At O Athletik in the Heights, an occasional Friday night workout brings together athletes and volunteers for music, movement, and plenty of encouragement.
For the athletes who show up, it is more than a workout.
It is a place to make friends, build community and feel like they belong.
That is the mission behind Everybody Belongs Club, a Houston organization that uses fitness to bring people with disabilities together with volunteers from the broader community.
The organization began in March 2025 with just five athletes and about a dozen volunteers. Today, it has grown to more than 90 athletes and about 305 volunteers, according to founder Taylor Ernst.
The idea grew out of Ernst’s friendship with Tony, an athlete who has cerebral palsy. The two were friends in college, where Ernst learned more about Tony’s experience living with a disability.
“I try to live my life as much as I can despite my disability,” Tony said.
Those conversations helped inspire Ernst to create a place where people with disabilities could stay active while also connecting with others.
“For me, it’s a great place to get exercise and socialize that I otherwise wouldn’t have,” Tony said.
Ernst said fitness was initially a way to create a bridge between people with disabilities and the general community. But the organization has evolved into something much bigger.
Some athletes drive more than two hours round trip to attend the Friday night class, he said.
That commitment reflects a larger challenge for families: finding opportunities for their loved ones with disabilities to socialize and participate in community activities.
Louis Ruffino’s 23-year-old daughter, Chloe, is one of the athletes who attends Everybody Belongs Club.
Ruffino said opportunities like this can be difficult to find.
“There aren’t really these types of facilities and events available for the special needs community,” Ruffino said.
For Ernst, that sense of community is the point.
“Everyone that shows up, you know, there’s no real expectation,” Ernst said. “You can show up and just kind of be exactly who you were called to be.”
Ernst said the need becomes particularly apparent as people with disabilities age out of school-based programs.
After age 22, many lose access to state-funded services and may have fewer opportunities to participate in activities with their peers, he said.
The goal of Everybody Belongs Club is not simply to teach athletes how to work out. Ernst said the organization wants to create a community where people feel included, heard and loved.
Ernst said he has heard from families who describe the experience as the first time their son or daughter has felt like they truly belong in a community setting.
With the Heights location now full and athletes sometimes landing on a waitlist, Everybody Belongs Club is looking to expand.
Ernst said the organization is actively touring gyms in areas including Memorial City and Katy, while also considering locations south of Houston and in The Woodlands.
Ernst said he hopes the model eventually spreads beyond Houston.
“I think all it takes is just one random act of kindness,” Ernst said.
The organization is looking for volunteers, donors and potential host gyms. It is also interested in hearing from people who may want to help start a new Everybody Belongs Club location.
For more information about volunteering, donating or getting involved, visit Everybody Belongs Club’s website
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