Happy 4th of July! We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday with their loved ones.
Image description: Light gray background with red, white, and blue stars around the perimeter of the image. There is text in the middle that reads “Happy Fourth of July!! From all of us here at the CIL!” A moving graphic of white fireworks going off is behind the text. The CIL logo is in the bottom left.
This summer the CIL is presenting Youth Social Group all season on Tuesdays from 3:30PM-5:00PM for students with disabilities, for ages around 14-25. Everything can be reached on Zoom through the meeting ID: 352 378 7474 and password: cilclass
If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Terri Poucher at 352-378-7474 or tpoucher@cilncf.org.
Please check out our July online calendar! On Tuesday, Life and Society Hacks runs from 1:00PM-2:00PM and Youth Social Group runs from 3:30PM-5:00PM. On Wednesday, Independent Hacks (ILS) runs from 10:30AM-12:00PM. On Thursday, Job Hacks runs from 1:00PM-2:00PM. Everything can be reached on Zoom through the meeting ID: 352 378 7474 and password: cilclass
If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Terri Poucher at 352-378-7474 or tpoucher@cilncf.org. For Empowering Life Hacks workshops, please contact Linda Butler at 352-378-7474 or lbutler@cilncf.org.
Please check out our May Calendar of CIL online activities below!
If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Terri Poucher at 352-378-7474 or tpoucher@cilncf.org.
Thanks to your tremendous support, the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida has raised over $6,000! Given the hardships faced by our community during the COVID-19 pandemic, our housing, employment, and youth programs are needed now more than ever. This incredible gift will make such a difference to our organization and the consumers we serve.
If you missed The Amazing Give Workday Edition and didn’t get a chance to donate, don’t fret! Our Amazing Give page will be LIVE and accepting donations until Sunday, April 25th, closing at midnight.
For a glimpse into what your donation dollars help make possible, here is a story from our Employment Program:
Kenneth Warren is one of CIL’s outstanding consumers! He has undergone the process of solidifying a job for a secured income, and CIL has taken the honor to guide Mr. Warren within this process of employment. Kenneth is an individual who is Deaf and received interpreting services through Vocational Rehabilitation, while CIL has assisted in developing employment through their employment services program. Moreover, Mr. Warren recently needed support in purchasing work attire for his new job, so CIL made the effort to provide these needs for Mr. Warren. CIL is proud and inspired by Mr. Warren’s astounding dedication and work-ethic! Mr. Warren is one of many consumers our Employment Program serves on a daily basis!
From the bottom of our hearts, the CILNCF thanks you for another successful Amazing Give and we look forward to your support next year!
The Amazing Give Workday Edition has officially begun!
We have from 7am to 7pm to raise funds to support our housing, employment, and youth programs! We are confident that we are capable of our best fundraising year yet–but we can’t do it without your incredible support! Please continue to spread the word and share our Amazing Give page. You can still make your own shareable fundraising page too! You can do so by clicking on the Fundraising button next to Donate on our page. Each action you take and donation you make gets us one step closer to meeting our goal. We truly appreciate all that you do!
Stay tuned for updates as The Amazing Give Workday Edition unfolds!
Together, we will do something amazing!
#TheAmazingGive #DoSomethingAmazing #WhyIGiveGNV
We are now less than 24 hours away from the Amazing Give Workday Edition!
For the sixth year in a row, the Center for Independent Living will be participating in The Amazing Give, an online fundraiser for local non-profit organizations hosted by the Community Foundation of North Central Florida. The donations raised through this event are an essential part of supporting our organization, and this year we are setting a goal of $10,000 — and we know we can reach it with your help!
This year, your generous donations will go directly towards our
housing, employment, and youth programs!
Four prizes of $500 will be given throughout the giving day to participating nonprofits mentioned in a post from community supporters using #WhyIGiveGNV on Facebook. The post can contain a video, a photo or a quote. The #WhyIGiveGNV must be used. Paid employees or consultants working at a participating nonprofit are encouraged to participate, however, will not be eligible to win. The post must be on an individual or business profile. This starts on April 22nd at 7am.
Every hour of the Amazing Give Workday, one lucky giver will receive a Golden Ticket from the Community Foundation which represents $100 they will give away to the participating nonprofit of their choice. The winner will be alerted by email and must respond before 7pm on April 22nd.
You can access our Amazing Give page by clicking on the graphic below. Thank you so much for your support!
#TheAmazingGive #DoSomethingAmazing
Today we are highlighting one of our alumni students who participated in our youth program, High School High Tech (HSHT), one of the programs that will benefit from your Amazing Give donations!
Nelson W. was a HSHT student for four years while attending Palatka High School. Nelson participated in almost every event during those four years. He was the first to show up and the last to leave, always offering a helping hand. Nelson was very involved in HSHT and took advantage of the opportunities provided to him, such as job shadowing, summer internships and the speech contest. During his senior year, he was offered a full scholarship to Edward Waters College, where he is currently residing and playing football. We are very proud of Nelson and look forward to the updates from him and his mother.
This year’s Amazing Give funds will go towards employment, youth programs, and housing. Consumer Specialist extraordinaire, Mark Brisbane, oversees our housing efforts and we would love to give you the chance to get to know him and his work better.
One of Mark’s major roles at the Center includes empowering consumers by assisting them in securing a place to live. He guides consumers through the voucher application process and provides resources for self-advocacy. Nearly every consumer he works with goes on to cherish the experience, including Ms. Wilbert:
Ms. Wilbert had put caretaking for her elderly parents above her own career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Following their passing, she went on to live with her adult children, as she was without the means to secure her own apartment. She had directed three women to the CILNCF’s housing program before participating in it herself. While it was a challenge to ask for assistance, Mark easily quelled this anxiety with his compassionate and genuine nature. She now has her voucher, her own apartment, and a newfound sense of independence. She stated, “Mark is really amazing. When he says he’s going to do something, he does it. And he is willing to go to the extreme.”
With The Amazing Give fast approaching, Ms. Wilbert, Mark, and all of us here at the CILNCF encourage you to donate on April 22nd, as a portion of this year’s funds will go towards expanding the reach of our housing program. You can visit our Amazing Give page and watch a video from Mark to learn more about what we have accomplished and what more will be made possible through your donations!
https://www.theamazinggive.org/organizations/center-for-independent-living-of-north-central-florida
That’s right!! There is just one week left till the Amazing Give Workday Edition!
You can show your support for the CILNCF by donating to our page on April 22nd and by sharing the event with your networks. Attached is a flyer which you may save or print to distribute as you please. You can click the flyer, scan the QR code, or use the link provided to access our Amazing Give page.
Thank you and stayed tuned for more updates!
#TheAmazingGive
#DoSomethingAmazing
