Houston, We're Back!

We can't wait to show you all of products, technologies and resources to help you up your game! Buckle up for a slew of adaptive sports, fun dance opportunities, cosplay, info-packed workshops and more. It's all free so join us and register today.

All About Service Dogs

Presented by: Kristin Hartness, Canines for Disabled Kids

Discover how service dogs are meeting the needs of people with many different disabilities. Find out the many ways service dogs can help achieve independence in people's lives—from picking up a cell phone to providing physical stability, even counting money! Service dogs are available for many different types of disability, including vision and hearing loss, mobility, autism and seizure/allergy alert. Learn about funding support, the process to acquire a dog and what to expect from your service dog provider organization.

Must-see so register today!

WOW Wheelchair Fitness Class

Presented by: Presented by: Justin Graham, Certified Personal Trainer, Creator, W.O.W. Wonders on Wheels

Ready to have a lot of fun and work out at the same time? Come experience a WOW Wheelchair Fitness Class! The class features movements for seated students and is taught by a seated instructor. Featuring elements of weight training, Zumba, and pom-pom dance. Standing participants are also welcome!

Are you registered?

Adaptive Pickleball

Presented by: Houston Parks and Recreation / Adaptive Sports and Recreation Department

Pickleball is a fun sport that is gaining popularity among people of all ages. Players use a paddle and wiffle ball plus a sport chair if needed. The game combines elements of ping pong, tennis, and badminton. Come try pickleball for yourself and see if this could be your new adaptive sport!

Adaptive Soccer

Presented by: Lonestar Adaptive Soccer

Adaptive soccer offers the opportunity for athletes of all ages and with a variety of limb differences to play soccer in both recreational and competitive settings. Come learn about this sport, watch a demonstration, see the equipment, and even try it for yourself!

Adaptive Tabata Fitness

Presented by: Houston Parks and Recreation / Adaptive Sports and Recreation Department

Tabata Fitness is a type of HIIT—High Intensity Interval Training—fitness that is a lot of fun and delivers a full body workout! It's a great way to build your strength and endurance and classes don't need to be long. Come check out the fun equipment used for Tabata Fitness and enjoy a high energy class with others!

Low Impact Combo Adaptive Fitness Class

Presented by: L'Orne J. Lazaro, Healthy Living Program Manager, and Neylane Coelho, Personal Training Lead, Katy YMCA

Experience adaptive fitness! The Staying Driven Fitness program developed by Steph Roach is unique in the way it caters to the specific needs of the adaptive and aging population. This program merges top-notch coaching with a supportive community to help everyday people achieve greater fitness potential. This educational, interactive experience is available to the public regardless of age, location, abilities, or skill level.

Sitting Volleyball

Presented by: Houston Adapted Sports Club

Discover the sport of sitting volleyball! Sitting Volleyball is a discipline of volleyball where athletes play in a seated position. Anyone can play the sport recreationally! For those who are more competitive, this is a Paralympic sport. Come see the sport played and learn the fundamentals - including bump, set, and spike. The best thing is that you'll get to participate and give this sport a try!

Tennis for Everyone!

Presented by: USTA Texas Adaptive/Wheelchair Tennis and Jeff Bourns, American Amputee Tennis Player

Come discover how tennis allows opportunities for anyone to play and enjoy the sport! Join us to try both wheelchair and adapted tennis. Meet Jeff Bourns, who helped popularize and pioneer the growth and development of organized Adaptive Standing Tennis. Find out how you can play tennis in your area. All ages and abilities are welcome!

Wheelchair Frncing

Presented by: Liz Mayerich, Daniel Gorman, and Hayley Gillen of Houston Sword Sports

Discover the fast-paced sport of wheelchair fencing! To play this version of sword fighting, the competitors sit in wheelchairs anchored to the ground and use their weapons to attack and defend. Come learn more about the three different weapons used as well as the different targets, rules and styles. Then you'll get a chance to suit up and try fencing with one of our coaches.

Wheelchair Lacrosse

Presented by: Louis Nicolosi, Houston Apollos Wheelchair Lacrosse coach and the Houston Adapted Sports Club

Lacrosse is a fast-paced, full contact sport utilizing numerous skills to catch, carry, pass, and shoot a ball into a goal using a lacrosse stick. It is a great off-season companion sport to basketball with the season running between the months of May to August. Wheelchair lacrosse offers the complete package—the speed of basketball, the skill of hockey, and the toughness of rugby. Come out and learn about this exciting sport and try it for yourself!

Wheelchair Soccer

Presented by: Houston Parks and Recreation / Adaptive Sports and Recreation Department

Wheelchair soccer—known as "wheelchair football" outside of the USA—is a fun, exciting adaptive version of the international sport of the same name. Enjoy a demo, ask questions, try the sport for yourself, and find out where you can play this sport in the Houston region!

WOW Wheelchair Fitness Class

Presented by: Justin Graham, Certified Personal Trainer, Creator, W.O.W. Wonders on Wheels

Ready to have a lot of fun and work out at the same time? Come experience a WOW Wheelchair Fitness Class! The class features movements for seated students and is taught by a seated instructor; however, standing participants are also welcome. Featuring elements of weight training, Zumba, and pom-pom dance.

Registered yet?

Explore how assistive technology can help you or your loved ones bridge the gap between ability and disability! See and try a selection of assistive technology, with options for all disabilities. TTAP staff are available to offer suggestions and share their extensive knowledge. To help you find the most appropriate technology for your abilities and needs. TTAP develops programs to improve access, advocacy, and awareness of Assistive Technology to meet the needs of Texans with disabilities.

Learn more.

We'll see you there!

Achievement Through The Arts challenges perceptions of how people contribute by creating an arts-inspired, inclusive community of individuals with diverse abilities. They are an expert resource on inclusive arts—creating and maintaining an accessible and open community where everyone can participate. Their goal is to provide support and training to the public, enhance personal growth, and offer Texans access to the creative work of people with diverse abilities.

Artists' Alley, Patient Housing Assistance

Founded in 2019, Patient Housing Assistance (PHA) is a Houston based 501c3 organization dedicated in providing financial assistance to patients traveling to the Texas Medical Center. After identifying the need for housing assistance and personally interacting with families who could not afford the cost of housing along with treatment, PHA was formed. Many of these patients chose to forgo much needed, and in some cases life-saving, treatment due to financial constraints. Patient Housing Assistance was created to help offset housing expenses, so patients can focus on their cure and not the pressure of housing costs.

Doddman Gallery

Brian Dodd of Doddman Gallery is an autistic adult who has always loved drawing creatures of his imagination. Brian was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, autism, in October 1992. He attended pre-school at the Westview School and was ultimately mainstreamed into HISD. Brian graduated Lamar High School in 2008. Encouraged by his friends, Jay and Sherry Chatfield, who owned the Copper Cactus in Ingram, Texas, Brian began to put the ideas from years of his drawings of the creatures of his imagination on canvas in 2009. His works are primarily acrylic on canvas where he shares his sense of humor in the names he gives to his creations.

Geronimo Morales – Jewelry and Painting

You'll find gems by GMO Jewelry of all kinds made with different textiles and materials. The wide variety of beautiful, eclectic earrings, bracelets and rings are favorites among Texas locals. But Geronino Morales' talent does not end there! He will also have gorgeous small paintings on canvas painted with acrylic and texture for you to appreciate. They also make great gifts!

Lillian Walker – PolkadotPhantom

I'm here, I'm queer, my chronic pain is moderate too severe.

My name is Lilli and I run PolkadotPhantom. I started with just a few sticker designs in 2020 and have grown to over 20 designs and so many more products to keep the humor alive while being disabled.

My designs express an unapologetic attitude about being disabled and the symptoms and daily struggles that come with it.

I am excited to be selling in person for the first time at the Abilities Expo and meet more people from my community in person.

My name is Lilli and I run PolkadotPhantom.

Magio Madjerec

Magio Madjerec Is the creator of Epic Wars Confrontation (EWC), the fun living card game (LCG) for 2 to 6 players. Each deck comes with its own Hero, cards, life dial and battle die. Players fight each other until only person is left standing.

Whimsy Word Search

Claire Theriot Mestepey is the creator of Whimsy Word Search, with over 80 coloring books on Amazon. What gives her story of a strong woman trying to build a business while raising a happy family a twist is that she has a severe physical disability.

In 2020, Claire finished her first full-length novel, Pillars. The Modern Romance Fantasy novel is about living with a disability, magic, and true love. The second novel in this series, Realms, was released in May 2023. She hopes to have enough fans to be able to continue the story. For more information about Claire and her books, please visit www.whimsywordsearch.com.

Younique Abilities – Apparel, Jewelry and More

Younique Abilities is a small business selling Autism Awareness merchandise which is handmade with love by individuals with unique Abilities vs disabilities. We cannot wait to see you at the Abilities Expo in Houston, Texas.

On day, we hope and dream to open a storefront and hire individuals with unique abilities and let them spread their wings and fly.

Register Today

Get Directions to the Expo from any Location

For map of NRG Center (Formerly Reliant Center), click here.

View Larger Map 

Directions From the North:

• Take I-45 (south) or Hwy. 59 (south) to Hwy. 288 (south)
• Take Hwy. 288 (south) to 610 Loop (west)
• Take 610 (west) to Fannin or South Main exit
• Exit and turn right on Fannin or South Main
• From Fannin turn left on Naomi or Holly Hall
• From South Main turn right on McNee
• Enter main gate at Reliant Center

Directions From the South:

• Take I-45 (north) or Hwy. 288 (north) to 610 (west) to Fannin or South Main exit
• Exit and turn right on Fannin or South Main
• From Fannin turn left on Naomi or Holly Hall
• From South Main turn right on McNee
• Enter main gate at Reliant Center

Directions From the East:

• Take I-10 (west) to 610 (south)
• Take 610 (south) to Fannin or South Main exit
• Exit and turn right on Fannin or South Main
• From Fannin turn left on Naomi or Holly Hall
• From South Main turn right on McNee
• Enter main gate at Reliant Center

Directions From the West:

• Take I-10 (east) to 610 (south)
• Take 610 (south) to South Main or Fannin exit
• Exit and turn left on South Main or Fannin
• From Fannin turn left on Naomi or Holly Hall
• From South Main turn right on McNee
• Enter main gate at Reliant Center

Parking and Drop-off

To access parking, exit Kirby Drive off of 610, enter property at Gate 10 on McNee and proceed to the Red Lot. Accessible parking is in the Red Lot, Zone 4. There will be cones and staff to help guide everyone during event days as well as to help with drop-offs and parking the ADA spots in the Red Lot (as long as you have the appropriate ADA plates/tags).

Parking is $20/entry and is subject to change. No NRG Center parking gates will accept cash.

Gate 12 will be for exhibitor access. Expo attendees should enter through Gate 3, 10 or 11. Please visit www.nrgpark.com for up-to-date information.

Map of NRG Center

Transpo to the Expo

Public Transportation Accessible travel

Free Curbside Shuttle Service between the Abilities Expo Hotels and NRG Center:

Provided by NRG Center

Complimentary accessible shuttle service will be offered by NRG Center to service Abilities Expo hotels. Each shuttle can accommodate up to 20 people and two wheelchairs. Service will run continuously one hour prior to the start of the Expo through the end of the show each day.

METRORail:

METRORail provides accessible travel for people with disabilities all over Houston as both the stations and rail cars are easily accessed. On the train, four benches with white embroidered seats with the universal logo of a person in a wheelchair clearly mark the section reserved for wheelchairs. The benches flip up so a person in a wheelchair can glide into that space and sit securely during a ride.

Please click here to plan your itinerary. METRO has a Reliant Center stop.

METRO Busses:

METRO buses have ramps or lifts and two designated wheelchair spaces on every bus. Most busses are “kneeling” buses, which means the bus can lower itself closer to street level, so a person can more easily step on-board. METRO ADA Administrator Ann Dendor recommends that people with a disability look to engage the regular service first because it is so accessible. "We are committed to a public transportation system that everyone can use. We encourage persons with disabilities to take advantage of the freedom, independence, flexibility and reliability that is provided by our accessible bus and rail network," she says. Click here for bus schedules.

METROLift:

People with a disability that prevents them from boarding, riding or disembarking from a regular fixed-route bus—event a bus equipped with a wheelchair lift or ramp—may apply to be eligible for METROLift, METRO's curb-to-curb, paratransit, shared-ride service. More than 6,000 patrons are transported by this service each day.

METROLift uses wheelchair lift- or ramp-equipped vans, four-door sedans and minivans to provide service. Persons using wheelchairs and scooters will be accommodated with lift- or ramp-equipped vans. Boarding chairs are available to assist any patron who is unable to access the van using the stairs. Please note that patrons cannot request specific vehicle types. Patrons who can walk will ride on vans and/or sedans based on which vehicle is nearest the patron at the time the trip is scheduled.

As METROLift is a shared-ride service, each vehicle makes several stops en route to its various destinations. When scheduling, patrons must remember to allow sufficient time to stop and pick up others. A minimum of one hour travel time should be allowed for your trips and two hours for longer trips traveling across the service area. If you have an appointment, it is highly recommended that you move the appointment time one hour earlier to allow for unexpected delays in service.

You may make reservations seven days a week between 5 am and 5 pm. Now, with three ways to book your trip, getting around town has never been easier.

• Reservations via phone: Call (713) 225-6716 to speak with a representative to book your trip.
• MACS: Call (713) 225-6716 then press the #1 to use the automated trip scheduling system.
• MACS-WEB: Schedule your trip online quickly and easily

Private Transportation

Uber WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle)

Phone: (713) 699-0000

Uber has brought in a number of accessible vehicles to accommodate travel to teh Expo. If you need an accessible vehicle, go to your Uber app and, when it tells you to choose a vehicle, keep swiping right until you get to WAV.

United Cab Houston

Phone: (713) 699-0000

Website: http://www.unitedcab.com/wheelchair_taxi.aspx

United Cab offers wheelchair accessible vehicles that accommodate wheelchairs and scooters up to 31" wide. Indicate your preference for a wheelchair accessible taxi when you call in and please note that these vehicles are limited in availability. Regular taxi fares apply for wheelchair accessible taxis and up to three additional passengers ride at no extra charge.

Yellow Cab Houston

Phone: (713) 236-1111

Website: https://houstonyellowcab.com/wheelchair_taxi.aspx

Please specify that you require a wheelchair accessible taxi when you place your order. Each wheelchair accessible Yellow Cab uses a fully modified lowered floor with rear-entry access and accommodates wheelchairs and scooters up to 31" wide. Regular taxi fares apply for wheelchair accessible taxis and up to three additional passengers ride at no extra charge.

Wheelchair Van Rentals

Interest in renting a wheelchair van to come to the Expo? United Access, part of the BraunAbility family, has a variety of options for you to choose from.

Register Today