Achieve Tahoe provides year-round outdoor recreation activities for people with disabilities

Achieve Tahoe (A.T.) is a nonprofit organization that builds health, confidence, and independence through recreational sports for children and adults with disabilities. Each year, A.T. serves more than 600 participants through one-on-one instruction in snowsports, waterskiing, paddle sports, and more. With highly trained instructors and specialized adaptive equipment, A.T. is able to support nearly anyone, regardless of disability. Participants and their families often share that the impact goes far beyond sports—building confidence to try new activities, becoming more social, and breaking down perceived barriers by discovering they can do things they never thought possible.

For those who don’t know, Jody has a condition called Polymicrogyria (PMG), a malformation of the brain that causes low muscle tone throughout his body and cognitive delays. He has significant challenges with both gross and fine motor skills, is nonverbal, and has difficulty eating solid foods. When Jody was young, we never imagined skiing would be possible for him. He struggled to run and had difficulty walking long distances.

Skiing has always been a beloved part of our family’s life, so while we were hopeful, we were also skeptical when we first met the Achieve Tahoe team. They assured us that Jody could learn to ski—and they were right. Jody has now been skiing with A.T. for more than 13 years and has grown into an accomplished skier. This season alone, he skied over December break and we plan to return again in February and March. He carries his own gear, rides chairlifts and the tram, and skis the Upper Mountain at Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley). This year, thanks to Achieve Tahoe, Jody began skiing more blue runs, including Gold Coast and Shirley—a huge accomplishment for him.

With the continued support of Achieve Tahoe, we truly believe Jody can ski anything. We are endlessly grateful to the volunteer instructors and dedicated A.T. staff who have made Jody’s—and our family’s—skiing dreams a reality.

Please join me in supporting Achieve Tahoe and help provide life-changing experiences for children and adults with disabilities.