Ability Tree

Contact Information

2350 E Tahlequah St (P.O. Box 7168), Siloam Springs, AR 72761

855-288-6735

Organization Information

Mission:

Ability Tree comes alongside families impacted by disability to provide recreation, education, support, and training (R.E.S.T.).

About:

Ability Tree was founded in 2010 by missionaries, Joe and Jen Butler, who made it their mission to come alongside families impacted by disability to provide R.E.S.T.

When Joe and Jen's son, Micah, was diagnosed with multiple disabilities, they realized the overwhelming need for support of families who are impacted by disability. Driven to make community possible and make Jesus accessible across the U.S., Ability Tree was planted. In 2023, we branched out further by launching Ability Tree Treasure Coast in Florida and by equipping more churches nationally through the National Consulting Branch.  

We now have  4 Community Branches dedicated to "making community possible" for families impacted by disability, and a consulting branch that equips churches nationally to help "make Jesus accessible" to families in their local communities.

Services:

We provide services for children, teens, and young adults of all abilities. For children with disabilities, we provide daily after-school programs and weekly Parents Night Out events (respite) to give parents/caregivers a few hours off, as well as inclusive sports leagues, art programs, summer activities, and a variety of community events for families. All families with children with disabilities must apply to be a member of Ability Tree before attending programming. 

For young adults, we have a program called  Connections University (CU). The purpose of CU is to connect adults (18+) with disabilities to God, to their community, and to each other. Students will engage in classes at Ability Tree, and participate in activities on the campus of John Brown University. CU takes place Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM during the school year. The curriculum includes social and life skills, faith and character development, as well as involvement in Special Olympics, community outings and service projects.  

For families of children of all abilities, we offer Open Play during the day throughout the week  in our one-of-a-kind 16,000 square-foot R.E.S.T. Center that includes multi-sensory bubble tubes, interactive panels, 7-foot rock climbing wall with monkey bars, indoor and outdoor swings (including a wheelchair platform swing) and dozens of other interactive specialized equipment. Families can pay by the hour or buy a monthly membership.

For questions about membership, please email [email protected]

Volunteer Opportunities:

We are a volunteer-driven organization. Fulfilling our mission involves people who are compassionate and willing to give of their time and serve on a team. All of our volunteers go through a thorough background check and receive training, so you don't have to be an expert in the disability field, you just have to have a heart to serve and a good attitude.

Our most needed times for volunteers are during our After School program (M-Th 3:15-5:45pm) and Parent's Night Out (Fri 5:00-8:45pm). In addition, our Connections University program (M-F 9:00am-3:00pm) has volunteer opportunities at our R.E.S.T. Center, JBU campus, and in our community. We also have volunteer opportunities to help with various other programs, administrative work, and maintenance.To learn more about our volunteer opportunities and to submit a volunteer application, go to: https://www.abilitytreearkansas.org/volunteer

Visit our website to learn more!

Ability Tree Website