Greetings | The Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida welcomes you! If you have any questions about the center or the services we provide, please contact us at 352-378-7474. Our number again, is 3, 5, 2, 3, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7, 4.
July is Disability Pride Month, celebrating the history, achievements, and experiences of the disability community, and marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed on July 26, 1990. This month symbolizes progress toward inclusivity, beginning with Boston’s first Disability Pride Day in 1990 and Chicago’s first parade in 2004.
ID: Five vertical bars run down the left side of the graphic in the colors of the Disability Flag, from left to right: red, yellow, white, blue, and green. To the right of the bar reads, “There Is Ability in Disability” in large, black font. A thin line runs underneath it. Directly under reads, “Every July, we celebrate Disability Pride Month to honor the history, achievements, and experiences of the disability community. This month marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation passed on July 26, 1990, that broke down barriers to inclusion.” in smaller, black font.
Although Disability Pride Month is an annual event, its message should resonate year-round. Here’s how you can take action:
📓 Educate Yourself About Ableism Ableism assumes people with disabilities need fixing, leading to discrimination. Use “people with disabilities” to prioritize their humanity and read books to deepen your understanding of disability pride.
🙋 Participate in Disability Pride Month Join parades and celebrations, whether you have a disability or not. Your participation helps create a more inclusive world.
🤗 Embrace Disability Pride Every Day Promote inclusivity, awareness, and empathy daily. Support physical and digital accessibility for all abilities. Let’s build a world where everyone can thrive.
Join our Independent Living Skills (ILS) classes to empower yourself with healthy living strategies, peer support, and essential life skills. Learn how to advocate for yourself, communicate effectively, solve everyday problems in a supportive community, and connect with others who share similar experiences.
OCALA: Tuesday 10:30 am – 12:00PM 2760 SE 17th St. Suite 300 Ocala, FL 34471 Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89525615262?pwd=T2RCMHFhb2EvcGQrbXJTeUpKK0UyZz09
For more information, contact Terri 352-378-7474 ext.2036
ID: Graphic has a blue background. A white flier, with a purple border is “taped” with yellow tape to the graphic and includes all the ILS classes’ information shared above for Gainesville, Ocala, and Citrus Co. There are scribbles marks on each corner of the graphic in shades of blue and green.
Last month, we continued with our monthly Health and Wellness activities by having a fun and festive “May Day Game Day”! The Gainesville team had a wonderful time, relaxing, visiting with each other, tackling a 1,000-piece puzzle (and we’re still tackling it!) as well as playing a spirted game of Pictionary. The Ocala team also had a great time, playing games such as UNO Attack, Water Pong and the game that produced the most laughs of the day, Doubles Balloon Tennis!
For Doubles Balloon Tennis, staff had set up tables side by side, long ways, so when they started playing, the balloons were going everywhere and staff ended up just hitting whatever came by. They had made paddles out of paper plates with sticks taped on for the handles, and the “paddles” kept falling apart as staff played, so everyone ended up just holding the plates and hitting the balloons. Everyone was laughing so hard, they didn’t even bother to keep score! They all agreed at the end of the day, that they needed those laughs, and had not laughed like that for way too long! We’re so happy we can continue to offer our amazing CIL team these types of opportunities, so staff can get away from their desks for a bit and create new, non-work related memories with each other!
ID: graphic is a collage of 8 photos taken from the May Day Game Day in the CIL Ocala office, with a light turquoise background. CIL staff in the Ocala are shown throughout the photos standing around a rectangular table, playing the various games described in the caption above. There are 3 photos displayed vertically on the left and right side. Two photos are displayed vertically in the middle, with “May Day Game Day” written in purple in the top middle center and “Health & Wellness” written in blue in the bottom center.
Happy Summer! Our weekly Youth Social Group has been kicking off the summer with many fun and educational activities! We have created music and art together, learned how to budget, explored our career goals, learned about the science of egg drop experiments and conducted our very own, and enjoyed an active field day filled with camaraderie and excitement. Please enjoy photos from our field day and egg drop science experiments below.
Youth Social Group is open to youth and young adults ages 14 – 24 with disabilities looking to build social skills, prepare for the transition into adulthood, and learn new things with peers. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact Ashlyn Michael by phone (352) 378-7474 ext- 2056 or email amichael@cilncf.org.
ID: There are a total of 3 graphics, all with a light blue background. Graphic 1 is a group photo of Youth Social Group participants; “Summer 2024” is written across a yellow sticker on the bottom left corner and the CILNCF logo is displayed on the bottom right corner. Graphic 2 contains an abstract collage of four photos taken during a Youth Social Group activity, both inside in the CIL Activity Room and outside of CILNCF office. Graphic 3 is a collage of four photos of Youth Social Group participating in the egg drop science experiment taken place inside and outside at CILNCF.
Juneteenth celebrates freedom, but as we honor this day, let us also remember that many enslaved people also had disabilities, and their stories are often missing from the conversation. Their strength, resilience, and contributions deserve to be recognized.
This Juneteenth, we recommit to fighting for a world where ALL people have equal rights and opportunities, regardless of race or disability. We celebrate the progress towards liberation, but also acknowledge the work that remains.
Here are some ways you can learn more and get involved:
❤️ Read about the experiences of Black disabled people throughout history.
💛 Support Black-owned businesses with accessible features.
💚 Educate yourself and others about intersectionality and disability justice.
ID: Graphic displays 3 illustrated hearts colored green, brown, and red. Beneath it reads, “June 19th” in red, “Juneteenth” in brown, and “freedom day” in white cursive.
Mr. John, a 75-year-old gentleman facing mobility challenges due to disability and dialysis, recently reached out to our Center for help. His home’s lack of accessibility made it difficult for him to attend crucial doctor’s appointments and treatments without relying on family or friends to navigate the stairs.
Thanks to the generosity and support of our community, Mr. John now has a brand-new wheelchair ramp at his home! 🏡 This ramp now allows him to independently come and go, making his life much more convenient and enjoyable.
Mr. John is deeply grateful for this positive change, and we’re honored to have played a part in enhancing his quality of life. 💙
Thank you to everyone who contributes to making these transformations possible. Together, we’re making our community more inclusive and accessible for everyone!
ID: Graphic has two photos, a turquoise background with the CILNCF logo displayed on the top right corner. The top photo shows Mr. John’s home before the installation of this wheelchair ramp. The word, “Before” is written on tape across the top left corner of the photo. The bottom photo shows Mr. John’s home after the wheelchair ramp was installed. The word, “After” is written on tape across the bottom right corner of the photo. There is a white outline that borders both photos.
🌀 Don’t miss out on Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, ending this Friday, June 14th! 🔋
Prepare for hurricane season and save on essentials like generators, batteries, and pet supplies— all without the added sales tax!
And remember to mark your calendars for the second round of Florida’s Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, from August 24th to September 6th. 📅
Stock up and stay safe, Florida!
ID: Graphic is a photo of a satellite weather map of Florida with a hurricane on the coast. There is a blue overlay that includes all the information shared above.
Our dedicated CIL staff have been actively engaging with our community over the past several months, attending various expos to spread awareness about the CIL and help individuals with disabilities prepare for emergencies.
🌀 Hamilton County Emergency Management Expo: Kevin and Claudia attended this event, sharing crucial information on how CILNCF can assist during emergencies. With about 50 attendees and 20 vendors, it was a great opportunity to connect with the community and provide essential resources.
🌀 Dixie County Family Fun & Hurricane Preparedness Expo: Sada and Kevin were on the ground, distributing information about CILNCF and connecting with local residents. The event saw an impressive turnout with 309 attendees and 51 organizations. They made valuable new partnerships and look forward to the next year’s event, which aims to grow even larger.
🌀 Hernando County Hurricane Expo: Kevin and Andrea represented us at this well-attended expo at Challenger K-8 School in Spring Hill on June 1st. With over 1,200 attendees and more than 70 vendors, it was an incredible day of outreach. Here’s a photo of Andrea providing CIL information to a participant!
For more information on how to stay prepared and to stay updated on the latest news, be sure to bookmark these links:
We are committed to being present in our communities, helping individuals with disabilities be as prepared as possible before, during, and after an emergency. For questions of additional resources, reach out to CILNCF at:
Voice (352) 378-7474 VP (352) 240-3079
ID: There are 3 graphics in total. Each graphic reads, “Emergency Preparedness” on the top left corner and the CILNCF logo in white is displayed on the top right corner. Graphic 1: has a blue background with a photo of Kevin at the CIL table. The bottom right corner reads, “Hamilton County Expo” Graphic 2: has a bright green background with a photo of Kevin and Sada at the CIL table. The bottom right corner reads, “Dixie County Expo” Graphic 3: has a purple background with a photo of Andrea at the CIL table. The bottom right corner reads, “Hernando County Expo”
We had a fantastic time at the Hernando County Hurricane Expo! Kevin and Andrea represented CILNCF, sharing invaluable information about our services and hurricane preparedness. The event, held at Challenger K-8 School in Spring Hill, had an incredible turnout with over 1,200 attendees and more than 70 vendors.
Here’s a snapshot of Andrea engaging with a participant, spreading awareness about how we can help our community be better prepared for hurricanes. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and to Hernando County for hosting such a vital event!
ID: Graphic has a bright purple background with a photo in the center of Andrea standing behind the CILNCF table, engaging with a consumer who is looking at brochures on the other side of the table. The table has rows of brochures available for consumers to take. Next to the table is a CILNCF vertical banner.
In May, our Gainesville and Ocala ILS groups got creative for Mother’s Day! We made beautiful Flower Cards using upcycled TP and paper towel rolls, paint, glue, and lots of love. These unique cards were left to dry and then taken home to surprise moms on Mother’s Day.
Everyone had a blast with this project, and it was wonderful to see the smiles and anticipation as they prepared to give their handmade gifts to their moms. Thanks to all who participated and made this project a success!
ID: Graphic has a blue background with a collage of 5 photos from the ILS group activity. CIL staff Colleen is pictured with a CIL consumer in one of the photos; the consumer is working on her flower card that is laid out on a table with a red tablecloth. Two additional photos from CIL Ocala are shown with consumers working on their flower cards. Two photos from CIL Gainesville are shown with consumers smiling and working on their cards in the activity room.
