I founded National Disability Institute (NDI) with the purpose of not only raising awareness about the significant prevalence of poverty among individuals with disabilities in America, but to also better understand the systemic causes of this epidemic and to begin to offer, and assist in, the implementation of solutions aimed at addressing it. More than 10 years later, NDI stands as the country’s only national disability-related advocacy organization with the sole mission to increase economic mobility and financial self-sufficiency among all Americans with disabilities and their families.
In pursuit of our mission and understanding the vast significance of allowing individuals with disabilities the opportunity to save for their futures, NDI has worked diligently to support the passage, and implementation, of the Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. For far too long millions of individuals with disabilities and their families have been relegated to a life of poverty as a result of not being allowed to build even the most modest levels of resources. Individuals receiving supports through Social Security, Medicaid and other publicly-funded programs are often disqualified from those supports if they have more than $2,000 worth of resources or assets.
Now, as a result of programs such as Nebraska’s Enable Savings Plan, individuals with disabilities and their families can take steps to better secure their financial futures, while not living in fear of jeopardizing the supports that allow them to live independent, productive lives in their communities.
NDI extends a very sincere congratulations to Nebraska for being one of the country’s first programs to offer what amounts to a down payment on economic freedom for so many individuals with disabilities and their families across America.
For more information related to the vast benefits of opening an ABLE account, please visit the ABLE National Resource Center, sponsored in part by First National Bank of Omaha.
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