08/07/2025
At this year’s National Down Syndrome Congress Convention, ABLE NRC Director Jody Ellis joined Rachel Mast and hundreds of attendees to explore how ABLE accounts empower people with Down syndrome to plan, save and thrive on their own terms.
During the session, “Why ABLE? Why Not!”, participants learned how ABLE accounts:
1. Open doors to new opportunities
2. Create greater independence
3. Promote financial and community inclusion
4. Support financial empowerment
5. Align with supported decision-making
6. Help account owners reach goals while protecting public benefits
We also featured the Texas ABLE program, shared Rachel’s personal ABLE story, and debunked common myths through a fun and informative role-play.
The 2025 NDSC Convention theme, “Celebrating All,” reminds us why this work matters: every person deserves tools and choices that support lifelong empowerment. Thank you to the NDSC community for the warm welcome and meaningful conversations. We’re already looking forward to next year!
Image description: Four images from the convention. In the first image, three women are smiling in front of a purple Texas ABLE backdrop. One of the women in the center is wearing a crown and a sash that reads “Texas Miss Amazing Sr. Miss 2024.” The women on either side are wearing event badges and lanyards from the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) Convention.
In the second image, Jody Ellis, Director of the ABLE National Resource Center, stands beside Rachel Mast, an ABLE account owner and advocate. Behind them is a large presentation slide that reads: “Texas ABLE,” “ABLE National Resource Center,” and “Why ABLE? Why Not?! National Down Syndrome Congress Convention, July 2025.”
In the third image, Rachel Mast stands in front of a slide that says, “I Love My Life: Advocacy, Meaningful Employment, and ABLE,” alongside a large photo of her walking on stage in a blue dress. Rachel is smiling and making a heart with her hands. Jody Ellis stands next to her at the podium, smiling.
The fourth image shows Jody Ellis smiling and pointing toward a large light-up display of the letters and numbers “NDSC 2025,” surrounded by festive red, yellow, teal, and silver balloons. She is wearing her convention badge and a patterned outfit.
