The CIL would like to thank Satchel’s Pizza for supporting our Wheelchair Ramp Program!

David Nance’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s has progressed throughout the years, affecting his mobility and balance. In recent months, his children have had to assist David when entering or exiting their home, limiting his independence. David has needed support from one child in front of him and another behind him, as he is unable to use his walker on the stairs to maintain his balance. With the stairs as a barrier, David’s ability to leave his home was greatly limited, leading to feelings of isolation.

Thanks to funding from Satchel’s Pizza and their Satch Cares grant, the Nances’ received a new wheelchair ramp! The ramp allows David to live a more independent life, as he is now able to enter and exit his home as he pleases, and do so safely. David and his family are beyond grateful for the opportunity to get back to enjoying the outdoors together.

From the Nances’ and all of us here at CILNCF, thank you so much Satchel’s Pizza, for your continued generosity throughout Alachua County, and making this all possible! We truly appreciate your support of people with disabilities in our community!

This Tuesday, October 19^th from 3:30pm to 5:00pm during the Youth Leadership and Social Group, we will talk about dressing styles, share ideas and thoughts on dressing, repurposing clothes, and finding good deals in thrift stores. We will also discuss how to dress for a job interview.

Zoom username: 3523787474

Passcode:cilclass

The CIL continues to celebrate DEAM this month! Here is a consumer update for you to enjoy! Hallie Parrett has been working at Veneauto as an office assistant for almost seven months now. Hallie loves her job and the positive environment at the office. Thank you, Veneauto and your entire team, for being such a fantastic partner and for all of the employment opportunities you have been providing to our consumers. We are truly grateful for your support of people with disabilities in our community!

The Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) is 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.

Our very own Mark Brisbane, Five Core Program Manager, has been utilizing JPPAS for a few years. Read Mark’s comment below about his experience utilizing JPPAS!

“JPPAS has enabled me for a few years to be able to have PCA care when needed to go to and from work every day! It’s vital for people with disabilities who want to work to be able to have the necessary funding to pay for a personal care assistant!”

Check out the links to learn more about the program and the application!

https://www.floridacils.org/JPPASOverview.html

http://www.floridacils.org/pca-services-program

The theme for National Disability Awareness Month this year is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion”. This theme reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the pandemic.  

Check out the link below to learn more! 

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam

This Friday, October 15^th, from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm, ION Gainesville is hosting their monthly Virtual BINGO game night for young adults ages 18 and up with disabilities! If you or someone you know would like to play, be sure to RSVP by Thursday.

To join in on the fun, here is what you need to do:

1. RSVP in advance to iongainesville@gmail.com giving them your name and the best email address for you.

2. Once you RSVP, they will send you a link to join on Friday via Zoom, along with directions on how to join. All you need is a device with an internet connection such as a phone, iPad, computer, laptop, etc.

3. They will also send you a sheet with a Bingo card that you will need to print out or copy on a blank sheet of paper. If you cannot print or copy the bingo card, let them know in advance and they will try to help.

4. They will have prizes and it’s FREE!

UF Campaign for Charities (UFCC) has been in full swing! The UFCC is the annual employees giving campaign at the University of Florida.

UF employees are able to donate to charities in the community through payroll deduction. If you or anyone you know is a UF employee, please consider a donation and help spread the word! The General Campaign will run until October 15^th.

You can learn more about UFCC and check out the list of agencies participating by clicking on the link below!

https://ufcc.ufl.edu/

Please join us for our CIL Youth Leadership and Social Group activity! Participate from Zoom on Tuesday, October 12^th from 3:30 pm- to 5:00 pm. We hope to see you there!

Zoom username: 3523787474

Passcode: cilclass

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! We want to encourage everyone to see the benefits of hiring workers with disabilities. Show your support for DEAM by checking out the link below! #DEAM #TheAbleTrust

www.theablenetwork.org/deam2021

Today, we would like to highlight one of our youth programs, High School High Tech (HSHT).   Although the HSHT Program continued to be challenged this past school year because of COVID-19, we still provided services, both virtually and safely in person, to all of our students, and had 43 of them participate in at least 30 hours of a career experience that included either paid employment, summer internship experiences, volunteering and job shadowing! 

One of our HSHT students, Ethan, had a wonderful internship experience this past summer at Canopy Oak Trails in Archer, FL., where he took care of the horses and assisted with several hands-on farming tasks.  Special thanks to Susan and her team at Canopy Oak Trails for being an amazing partner and providing this mentoring opportunity for Ethan!  Check out the pictures of Ethan’s experiences at the farm below!