About the Foundation

MISSION: The IM ABLE Foundation enriches lives through raising awareness about physical fitness possibilities for disabled people and encouraging and enabling disabled children to be more active.
The IM ABLE Foundation was created to build on the active lifestyles that founder, Chris Kaag, promotes individuals with disabilities. Kaag, a disabled United States Marine, focuses his efforts on activities and events that benefit both the disabled and able bodied communities.
The IM ABLE Foundation demonstrates to individuals with physical disabilities that there are ways to begin and maintain an active lifestyle.
In 2007, Chris created the IM ABLE Foundation and initially began fundraising efforts to purchase age-specific handcycles and to provide additional financial resources to families with disabled children interested in handcycles.
Our goal is to help individuals find the physical fitness modality that meets their needs. In particular IM ABLE focuses on handcycles, racing chairs, and adaptive skis.
With today’s technology, such as with the handcycles, it is possible for anyone who has a disability to increase their fitness level. Staying active benefits not only the body but also the mind, and the IM ABLE Foundation endeavors to help disabled individuals achieve the goal of physical and mental well being.

MESSAGE FROM CHRIS:
In 1997, I was an active twenty-one-year-old U.S. Marine when I was presented with the “defining moment” of my life. I was diagnosed with AMN (adrenomyeloneuropathy), a degenerative nerve condition that would eventually affect my ability to walk. After my diagnosis, I had a decision to make: I could give up and let my condition control my life or I could dig deep and push on. I chose the latter, and through my choice to view my disability as a personal stepping-stone and not as a crutch, I hope to motivate others, both disabled and able-bodied, to redefine the way they view their own personal challenges. We all have obstacles, but it is up to the individual to take that next step and push on. The goal of the IMABLE Foundation is to help all individuals, disabled and able-bodied, realize the potential to go further and push harder than their preconceived limits, because once this potential is realized, the possibilities are endless.
Dig deep and you can accomplish anything.

Supporters of the IM ABLE Foundation