It’s #ATAwarenessDay and the CIL is celebrating! TODAY the U.S. Senate will pass a resolution to shed important light and celebrate National Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Day! The day honors people with disabilities who require AT to access their education, workplace, community and recreational activities. The day also recognizes the innovation of researchers and the complete dedication of AT specialists and program providers who operate AT programs across the US and Territories so that millions of individuals can acquire low-cost and often no-cost AT.

Learn more about AT programs, view the commemorative video, and celebrate AT! #ATAwarenessDay

ATAP Home Page: https://ataporg.org/
AT Awareness Day Video link: https://lnkd.in/dtqQ_fmb
AT3 Resources link (info on community living, education, employment, housing and transportation): https://lnkd.in/dX9ttQXT

Image description: Light blue background with the words “Happy #ATAwarenessDay!” in the center. The ATAP logo is in the top right corner and the CIL logo is in the bottom left corner. There are dark blue sparkles surrounding the letters in the center of the image.

For those of you in Alachua County, our first-ever Emergency Preparedness Expo for people with disabilities in Alachua County is less than two weeks away! It will take place on Thursday, April 14th, from 8:45AM-1:00PM at the Senior Recreation Center, here in Gainesville. For more information and to register, please click the link below and claim your seat for this exciting inaugural event. We hope to see you there!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/emergency-preparedness-for-people-with-disability-in-alachua-county-registration-185091091437

It might be April Fool’s, but this is no joke, the CIL’s 5th Annual Emergency Preparedness Expo for Marion County was a major success!

We had our best turnout yet and we look forward to having even greater attendance next year. Many thanks to our vendors, sponsors, venue hosts, and attendees! This accomplishment would not have been possible without all of your amazing support. We are already looking forward to next year! 

Image description: Light pink background featuring 4 pictures taken at the Marion Expo. The top left image is a picture of all the attendees sitting in blue chairs that are facing a stage. The bottom left image is a picture of two FAAST specialists standing and smiling behind a table covered in a blue tablecloth, brochures, and assistive technology devices. The bottom right image is a picture of Tony, the CIL Executive Director, and Ken Whitehead, Assistant Manager with the City of Ocala, standing and smiling in front of blue chairs and a stage. The CIL logo is in the top right corner of the graphic. 

The Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) is still accepting applications for the James Patrick Memorial Work Incentive Personal Assistant Services and Employment Assistance (JP-PAS) Program! The JP-PAS Program provides monthly stipends to qualified Floridians with disabilities who are employed and require personal assistance services for daily living. If you or anyone you know would benefit from this amazing program or if you would like to learn more, please visit http://www.floridacils.org/pca-services-program?fbclid=IwAR0H1StURztR9cQCX3KXhVKV-AK7pFI26MmSkcvXvlgHVmCGPwaT1sur270!

Image description: Image features a light green background that fades into a soft, sky blue towards the top. The top of the image reads: “Would you benefit from the JP-PAS Program?” in large black lettering. In the bottom center of the graphic, there is a picture of a man sitting down and smiling with a woman on the left of him leaning in and smiling. They are both wearing short sleeved white polos and the woman is wearing a bright pink hat. The FACIL logo is in the center of the graphic on the right side and the JP-PAS logo is in the center on the left-hand side. In between them is the program’s website, written in the above paragraph.

April showers will soon bring May flowers! Join us for weekly online classes in April!

Come and join us on Tuesdays for Youth Leadership & Social Group from 3:30-5 and on Wednesdays for Independence Hacks from 10:30-12:00. The meeting username is 352-378-7474 and the password is cilclass for every class, every week!
Please, share this with those who may wish to participate.

Image Description: Light blue and white background with orange and red clouds and CIL logo in top center. Beneath is a heading in dark blue font that reads: “April Online Calendar”. Underneath are two clouds with “Tuesdays” and “Wednesdays” in each cloud. The class titles and meeting times are next to their corresponding weekday and the meeting ID and password is written at the bottom of the image.

The CIL wanted to highlight the release of “Being Michelle”, a powerful documentary about a deaf woman with autism who survived incarceration and abuse and now uses her artwork to depict the trauma she survived and heal from her past. “Being Michelle” is available on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. There will be an in-person screening in Orlando, Florida on April 10^th and 14^th. If you have the time, try to make it! 

Check their website out! https://www.beingmichelle.com/

Image description: Michelle takes up most of the image and behind her, there is a field of green grass with one police car in the distance with it’s lights on. Michelle is wearing a bright pink shirt and glasses and she is holding up a drawing of herself that she made. The drawing covers up most of her face just below her glasses.  In the self-portrait, Michelle is wearing a pink shirt with leaves drawn onto it. The Orange Kite Productions and Thriving Roots Initiative logos are in the bottom left corner of the image.

Mark your calendars! The Amazing Give is only 4 WEEKS AWAY! The event will take place on April 21st from 7am to 7pm and we need your help! Please consider making a donation through our Amazing Give platform, so we can continue to make a difference in the lives of our consumers and people with disabilities who are in need of a wheelchair ramp!

Stay tuned for more information and success stories leading up to the event! #TheAmazingGive #spreadtheword

Image description: Light blue background with irregularly shaped colored circles around the border of the image. The circles are teal, pink, blue, lavender, and green and there are small dark orange stars sprinkled around the border of the graphic. The words, “Are you ready? 4 weeks until…The Amazing Give – save the date! April 21st, 2022 7 am to 7 pm” are written in a large font in the center of the graphic. The Community Foundation of North Central Florida logo is in the bottom left corner and the CIL logo is in the bottom right corner.

Last week, our Consumer Specialist, Kevin, represented the CIL at the 39th Annual Parade of Senior Services at the Ewers Century Center at Central Florida Community College in Ocala.  There was about 40 agencies and organizations participating in this special event for our senior citizens, providing the opportunity to hand out literature, answer questions and offer their services.  Thanks so much Kevin for all of your hard work and spreading the word about the CIL at this community event!

Image description: Image features Kevin smiling and wearing a grey short sleeved CIL polo standing next to a large banner with the CILNCF logo and contact information. In front of Kevin is a table covered by a dark blue tablecloth and brochures about the services the CIL offers. There are other tables and banners around him representing different organizations.

The Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) is still accepting applications for the James Patrick Memorial Work Incentive Personal Assistant Services program (JPPAS)! The JPPAS program provides monthly stipends to qualified Floridians with disabilities who require personal assistance services for daily living.

Read this story below about how JPPAS has allowed this individual to keep his independence: 

“I am a fifty-year-old Puerto Rican man with cerebral palsy that grew up in the South Bronx, New York and later moved to Florida in 2006. At that time my girlfriend had been providing my personal care until her own disabilities prevented her from caring for me. It was a life-changing experience when I was introduced to FACIL and the JPPAS Program. I have been on the program for twelve years and just celebrated twenty-four years with the company I am employed with. I would like everyone to know that without the support and guidance of this awesome program, I would have had to move back up north close to my family. This program has given me the support that I need to maintain my employment and have full control of my life. I employ my own personal care attendant, am totally independent and am proud to be a productive disabled citizen in society. I look forward to working for many more years thanks to the JPPAS Program.”

Image description: Image features a blue background that fades into a soft, eggshell white towards the top. The top of the image reads: “The JP-PAS Personal Attendant Services & Employment Assistance Program” in large black lettering. In the bottom center of the graphic, there is a picture of three men looking at one computer screen as they work on a project together. The man on the right is in a wheelchair and he’s pointing and showing his colleagues something on the screen. The FACIL logo is in the center of the graphic on the right side and the JPPAS logo is in the center on the left hand side. In between them is the program’s website which says: http://www.floridacils.org/pca-services-program. 

The United Spinal Association is looking for enthusiastic, up-and-coming individuals living with spinal cord injuries or disorders who are passionate about advancing their abilities to reach new levels of success to join the #StrongWheeled community! If you believe that you or someone you know is a great representative of this community, click the link below to submit a nomination. The deadline for submissions is May 1st, 2022, and the winner will receive a grant to help them pursue their goals!

Image features a picture of 5 people in wheelchairs smiling as they pose for a photo outside on a sidewalk, and one man sitting on the ground in the middle of them smiling and holding up his arms. The picture takes up the top half of the graphic and the bottom half is a solid light blue background. The United Spinal Association logo is in the bottom left corner of the image. In the center of the image, there’s a black text box and the words, “Join the #StrongWheeled community!” are written inside of it in a white colored font.