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.
As we remain in the peak of hurricane season, it’s important to stay prepared—especially for our community of people with disabilities and older adults. If you’ve been impacted by Hurricane Helene and need assistance, please reach out to the Disability & Disaster Hotline at 800-626-4959 or email hotline@disasterstrategies.org. Our Emergency Preparedness Program is here to help you with accessibility, mobility devices, and other essential resources often left out of traditional disaster planning.
Stay safe, and reach out for resources today!
ID: Square graphic is divided in half, with the left side written in English and right side written in Spanish. There is map of the southeast US region with a hurricane appearing over Florida. Below reads, “Disabled, impacted by Hurricane Helene, and need help? Call/text: The Disability & Disaster Hotline 800-626-4959 or hotline@disasterstrategies.org #DisabLEDResponse”. The right side has the same graphic and reads in Spanish, “¿Discapacitade, impactade por el huracán Helene y necesita ayuda? Llame/texteé: LA LÍNEA DIRECTA DE DISCAPACIDAD Y DESASTRE 800-626-4959 hotline@disasterstrategies.org”. The Partnership For Inclusive Disaster Strategies logo is display on the bottom right corner for both sides.
We had an amazing time at the UF Campaign for Charities event, connecting with UF staff and sharing more about the vital services we provide to the community. Here are Brent and Sada, representing the CIL with pride! This was Brent’s first outreach event, and he did a fantastic job spreading the word about our programs, especially those with the greatest need, like our ramp-building initiative.
We were also excited to be placed next to the wonderful team from Central Florida Community Action Agency (CFCAA). Pictured next to Brent is Lori, who has been instrumental in helping us with Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) referrals. It was so great to finally meet her in person after working together to help several of our consumers with their utility needs!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and showed their support. Together, we can continue making a difference!
ID: graphic has a purple background with a photo in the center of Sada (left) and Brent (right) tabling at the UF Campaign for Charities event. They are both smiling and seated behind the table. The table has a blue tablecloth with the CILNCF logo in white. CIL brochures are spread across the entire table.
In honor of Deaf Awareness Month, we want to celebrate one of our incredible consumers, Geovanny! Geovanny recently moved to our community from Ecuador, South America. As a Deaf individual, his goal was to obtain his driver’s license, a key step towards independence. For two months, our dedicated Consumer Specialist, Colleen, worked closely with Geovanny, teaching him driving skills and helping him prepare for the written test.
We are thrilled to announce that on September 9th, Geovanny passed his driving written test! 🎉 Congratulations, Geovanny, on this amazing accomplishment! We’re so proud of your hard work and determination. 👏
Did you know? American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language with its own unique grammar, distinct from English. Expressed through movements of the hands and face, ASL is the primary language for many Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in North America and is also used by some hearing people.
ID: Graphic shows a photo of Geovanny holding a life size Florida license plate that reads “PASSED”. He is also holding his physical license in his right hand, held over the life size license plate; his hand is covering most of his license plate to protect his information. Behind him is a backdrop with multiple pictures of the seal of the State of Florida and the Florida license plate. There is a wavy purple design on the bottom of the graphic with white text that reads, “Deaf Awareness Month” and the CILNCF logo in white is displayed on the bottom right corner.
Our office will be closed today from 3pm through Thursday, to ensure the safety of our staff and community. Your well-being is our top priority. Please stay safe and take necessary precautions during the storm.
After the storm for FEMA assistance, please call 800-621-3362 or visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Shelter status with FL Department of Emergency Management: https://www.floridadisaster.org/shelter-status/
State and county contact information: https://www.cilncf.org/emergency-preparedness/
ID: graphic has a photo of grey storm winds with a large, yellow, diagonal caution street sign that reads, “Hurricane Warning” with a hurricane icon, in black. There is a vertical red banner on the right with the CIL logo displayed at the top and “Office Closure Notice” written in white. The information for the Disability & Disaster Hotline and after storm FEMA assistance provided above is also shared on the graphic.
The steps you take to stay prepared are crucial, and we want to make sure our community is safe and ready. Here are some important steps to take:
✅ Refill and pack up necessary medications – Contact your pharmacy for early refills so you don’t run out. ✅ Gather all important paperwork – Keep your birth certificates, IDs, and other critical documents in a safe, accessible place. ✅ Fill or top off your gas tank – Don’t wait until the last minute to fuel up. ✅ Stock up on water and nonperishable foods – Ensure you have enough supplies to last 7 days.
Being prepared will help keep you and your loved ones safe. Stay tuned for updates, and remember that we are here to support you through the storm! 💙
ID: Graphic has a photo of a pharmacy on the top half and a blue wavy design on the bottom half. White text reads, “Did you know? When a state of emergency is declared, you can pick up early medication refills to stock your family’s emergency preparedness kit.” The is a yellow diagonal sign with a red hurricane icon displayed at the bottom right corner.
UPDATE: Due to closures for Hurricane Helene, this event is now rescheduled for October 5th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. See you there!
We are excited to share that we will be serving as one of the Latina Women’s league’s venues for the 20th Annual Gainesville Latino Film Festival!
Join us at the CIL for a free viewing of the 2022 Venezuelan film, “The Shadow of the Sun”. The film (selected as the Venezuelan entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards) is centered around two brothers, one of whom is deaf. They sign up for a musical contest where the deaf brother will be able to fulfill his dream through his brother’s voice. The film will be in Spanish, with English subtitles provided. Following the viewing, there will be a discussion with the director Miguel Ferrer.
All ages are welcome, but we especially encourage our teens and young adults to join us for this moving film! Feel free to invite friends, family, and anyone else who would like to participate.
ID: The flyer for the event has cream colored strip at the very top with the Latina Women’s League logo in the top left and the word, “presents” underneath. To the right, in aqua blue lettering, “The 20th GAINESVILLE LATINO FILM FESTIVAL 2024” is printed. Beneath this, a somewhat transparent aqua blue banner has white letters placed in the center that says, “FREE ADMISSION”. The large middle portion of the flyer has information about the film, venue, time, and date. On the left side in cream colored lettering the film’s title, “THE SHADOW OF THE SUN” is printed. Below this in cursive white lettering, the words “Teen and Young Adult Night” is placed. Below, there is a calendar icon with “September 26th” placed next to it. Below this, a clock icon with the time of 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. is written out, and below this a location pin icon is placed to the left of the words Center for Independent Living.
Below this, in white letters the words Guest Artist: Miguel Ferrer, Venezuelan Director is written, followed by a synopsis of the film. The synopsis states, “The story follows two brothers, one of whom is deaf, who enter a music competition where the deaf brother can fulfill his dream through this brother’s voice. It was selected as the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.” On the right side of the flyer, the words, “MOVIE IN SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES” is written out, with the film’s poster placed below it.
At the bottom of the flyer, there is a cream colored strip with the name “PRAGDA” written out, with the Spanish Film Club’s logo to the right of it.
We are beyond thrilled to announce that we not only reached our $1,500 goal, but we exceeded it, raising an incredible $1,600 for our programs and consumers with disabilities in Marion County during Give4Marion!
graphic with a honeycomb background in various colors of green, blue, and purple. There are 4 honeycombs at the top and at the bottom, each displaying a CIL Marion County staff member. There is a white square outline in the center with “Thank You” written at the top. $1,600 Donated” is written in large white font in the center and the Give4Marion county logo is displayed at the bottom of the square outline.
A huge thank you to everyone who donated, supported, and cheered us on throughout this 33-hour giving day. Your generosity will make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve, and we couldn’t have done it without you!
A special shoutout to our amazing Ocala team for all your hard work and dedication in helping us reach this milestone. You all made it happen! 🙌
Together, we’re making a difference. Thank you for standing by us and supporting the CIL! 💙
ID: There are a total of 3 pictures taken from the Give4Marion Celebration Party. Picture 1 shows 3 staff members sitting in the smiling for a selfie, as they’re sitting in the auditorium seats during the celebration. Picture 2 shows a Color Guard ceremony taking place during the celebration. Picture 3 shows the crowd of attendees during the celebration.
We are so close to reaching our $1,500 goal for Give4Marion! Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve raised $1,425 – that’s 95% of our goal! 🎉 With just under 3 hours left, we know we can hit the finish line, but we need your help to get there.
Please continue to spread the word and share our donation page below. Every dollar counts, and we have one more exciting opportunity to double your donation!
Final Matching Moment: At 6pm today, we have a Celebration Party Matching Moment! All online donations up to $100 will be matched dollar for dollar by an Angel Donor until the $5,000 match runs out. This is the perfect time to maximize your impact and help us reach our goal.
We are so grateful to everyone who has donated and supported the CIL. Your contributions are making a real difference for our consumers and programs in Marion County, and we can’t thank you enough!
Thanks to your generosity, we’ve raised $785 so far – that’s 52% of our $1,500 goal for Give4Marion! We are so grateful for your support in helping us make a difference for our Marion County consumers and programs.
But we’re not done yet! We still need your help to reach the finish line, and today you have another amazing opportunity to double your impact.
Here’s how:
Today, September 18th at 12pm, The David Midgett Foundation is offering a $10,000 match!All donations up to $100 will be matched dollar for dollar until the match runs out. This means your $50 donation becomes $100, and your $100 donation becomes $200 – all in support of vital programs like our Five-Core Services, Employment Program, Deaf Services, High School High Tech, and Emergency Preparedness Program.
To make the most of this Matching Moment, please consider donating at 12pm today: https://www.give4marion.org/organizations/center-for-independent-living-of-north-central-florida
We’re so close to reaching our goal, and with your continued support, we know we can get there. Let’s finish strong together!
If you’ve been thinking about donating, now is the perfect time. Today at 12pm, we have an incredible chance to make an even bigger impact. Your contribution could go twice as far and help us continue serving our community with the essential services they rely on.
Today at 12pm, Team Cone is offering a $15,000 match! All gifts up to $100 will be matched dollar for dollar until the match runs out.
This means that your $50 donation becomes $100, and your $100 donation becomes $200 – allowing us to do even more for the people we serve.
By participating in this Matching Moment, your contribution can go twice as far and have an even greater impact on our consumers and the community.
Help us spread the word and hit our goal by sharing our donation page below with your friends and contacts in Marion County:
