Every Body Athletics

The mission of Every Body Athletics (EBA) is to make a lasting impact on the physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) through inclusive group exercise. EBA exists to combat the physical and social regression that often occurs in individuals with ID/DD when they enter adulthood. 60% of adults with ID/DD are overweight or obese, and over twice as likely as those without disabilities to have basic physical activity needs go unmet. They are far more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles, and seven times more likely to report inadequate social and emotional support. EBA addresses these needs head-on, running weekly classes involvi... read more The mission of Every Body Athletics (EBA) is to make a lasting impact on the physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) through inclusive group exercise. EBA exists to combat the physical and social regression that often occurs in individuals with ID/DD when they enter adulthood. 60% of adults with ID/DD are overweight or obese, and over twice as likely as those without disabilities to have basic physical activity needs go unmet. They are far more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles, and seven times more likely to report inadequate social and emotional support. EBA addresses these needs head-on, running weekly classes involving adaptive exercises focused on participants' ("athletes") specific fitness needs. Each of these hourlong classes also place heavy emphasis on social strengthening, as each athlete is partnered with a volunteer without disabilities ("teammate") who facilitate numerous social exercises along the way. EBA's robust volunteer program, comprised largely of high school and college students from nearly 20 local schools, fosters authentic inclusive relationships and creates new disability advocates in the community. EBA pivoted digitally during the pandemic by using Zoom and its "Breakout Room" feature to run all classes online. This provided critical opportunity for continued physical fitness and personal connection, vital for a disability population whose typical struggles with isolation were only exacerbated during the pandemic. This move proved to be highly successful, and brought in new athletes and teammates along the way. This transition also led to an expansion in services, as EBA now provides weekly "EBA At Home" workout packets and videos for athletes to work through at home. EBA began a monthly "Every Body Health and Wellness" initiative as well, partnering with a local physician to provide videos and handouts covering simple yet important ways to maintain a physically and emotionally healthy lifestyle. EBA's quarterly "EBA SPECIAL" classes are now on Zoom, which includes group Zumba, yoga, and cooking classes. Moving online also led to a partnership with the city of Portland and Kaiser Permanente that involves teaching biweekly classes. EBA's online success has led other organizations to consult with EBA for assistance in developing a similar online presence. Presently, EBA runs both in-person classes while still hosting Zoom classes for athletes who wish to remain online for the foreseeable future.