NubAbility Wins Gold Anthem Accessibility Award
The Du Quoin nonprofit received the Gold Anthem Award for Accessibility & Disability Inclusion and the Community Voice Award.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Special Needs
NubAbility, a Du Quoin nonprofit, received the Gold Anthem Award for Accessibility & Disability Inclusion and the Community Voice Award. The Gold Anthem Award drew 2,500 applicants from 43 countries.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights a program that helps limb-different children learn sports and stay active through year-round camps led by coaches with similar disabilities. For families in Illinois, it points to an available option for adaptive youth athletics.
NubAbility's Gold Anthem Award came from a pool of 2,500 applicants across 43 countries. Camp attendance was 156 in the most recent year, compared with 189 in 2019 before COVID, and the organization is aiming for about 200 campers this year.
The players
NubAbility
A nonprofit based in Du Quoin, Illinois, that has operated for 15 years to help limb-different children learn sports through year-round camps and a guaranteed scholarship program.
The details
NubAbility hosts camp all year long to help limb-different kids learn sports and get active. Its coaches have the same disabilities as the children they coach, and most have competed at the high school or college level, including many former collegiate athletes.
Timeline
2019: Camp attendance reached 189 just before COVID.
Past year: Camp attendance climbed to 156.
This year: NubAbility aims for about 200 campers.
Culture Shift
Adaptive youth sports programs are increasingly built around coaches who share their students' disabilities rather than only offering general coaching with accommodations. NubAbility's model of camp coaches who are former collegiate athletes with limb differences reflects that shift toward peer-based representation.
Families of limb-different children in Illinois can look into NubAbility's year-round camps and its scholarship program, which the organization says is guaranteed for all applicants. Parents can use the camp as a way to introduce their children to organized sports with coaches who have similar experiences.
The takeaway
Programs that pair children with coaches who share their disability can offer both athletic training and a sense of belonging. Families seeking adaptive sports options can start by contacting organizations that offer scholarships and year-round participation.
Further reading
Explore more Special Needs coverage from across Illinois.
More information
Apply for camp or the scholarship program through the NubAbility camp and scholarship application.
