Happy 46th anniversary, NDAD!

On June 5, 1975, the North Dakota Association for the Disabled Inc. was issued its certificate of incorporation under the state of North Dakota’s Nonprofit Corporation Act. North Dakota Secretary of State Ben Meier, in Bismarck, signed both the certificate and the articles of incorporation.

It's the first anniversary reached without its co-founders. Faye Gibbens, NDAD's longtime program leader, died in 2014. Her husband, Ron, NDAD's only board president and until early 2015 the organization's chief executive officer, died this past May.
 

The certificate "helps me remember how very fortunate we have been,” Gibbens said back in 2015, when the photo accompanying this post was taken. Ron's own signature appears on the certificate as both incorporator and a member of the original board of directors. “When we received this certificate.., we had no idea of the future impact this organization would have for people with disabilities.” 

NDAD actually began several years earlier in Grand Forks as a small support group of area parents, including Ron and his wife, Faye, and other interested adults. The Gibbens' inspiration for forming the group was their own son, Michael, who was born with cerebral palsy several years before the support group was formed.

The group wanted to share information and insight with each other about ways to allow their children and others with physical or intellectual disabilities to get the help they needed and the opportunity to reach their full potentials as individuals.

Incorporation in 1975 made the effort formal, and federal charitable nonprofit status followed the next year.

Entrance into state-authorized charitable gaming in 1982 allowed the North Dakota Association for the Disabled to dramatically expand both its charitable mission and reach.

Today, NDAD provides financial assistance to people with disabilities and health challenges through funds generated by both the organization and community projects, and continues to offer information and referral services to help people receive assistance through other agencies whenever possible.

NDAD has maintained its Grand Forks headquarters since 2005 at 2660 S. Columbia Road. It also has offices in Minot, Williston and Fargo.

Find more information about NDAD on this website, or call (800) 532-NDAD, or contact your nearest NDAD office: /contact/.