When most of us think of people with disabilities, we often think of children who may need extra help in school, one-on-one therapy, or extra help at home. The majority of us don’t think about the later years of their lives and what happens after they age out of the traditional school system and related resources.
There are currently 177 provider companies in Utah that work with nearly 6,200 people over the age of 18 who are still in need of additional support. These providers work closely with the disabled client and their family to help them access the necessary resources such as SSI, Medicaid, housing assistance, and staffing. Unfortunately, even with all of these additional resources in place, individuals can still fall short of having sufficient help. With 3,911 people in Utah on the waiting list to receive services, this challenge doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. This is where the Abby Lou Foundation comes in. The foundation’s mission aims to advocate for those who can’t fully advocate for themselves. They work alongside families, clients, and the community to ensure that these individuals receive the highest quality of care possible.
Filling a Need
The Abby Lou Foundation was founded in 2016 after Jeremy Creager and his wife, Lisa, saw a need for additional support for individuals like their daughter Abby Lou, who was born with Down syndrome.
“We became frustrated and worried that our strong and independent-minded daughter Abby was going to be stuck with programs that would never meet her needs,” Jeremy explains on abbylou.org.
While each client’s needs are unique, one of the most common services the foundation provides is legal funding assistance. From time to time, these individuals find themselves in complex legal situations with no means to afford the representation they need. The Abby Lou Foundation fundraises to support those needs.
As with most adults, at some point in their lives, disabled people need to make a change in their living situation. With that comes its own set of obstacles. During these transitions, there can be a gap of 6 months or longer with many of the resources they rely on, such as social security. The Abby Lou Foundation offers grants and zero interest loans to help bridge this financial gap for those in need.
Rising to the Challenge
Few understand these inherent challenges like foundation president Devon Millington.
“I’ve worked in the disability care world for over 10 years now, and there is a huge need for changing the way care is delivered. Even those receiving care in the industry are getting sub-par services,” he explains. “The Abby Lou Foundation helps bridge gaps in the industry by educating families and disabled individuals, funding medical needs, filling social security assistance gaps, and providing legal assistance to this demographic.”
Millington has never been one to shy away from a challenge. “If you want to be great, you’ve got to do great things,” he says. “The only way to do great things is to pick the loftiest, most ambitious challenges and opportunities your life places in front of you and face them head on.”
Boxing for a Cause
For the last eight weeks, Millington has been working tirelessly to hone his boxing skills, improve his overall conditioning, and be as ready as he can for April 22nd. That night, he’ll step in the boxing ring to compete against his opponent, former Golden Gloves champion and Legends Boxing founder Andrew Scott. This annual Executive Fight Night event has been held six years in a row, with hundreds of eager fans coming back each year to see the action.
This high-energy, fun-filled night has provided an incredible platform for the Abby Lou Foundation to educate the public on the ever-growing need for additional resources, as well as an opportunity to raise additional funds that they rely on in order to serve their clientele.
Thanks to a generous donor, all donations up to $5,000 will be matched dollar for dollar. This will allow their organization to continue to help more and more clients get the quality care they deserve in order to live the most independent life possible.
“It’s going to be the best worst night ever,” Devon Millington jokes. “I’m never one to say no to an amazing opportunity. It’s going to be an uphill battle, but I’m just trying to live life to the fullest.”
To learn more about the Abby Lou Foundation and their mission, please visit their website at abbylou.org. You can also text AbbyLou to 91999 to learn about current opportunities to give back.
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