Community Involvement

The disABILITY Resource Center collaborates and partners with numerous community, state and national agencies, organizations, businesses and government entities to educate, bring awareness and promote inclusion and social change for people with disabilities.

Community Collaborations provide a more encompassing support system that provides further assistance for individuals with disabilities to achieve their life’s goals and dreams. We provide clients with information and referral services which provides them with a list of community resources to obtain further services and assistance in taking steps to achieve their goals. We also assist them in networking to locate and receive services from other agencies, introduce them to other individuals who have walked their path for mentoring and peer support purposes, plus develop and maintain relationships with employers, educators, government officials, etc to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to experience equal access and inclusion with in their own communities.

dRC collaborates with, serves on and partners with the Knox County ADA Advisory Committee, Knoxville’s Mayor’s Council On Disability Issues (CODI), Knox Area Transit Community Advisory Council, Knox Area Employment Consortium (KAEC), Knoxville Community Development Corporation (KCDC), Disability Rights TN, TN Disability Coalition, etc for local, state and national advocacy issues such as access, transportation, employment, housing, education, health care, recreation, etc.

dRC designed and built the Ashley Nicole Dream Playground located at 620 Winona St Knoxville, TN 37917, which opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2005. This accessible playground was designed for all children to grow and play together in an accepting and inclusive environment where “all” kids can develop positive friendships and learn kindness toward one another.
dRC designed and built the Ashley Nicole Dream Playground located at 620 Winona St Knoxville, TN 37917, which opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2005. This accessible playground was designed for all children to grow and play together in an accepting and inclusive environment where “all” kids can develop positive friendships and learn kindness toward one another.
dRC designed and built the Ashley Nicole Dream Playground located at 620 Winona St Knoxville, TN 37917, which opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2005. This accessible playground was designed for all children to grow and play together in an accepting and inclusive environment where “all” kids can develop positive friendships and learn kindness toward one another.

Since 2016 dRC has hosted the annual Be A Friend Festival (BFF), a free, community-wide anti-bullying event promoting positive friendships among youth no matter their ethnicity, disability, religion, race, culture, economic status, gender, etc. numerous community service providing agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals came together to provide booths with kid-friendly activities that bring positive education and awareness about the diverse minority group they represent.

dRC participates in and supports community events such as the parent/student informational tabling events hosted by the Next Steps program through Knox County Schools, the annual KEAC Employment Breakfast, community job fairs, Community Shares events, plus local, state and national conferences with the State Independent Living Council (SILC), the Association of Rural Independent Living (APRIL), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), etc

dRC collaborates with the University of Tennessee by providing disability Etiquette and Awareness and ADA/Service Animal Trainings to students attending the colleges of Nursing, Architecture, and Law. We also partner with UT through their Imagine TN Project to develop a Youth Advocacy Legislative Group and other dRC special events and programs.

“There is nothing I have accomplished without reaching out to empower others”. – Justin Dart