PILC began as a dream among a small group of concerned men and women, working to build better lives for people with disabilities in Amarillo.

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In the early 1980’s, the Amarillo Disabled Individuals in Action (ADIA) was founded to promote barrier-free living and to cultivate public awareness. In 1988, ADIA successfully established Panhandle Action Center for Independent Living Skills, the city’s first full-time agency dedicated to helping people with disabilities gain control of their lives through training and counseling. In 1998, the Center’s name was changed to Panhandle Independent Living Center (PILC).

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The Center first opened in a small building on South Washington and in 1998, moved to a rented two-story house at 1118 South Taylor where it operated for 14 years. In 2011, PILC purchased the 6,700 square foot building at 417 SW 10th Avenue. After extensive renovations, the staff moved in May, 2012. The larger facility enabled PILC to continue its steady growth and expanded services.

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Today, PILC is a private, non-profit, non-residential organization, directed by and for people with disabilities. Our mission is to educate and encourage people with disabilities to live, work, and achieve in a fully accessible community. Our vision is to promote positive change in society that results in the acceptance and integration of persons with disabilities in the Panhandle. The Center is guided by a voluntary Board of Directors. Services are provided at no cost to people with disabilities.

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Counties Served: 
Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher and Wheeler