In our lives, it’s generally acknowledged that we have various circles of support. The first and closest circle is often family, then close friends, and the third might be teachers or acquaintances. The most distant are usually considered the support people you pay for, such as therapists and caregivers.

“I learned that for people with disabilities, their circles are often their families plus the people they pay for,” said Aidan Connolly, a senior at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY.  “That really struck me, and I realized that sometimes just reaching out to someone can mean the world to that person.”

This past summer, Aidan joined 20 other members of his fraternity, Pi Kappa Thi, on a 3,725 mile bike ride across the country with Journey of Hope: The Ability Experience, an organization founded to spread disability awareness and bring joy to those in the disabled community.  The group stopped at a different facility on each day of the 63-day trip, interacting with children and adults, those with disabilities ranging from spina bifida to cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities to brain damage.

“We’d have dance parties, play wheelchair softball, have water fights, or paint. And we’d always have conversation,” says Aidan. “At the end of the day, we’ve all been affected by the pandemic, but the disabled community even more so. We talked about mental health challenges and shared our stories. I know that last year I struggled with social isolation and I wasn’t really taking care of myself. Since then I’ve tried to be an advocate, and it’s been my drive to emphasize the need for self-care and for doing the things that bring comfort and relieve anxiety.”

The group raised a half-million dollars, largely from corporate sponsors, to assist those with disabilities. The grant Aidan received from My Friend Abby was put toward that total.

“Sometimes, having a person reach out to you can mean the world to someone,” says Aidan. “Knowing that has made me committed to reaching out and using my voice whenever I can.”