrant spirit of inclusion in the city of Roswell. “Mayor Wood has been a supporter of people with disabilities for many, many years,” she said. “In fact, long before he was mayor, Jere Wood and his wife Judie Raiford hosted Ginny Riley and some other parents at their home to discuss how best to secure citizen support of the group homes the parents were seeking to establish.”

 “Even then,” Camp added, “Jere Wood understood the importance of diversity and inclusion in the community.”

Mark Sullivan, Finance Director of EnAble, shared with Mayor Wood that individuals served by EnAble collectively spend over $100,000 annually in groceries, gasoline, and other goods and services in Roswell. 

Mayor Wood was supportive of a concept put forth by EnAble leadership to establish a “buddy” program in Roswell that will provide an organized way for students and senior citizens to interact with people with developmental disabilities. The new, as yet unnamed program, will engage students in middle and high school as well as seniors living in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The goal of the program is to provide all participants an opportunity for establishing new friendships that will foster and further affirmation of who they are.

Mathew McWhorter, a resident and Board member of EnAble, is excited about the prospects of the buddy program. “I’ve visited people in nursing homes before and sometimes we play bingo,” he said. “We always have a good time.”

Kylie Moore, a student at Reinhardt College, is an intern with EnAble and is also a member of Roswell’s Disability Grievance Council. She suggested that part of the buddy program should be connecting with the student clubs, such as the Key Club, in area high schools.   

According to Camp, the leadership of EnAble will be reaching out to leaders across the Roswell community to get input on the structure for an effective “buddy” program. Anyone interested in learning more about how to participate in such a program should contact EnAble board member Vicki Gordon at vicki.gordon@collinsgordongroup.com

To learn more about EnAble of Georgia, visit the organization’s website at www.enablega.org.