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.
Bridging awareness and inclusivity at CFCAA! ✨ Sada, Kevin, and Stephanie recently had the honor of presenting for the incredible staff at Central Florida Community Action Agency (CFCAA) on disability awareness and CIL programs. The engagement and enthusiasm from their team were truly inspiring as we explored ways to enhance CFCAA’s accommodation for individuals with disabilities.
To add a touch of holiday spirit, the staff luncheon was Grinch-themed, and we couldn’t resist capturing the festive moment with a snapshot alongside one of their fantastic staff members who donned the Grinch attire! 🎁📷 Embracing the season of inclusivity and joy. 🎄
ID: Graphic has a vibrant purple background and includes a picture of Stephanie, Kevin, and Sada with a CFCAA staff member dressed as the Grinch. The top left reads, “Disability Awareness”, the bottom right reads, “CFCAA”, and The CILNCF logo is displayed in the top right corner.
What a magical time we had at our Consumer Holiday Party! 🎉✨ The CIL transformed into a winter wonderland filled with joy, laughter, and creativity. Our consumers and staff came together to celebrate the holiday season in the most heartwarming way possible.
Our gathering was a whirlwind of creativity and joy, from crafting candy cane reindeers, decorated cookies, colored festive coloring pages, enjoyed a hot chocolate bar, and painted ornaments. Thanks to everyone who made this event unforgettable, and happy holidays from The CIL family!
ID: Graphic is a collage of 7 photos from the Consumer Holiday Party. The photos show our consumers with their arts and crafts, including those listed above. The collage has a red and green border. In the middle is a green rectangle that reads, “Consumer Holiday Party”
As we wrap up another incredible year of progress, empowerment, and community, The CIL extends warm wishes to our amazing community, supporters, and advocates! We are immensely grateful for the strength and resilience you bring to our community every day.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to creating an inclusive world where everyone can thrive. Together, we’ve made strides towards accessibility, equality, and empowerment, and we’re excited for what the future holds!
As we celebrate the holiday season, let’s reflect on the power of community and the difference we can make when we come together. May your holiday season be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. 🎁
ID: Graphic is an illustration of a two homes, surrounded by Christmas trees. “Happy Holidays” is written above the homes. Below the homes reads, “From all of us here at the CIL.” A Santa sleigh being being pulled by 3 reindeers, flies over a large Christmas tree.
Last week, we had a lot of fun “shopping” for and collecting toys for all our CIL families! The CIL has partnered with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program for several years now, and we cannot thank them enough, year after year, for helping so many of our families have a wonderful Christmas with a visit from Santa!
This year we helped 33 families with disabilities and a total of 74 children! We were thrilled to see the CIL kitchen completely packed with bags and bikes that are bound to bring so many smiles and feelings of joy to the children who will be unwrapping them! At pick up time, there were a lot of thank yous and smiles from our grateful families.
We were thankful to have several of Santa’s helpers assist with picking out specific toys from children’s wish lists, and that made things go much faster and smoother. It was so appreciated that staff took the time out of their very busy day to help bring some holiday cheer to our families in need! Special thanks go to all of our wonderful CIL elves: Terri, Myrtle, her husband Eli, Holly, Stephanie, Lindsey, Clara, Claudia, Destini and Medjina. We even had a retired staff member Don take time out of retirement life to help pick out gifts. You are all awesome, thank you infinity!
ID: Graphic is a photo collage that includes 6 pictures from our Toys For Tots drive. Each photo has a red bow and ribbon displayed on one of it’s sides. The bottom left corner has an illustration of a green present. The bottom right has an illustration of a green Christmas tree. The top left reads, “TOYS FOR TOTS” with a red santa hat situated for the T in TOYS.
Ho Ho Ho and Happy Holiday Season! Our CIL staff elves got into the holiday spirit earlier this month and festively decorated our Christmas tree, activity room, lobby and hallways in both the Gainesville and Ocala office! Special thanks to everyone who was able to help make the CIL sparkle during this festive season! Everything looks fantastic, and the addition of holiday music playing in the lobby, makes it even more perfect for this time of year!
Additionally, CIL staff were able to enjoy a Health and Wellness Activity amidst their busy days at work. We had our very first pop-up surprise event for staff, sharing just a day and time to be ready for a fun activity, but with no additional information. Staff were pleasantly surprised to discover that we would be creating our very own personal name ornaments using scrabble-like tiles for names, as well as other fun embellishments to add. Staff had a blast putting their own finishing touches to their ornaments, and once they were ready, we placed them on our tree! We will be able to enjoy them for years to come, and look forward to the next pop-up surprise in the new year!
ID: There are 2 graphics. Both graphics have 6 polaroid pictures assembled in a circle to resemble the look of a wreath. In the center is CILNCF’s logo with a santa hat on the left side of the logo. Golden stars are displayed throughout both graphics. The first graphic displays 6 pictures of CIL staff with their holiday decor around the office. The second graphic displays pictures of the decoration around CILNCF’s office.
We are thrilled to share a glimpse into the incredible journey of guiding interns through their first rotation in the Project Search program. As the Employment Consultant Supervisor and Skills Trainer, Ammal had the honor of guiding a group of talented interns through this transformative experience and has this to say about for the students in their first rotation:
“In my role as a skills trainer at Shands Hospital, I had the privilege of guiding interns through their first rotation in the Project Search program. It was a transformative journey, witnessing these individuals engage themselves in the unique challenges of a hospital setting. Nurturing their professional growth, I observed a remarkable blend of resilience and skill development. The collaborative spirit within our team, coupled with the interns’ commitment, resulted in the successful completion of their first rotation, leaving a positive impression on their professional journey at Shands Hospital.”
The collaborative spirit within the team, coupled with the interns’ commitment, led to the successful completion of their first rotation, leaving a positive mark on their professional journey at Shands Hospital.
They are now in their 2nd rotation—stay tuned for more updates!
ID: Video consists of a slideshow of images of the students throughout their internship at Shands Hospital for their first rotations.
December at ILS is all about the spirit of giving! 🎁 Throughout the month, we embrace the traditional theme of “Giving of Ourselves.” Throughout the month, we’ve been busy crafting heartfelt gifts to share with others. Last week, we celebrated with a “wrap” party where we wrapped up these handmade treasures to gift to family and friends. 🌟 The festivities continued with pizza, games, and a little treat for each of us from the CIL. It’s the season of giving, and we’re making it memorable at ILS!
ID: Graphic has 3 photos, with a purple background. The top picture shows our ILS group sitting around a large rectangular table, creating crafts. The bottom left picture shows 3 consumers enjoying delicious treats. The bottom right picture is a crafted Christmas tree and an ornament made by one of the consumers. In the center of the graphic is a “search bar” that reads, “DECEMBER ILS” with a magnifying glass to the right.
Recently, CILNCF had the privilege to assist a consumer in their transition out of experiencing homelessness. This journey began with the referral for a Section 8 housing voucher, providing the individual with the opportunity to secure a newfound residence. 🏠 With the voucher in hand, our consumer took the crucial step toward a brighter future. However, after covering the hefty move-in costs, they found themselves with no funds to transform their new space into a true home.
This is where the incredible power of community came into play. Through the relentless advocacy of our CIL staff, we connected with the amazing charity organization, Mitzvah Makers. Together, we secured funds to ensure a comfortable and smooth transition for our consumer. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Mitzvah Makers, we have successfully transformed a house into a home for this consumer.
The funds were stretched to cover all the consumer’s requests for necessary personal items, and we’re thrilled to share the incredible list of contributions made possible by the generosity of various CIL staff and an anonymous donor:
◽️New queen mattress and bed frame ◽️Microwave and toaster oven ◽️Round table and chairs ◽️TV and stand ◽️Pots and pans ◽️Bed frame ◽️Curtains and rods ◽️Area rugs ◽️Bed sheets ◽️Cleaning supplies ◽️Toiletries
This transformation, made possible by the collaboration of many hands, showcases the impact we can create when we come together as a community.
Special thanks to our staff: Claudia for donating 4 chairs and coordinating 2 large furniture deliveries, CIL for donating the table and a TV stand, Kim for donating a TV, Sada for donating a Toaster Oven and Microwave and assisting with the final large delivery!
ID: Graphic has two pictures. The top left picture shows the consumer in her new home, with writing on the wall above her that reads, “Is what you are of doing is possible.” Below the picture is a purple rectangle with the “Thank You!” written in white. The bottom right photo shows the consumer’s dining table, with 4 chairs, a pink table cloth, and and 4 gold place settings. Letters on the wall behind the table read, “Family”
Your health matters, and so does the health of the people you love. We believe in the power of prevention and protection, especially for those who are more vulnerable. If you’re 65+ or have a compromised immune system, getting vaccinated is a crucial step in safeguarding yourself and your community.
Why Vaccinate? Vaccines are safe, effective, and play a crucial role in saving millions of lives. For those aged 65 and older or individuals with compromised immune systems, getting vaccinated is an essential step in preventing and protecting against certain diseases. In the face of the flu and COVID-19, these vaccines are particularly important for older adults and people with disabilities.
Spread the Word! Help us create a shield of protection around our community! Spread the word about our upcoming Vaccine Clinic and encourage your friends and family to join us.
What to Expect: – Free vaccines – Accessibility with ASL interpreters – The first 25 people vaccinated receive a $10 gift card
Together, let’s empower each other to make informed decisions for our health and the well-being of those we care about. Your participation in our Vaccine Clinic can make a significant impact, and we look forward to seeing you there!
For more information: Phone: (352) 378-7474 VP: (352) 240-3079 Email: eberndt@cilncf.org
ID: Graphic includes all the information shared above regarding the vaccine clinic. Logos displayed in the top left include: Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative, CILNCF, Disability Rights Florida. The American Sign Language Interpreter logo is displayed on the right. An illustration of a vaccine syringe is shown in the center of the graphic.
Today, let’s celebrate the strength, resilience, and unique abilities of individuals with disabilities. 💙
This day is a reminder that inclusivity knows no bounds, and together, we can create a world where everyone is valued and embraced for who they are. Let’s break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and champion the rights of every person to live a life of dignity and opportunity.
#IDPD2023 is a call to action for a more accessible, inclusive world. Let’s commit to fostering environments where everyone can thrive, irrespective of abilities. Share your stories, amplify diverse voices, and let the world know that differences make us stronger. 🤲
ID: Graphic includes 4 illustrations of persons with disabilities: a person dancing in their wheelchair with a green background, a person doing sign language with a light blue background, a person playing basketball in their wheelchair with a blue background, and a person riding their skateboard with a purple background. In the top left corner is the CILNCF logo, along with “International Day of” written in yellow and “Persons with Disabilities” written in orange.
