Some of the most meaningful progress we make as a community does not begin with a ribbon cutting or a press release. It begins with a conversation, often by asking a simple question: What would make this space, service, or system work better for everyone?
At the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities, that question is at the heart of our work. Through community education and engagement, our role has often been to help spark ideas that remove barriers and then partner with the community to turn those ideas into action.
One example is our collaboration with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Together, we worked to help their employees better understand sensory needs and how to support visitors with developmental disabilities by encouraging Kulture City certification. This certification means the zoo has implemented sensory-friendly practices such as offering sensory bags (with headphones, sunglasses, fidget items and communication cards), providing sensory maps to help visitors plan calmer routes through the park, and designating quiet areas and headphone zones to support guests who may be overwhelmed by crowds, noise, or bright lights. This adoption of Kulture City has also led to expanded sensory-friendly experiences, including character visits, Wildlights, and events at Zoombezi Bay — creating opportunities for families to enjoy some of our region’s most beloved attractions in ways that work for them. What started as a conversation has grown into ongoing commitment that benefits families across central Ohio.
Access to one-time American Rescue Plan Act funding allowed DCBDD and our partners to move faster and think bigger. These federal dollars supported projects that addressed long-standing gaps, including accessible infrastructure improvements and initiatives that strengthened our county. In 2024, DCBDD requested and was awarded nearly $600,000 in ARPA federal funds. We worked with 16 different partners to collectively implement 28 projects that enhanced accessibility and inclusion in our community. The largest improvement we helped fund was a project between the Ohio State Parks Foundation, Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, Perry’s Ice Cream, and CSX for an inclusive playground at Delaware State Park. In this collaboration, and in many other accessibility projects, DCBDD helped identify the need, provided grant funding and coordination, and worked alongside our partners with the goal that these efforts would be sustained by the community over time. These projects may not always make headlines, but they change daily life in real ways for individuals and families.
What makes our efforts successful is not that DCBDD does them alone — it’s that we don’t. Inclusion is strongest when it is shared. Our partners bring creativity, expertise and commitment. Together we build solutions that last well beyond any single organization. As we look ahead, DCBDD will continue to engage with the community to do what we do best: listen, convene, and help move good ideas forward. We will keep asking how systems can work better, how spaces can be more welcoming, and how partnerships can remove barriers that too often go unnoticed. Because when accessibility and inclusion become community commitments, everyone benefits — and Delaware County becomes a stronger place to live, work and belong.
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