Geisinger’s Post

💙 Supporting Adults with Disabilities at The Arc of Space Coast 💙 At The Arc of Space Coast, we are on a mission to ensure that adults with disabilities have the resources, support, and community they need to lead empowered, fulfilling lives. This September, we’re calling on our community to help us continue this vital work. Why Your Support is Crucial: Every day, adults with disabilities in our community face challenges that many of us take for granted. Whether it’s finding meaningful employment, connecting with peers, or accessing essential services, these individuals deserve the same opportunities as anyone else. With your help, we can provide: Skills Training: Equipping our members with the tools they need to gain independence and confidence. Community Engagement: Offering social activities and events that foster connection and belonging. Advocacy and Support: Ensuring that every individual has a voice and the support they need to thrive. Here’s How You Can Make a Difference This Month: 1. 🎁 Donate: Your contributions directly impact the lives of the individuals we serve. Every donation, big or small, helps us provide essential services and programs. The Arc of Space Coast | Donate (arcofsc.org) 2. 🕒 Volunteer: Your time is one of the most valuable gifts you can give. Join us in supporting our events, activities, and daily operations. The Arc of Space Coast | Volunteer (arcofsc.org) 3. 📣 Spread the Word: Share our mission with your network! The more people who know about The Arc of Space Coast, the more we can accomplish together. Let’s Make September Count: Throughout this month, we’ll be sharing stories of the incredible individuals we serve and the impact your support has on their lives. Follow our journey, get inspired, and see firsthand how your contributions are making a difference. Together, we can create a community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Join us in making this September a month of empowerment and inclusion. #SupportArcOfSpaceCoast #Empowerment #DisabilitySupport #CommunityImpact #DonateNow #SeptemberOfGiving

In this video, Dom Kelly, Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising, describes the many barriers of exclusion and inaccessibility that philanthropy places on disabled activists who need funding, and shares how philanthropy can deconstruct those barriers.

Friends and colleagues who work, or are in, philanthropy and/or disabled spaces: Check out Disability & Philanthropy Forum's upcoming "webinar featuring disabled panelists celebrating disability pride, and learn why philanthropy should fund disabled-led, joy-centered spaces."

Happy DSP Appreciation Week! 🎉   Peace of Mind would like to recognize the incredible work of our DSPs: Abby, Bree, Brian, Byanca, Courtney, Eliza Ann, Gianna, Karri, Kenzie, Kira, Mack, Madi, Mondell, Sophie, Lynora, Logan, and Taeli. Day in and out, they all make a huge difference in the lives of our participants and are shining examples of how to be an advocate for our family, friends, and neighbors with disabilities. We are so proud of our DSPs, and we are so lucky to have such an extraordinary team. Thank you for all that you do! 💜 #DSP #DirectSupportProfessional #DSPAppreciationWeek #friendship #inclusion #diversity #disabilityadvocate #support #awareness #qualityservices #companion #respite #homemaker #community #peaceofmind #peoplefirst #nonprofit #disabilities #advocacy #makeadifference #bethedifference #inthistogether Image Description: The background of the image has a dark gray chalkboard background with a rectangular white chalk scribble in the center. The words, “Thank You Direct Support Professionals DSP Appreciation Week 2024,” are overlaid in dark gray letters. There are chalk doodles including squiggles and hearts at the top and bottom of the image. On all four corners, there are pictures in the shape of hearts of Peace of Mind DSPs with participants making happy memories. Subjects of the following pictures are listed from left to right: In the top left corner, Sam and DSP Madi smile for a selfie during their hike. In the top right corner, Cindy and DSP Taeli pose together with matching blue backpacks. In the bottom right corner, DSP Kenzie cheers on the Rockies with Kennith and Miah. In the bottom left corner, Miah and his favorite staff Logan pose with the statue outside of the UW basketball arena.

Mann helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities attain independence by crafting a fulfilling career path for them. At Mann, we empower people with special needs, focusing on ability over disability. As a charitable trust, we combat exclusion and stigma faced by individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Our mission is to provide guidance and education, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives within society. Some are on the surface, some just below – waiting to be discovered with a gentle nudge. then there are those who are unaware that they possess them. Those who are brimming with abilities but haven’t had the luxury of that nudge https://lnkd.in/dK3hEJqV

Day 36 of our 100 day challenge of raising INR 1 crore for our NGO, Mann that works with people with disabilities. But today, I will tell you another goal that we are working towards. We want to increase awareness and sensitivity among important service providers like law enforcement, banks, and transportation authorities. All too often, disabilities are misunderstood as rudeness or substance abuse by those who interact with and serve this community. This hurtful misconception creates unnecessary barriers when they are trying to access basic services. I’d like to get in touch with front-line service workers to ensure they have better knowledge about different types of disabilities & how to deal with them. Honestly, I truly believe that with increased awareness, we can also advocate at a policy level for more inclusive practices in both public and private sectors. If you are one, or could connect me to top level service providers, I’d be super grateful! :) In picture: my students at Mann, for whom we want to build a better world :)

🚨 Urgent Call to Action for the Disability Community 🚨 📣 We Need Your Voice TODAY! 📣 🕔 Deadline: 5 PM ET - Don't Miss It! 👉 Your Mission: 1️⃣ Say NO to Changes in Disability Census Questions 2️⃣ Demand a National Task Force on Disability Data 🔗 Easy Participation: Use this simple tool with sample comments from the National Disability Rights Network: https://lnkd.in/e6ctnNpm 📊 Why It Matters: The proposed changes to the Census could drastically affect our community. These alterations risk making it harder for disabled individuals to access crucial services like housing, healthcare, and legal protections against discrimination in schools and workplaces. It also impacts our preparedness for disasters and emergencies. Read more https://lnkd.in/earY7MnT ✍️ Make Your Voice Heard: Submit your comments TODAY before 5 PM ET. Your input is vital in shaping a more inclusive and fair society. #DisabilityRights #CensusAction #InclusiveSociety #VoiceYourConcern

In the last few weeks, I’ve spoken to community members who have shared that their philanthropy has shifted since October 7 towards combating antisemitism and supporting Israel. This certainly makes sense given the war in Israel and Gaza and the uptick in antisemitism in our own country. In each conversation, I thanked them for supporting these critical issues facing the Jewish community. And then in my next sentence, I urged them to consider how the Jewish community will fight antisemitism and hate in the long run. I believe that I have one answer-- organizations that serve individuals of all backgrounds together in an inclusive and respectful community, like the Bender JCC. If you stand in the lobby of the JCC long enough, you can hear 10 different languages. Individuals of different backgrounds and faith communities come to the Bender JCC to focus on their health, educate their children, swim, build friendships, and be part of a community center that helps individuals and families create meaningful lives. In just a handful of weeks, we will launch our 2024 Lessans Camp JCC season. Even though our camp program is designed through the lens of Jewish heritage and values, 40 percent of the almost 600 staff members and campers are not Jewish. This is one of many examples why I believe the JCC is an antidote to hate and antisemitism. We as a Jewish community are serving children and young adults of all abilities in a way that does not exist anywhere else. Our inclusive community goes way beyond how we serve individuals with disabilities, but how we welcome everyone no matter their identity. Each person and their individuality matters at the Bender JCC, and as a Jewish community we are forging bonds across communities that will have a lasting impact for many years to come. Let us continue to address the immediate needs of our community while not taking our eyes off the sustained work required to achieve long-term healing and unity.

At CPCIDD, we hold immense respect for the self-advocates, family members, loved ones, and allies within the IDD community who persistently raise their voices and strive for recognition, understanding, and resolution of their concerns. While we do not partake in advocacy efforts directly, we take pride in supporting their endeavors, as well as the efforts of various government, nonprofit, and other entities that address these advocacies by offering a reliable, independent, and unbiased source of data, research, and analysis that adheres to best practices. The article below excellently outlines the role of advocates and underscores the significance of their contributions. https://lnkd.in/gVBdHUwt

I want to kick off April and take a moment to recognize Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month. More than 5.6 million Americans are living with limb loss and limb difference. 🦾🦿 Ways anyone can recognize LLAM: 1. Advocate for legislative inclusive change 2. Talk to community leaders about inclusive playgrounds 3. Promote ADA standards in the community 4. Support disability-owned businesses 5. Donate to organizations that advocate for those with disabilities 6. Hire people with disabilities 7. Create inclusive spaces for everyone For the limb loss community: 1. Participate in a support group (The one I co-host is the last Tuesday of each month) 2. Participate in “show your mettle day” 3. Challenge assumptions