Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina 2026 - Sarah Kinney, 1200 Toolebeck Rd (2026)

08/06/2026

One of the most powerful things I've ever heard is this:

Disability is the only minority group that anyone can join at any time.

Through aging, illness, or injury.

Disability doesn't discriminate by age, income, race, political party, or background.

In fact, more than one million South Carolinians currently live with a disability. And for many others, disability is simply one diagnosis, accident, or life event away.

That's why accessibility matters to everyone.

Too often, accessibility is viewed as something that benefits "other people." But the truth is that accessible communities benefit all of us, whether we realize it or not.

The curb cut that helps a wheelchair user also helps a parent pushing a stroller.

The accessible parking space that serves someone with a mobility disability today may one day serve a veteran, a cancer patient, a grandparent, or even you.

And that's one of the reasons I love visiting schools and talking with young people about disability.

If disability is a natural part of the human experience, then accessibility should be a natural part of how we design our communities.

The children I'm speaking to today will become tomorrow's teachers, architects, business owners, engineers, healthcare providers, elected officials, and neighbors. The more they grow up understanding disability, the more likely they are to create a world where accessibility isn't an afterthought.

A world where a wheelchair, a service dog, a communication device, or a parking placard isn't viewed as unusual.

A world where access tools are as normal and expected as eyeglasses, elevators, and automatic doors.

That's the future I hope we're building.

As Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina, I advocate for accessibility because access isn't just about meeting today's needs. It's about creating communities where every person can continue to participate, contribute, and belong, no matter what life brings.

Because disability is a natural part of life.

👉 Let's talk: What's one thing you wish you had learned about disability when you were a child?

03/06/2026

I squeezed in one more elementary school visit before the kids skedaddled off for summer break, this time at Horse Creek Academy!

The students were incredibly engaged and asked some awesome questions. We talked about all the ways each of us is unique and different, and then we had some fun debunking myths about people with disabilities. Can people with disabilities drive? Play sports? Travel? The students caught on to the pattern pretty quickly and were eager to point out that disability doesn’t mean inability.

One of my favorite parts of these visits is watching kids realize that differences aren’t something to be afraid of. They’re just part of what makes each of us who we are.

A special thank you to Ms. Shannon Morris Green for inviting me into her classroom and helping make this visit possible. It was a joy to spend time with her students!

Do you have a group you’d like me to visit? Kids, veterans, seniors, civic organizations, church groups, and more, I can tailor an interactive presentation to fit your audience. I’d love the opportunity to share my story, answer questions, and help build a more inclusive community, one conversation at a time.

02/06/2026

Congratulations Sarah, Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina 2026! We are so excited to have you as part of our organization! We look forward to learning more about you and meeting you in August!

Image Description: A woman in a wheelchair, wearing a crown and sash reading "Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina," sits in a stylish indoor space adorned with decorative plants. She has shoulder-length brown hair and is dressed in a sleeveless black top and pants. The background features elegant architecture and an ornate staircase. Text accompanying the image outlines her platform dedicated to advocating for accessible parking and supporting individuals with disabilities.

01/06/2026

This week, I want to talk about something that most people have never heard of, but that thousands of South Carolinians with disabilities depend on every day: Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).

HCBS are the supports that help people with disabilities live in their homes and communities instead of institutions. They can include personal care attendants, transportation assistance, employment supports, respite care, and other services that make independent living possible.

Today, more than 41,000 South Carolinians are on waiting lists for HCBS services, while more than 45,000 people remain in institutional settings.

And the need is only growing. South Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services has requested an additional $47 million to sustain HCBS services, while advocates warn that proposed funding cuts could threaten the very supports that allow people with disabilities to live independently.

Community-based services aren't just better for independence. They're also less expensive.

In South Carolina, nursing home care now exceeds $110,000 per year, while HCBS services average around $45,000 per year.

We know people overwhelmingly want to live in their own homes, remain connected to their families, and participate in their communities. We know community-based services cost less than institutional care. Yet tens of thousands of people are still waiting for the supports that would allow them to do exactly that.

For many people with disabilities, HCBS are the difference between living independently and being institutionalized, working and being unable to work, an participating in the community and being isolated from it.

I believe access is about more than ramps and parking spaces. It's about ensuring people with disabilities have the supports they need to live, work, and thrive in their communities.

👉 Let's talk: Before today, had you ever heard of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)?

28/05/2026

Accessible travel is about more than vacations. It’s about freedom, dignity, and the ability to fully experience the world. For millions of people with disabilities, barriers in transportation, hotels, attractions, and public spaces can turn something as simple as a trip into an exhausting challenge. Advocates like Curb Free with Cory Lee are helping shine a light on why accessibility matters and proving that disabled travelers belong everywhere adventures happen. When we prioritize accessibility, we create a world that is more welcoming, inclusive, and usable for everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1E88xExC7r/

26/05/2026

Today I had the absolute joy of spending time at East Aiken School of the Arts Elementary School visiting with both 5th graders and 4K students to talk about disability, differences, and all the things that make each of us unique.

We read one of my favorite children’s books, “When Charley Met Emma” by Amy Webb, and used it as a springboard for such a thoughtful conversation. We talked about the differences we all have from one another, why differences are a good thing, how they shape who we are, and what it means to stand up for our friends if someone is making fun of something that makes them different.

The students also had some fantastic questions! We talked about tools people use to help them at school and in their communities, and I got to share a little about my own life, like how I get on an airplane to travel, how I drive my car, and what my job looks like working on a computer every day. I also got to tell them about representing South Carolina at the Ms. Wheelchair America competition this August in Michigan.

One of my favorite parts of the day was watching the 5th graders lead by example for the kindergarteners. They were welcoming, curious, thoughtful, and asked such respectful questions. It gave me so much hope for the future.

A huge thank you to my dear friend Erin Joehnk for inviting me into her classroom and trusting me with this conversation.

And now I’ll ask the same question I asked the students today. Our differences make our communities stronger, so where should we have this conversation next?

If you have a classroom, library program, scout troop, youth group, community organization, or another group that would like a visit to talk about disability, accessibility, and celebrating differences, please reach out. I’d love to coordinate!

24/05/2026

Today I submitted an accessible parking violation through the ParkingMobility app.

This vehicle had no visible accessible parking placard and no accessible plate. In addition to being parked with no placard, they weren’t even parked fully in the space. They were partially blocking the access aisle.

That striped space isn’t extra room. It’s the space many wheelchair users and others with mobility devices need to safely enter and exit their vehicle. Block the aisle, and you can effectively make the entire accessible space next to it unusable.

Moments like this are exactly why I keep talking about accessible parking.

We hear all the time that enforcement is difficult, violations are hard to measure, or there isn’t enough data to justify change, so let’s build the data.

South Carolina currently has zero participating municipalities using ParkingMobility. If we want city and state leaders to understand that accessible parking violations are a real health and safety issue, not just a minor inconvenience, we need numbers, documentation, and stories backed by data.

ParkingMobility gives us a community-based educational tool to do exactly that.

If you care about accessibility, I’d love your help:

1️⃣ Download the ParkingMobility app

2️⃣ Document violations when you see them

3️⃣ Encourage friends and family to participate

4️⃣ Help us create the evidence needed to drive real change in South Carolina

One report won’t change a system, but thousands might.

21/05/2026

A quick update and a huge thank you 🫶🏻

I’m officially halfway to my fundraising goal for Ms. Wheelchair America, with about three weeks left to go before the deadline.

Over the last few weeks as Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina, I’ve had opportunities I never imagined: speaking at Advocacy Day, meeting with South Carolina leaders, sharing my platform on television, visiting adaptive recreation and rehabilitation programs, and starting conversations across our state about accessibility, inclusion, and why protecting accessible spaces matters.

This is exactly why I’m so excited for nationals.

Representing South Carolina in August means taking these conversations beyond our state and continuing to advocate for disability awareness and accessible communities on a national stage.

If you’ve donated already, thank you. Truly. You’ve helped make all of this possible.

If you’ve been thinking about contributing, I’d love your help getting across the finish line over this next month.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/sarahs-road-to-mwa--2027

And if donating isn’t in the cards right now, sharing this post is a huge help too.

Let’s keep this momentum going! ✨

18/05/2026

Did you know the ADA only establishes minimum requirements for accessible parking?

Most parking lots and businesses provide only the minimum number of accessible spaces required by the ADA. Under current ADA standards, parking facilities generally must provide one accessible space for every 25 parking spaces, with only a portion of those required to be van accessible. That means there is very little margin when those spaces are misused, blocked, or unavailable.

And as our population ages and more people rely on mobility devices and accessible infrastructure, that demand continues to grow. When the ADA was signed in 1990, adults age 65 and older made up about 12% of the U.S. population. Today, that number is closer to 18%, and by 2034, older adults are projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 13% of Americans now live with a mobility disability, and the CDC reports that 1 in 4 adults in the United States lives with some type of disability, highlighting the increasing need for accessible infrastructure and parking spaces.

For many people with disabilities, accessible parking is the first step to participating in everyday life. Going to work, attending medical appointments, buying groceries, or participating in community events.

When all accessible spaces are full, or when access aisles are blocked, someone can lose access entirely.

That’s why protecting these spaces matters so much.

As Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina, my platform focuses on accessible parking because these spaces are not about convenience. They are about safety, independence, and equal participation in community life.

Accessibility works best when we understand that the bare minimum is not always enough to meet real-world needs.

👉 Let’s talk: Have you ever seen all accessible parking spaces full?

Ms. Wheelchair South Carolina 2026 - Sarah Kinney

08/06/2026

03/06/2026

02/06/2026

01/06/2026

28/05/2026

26/05/2026

24/05/2026

21/05/2026

18/05/2026

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