Net News
Transcription
Net News
THE DISABILITY NETWORK Net News Keeping You Informed Winter 2013 The Disability Network’s HOLIDAY PARTY Fun Fantastic Music Dort Highway at Atherton Rd. Friends Food Come see SANTA in person!!!! For more information call (810) 742-1800 The party will be held at the DORT MALL (use main entrance on Dort Hwy.) EVERYTHING is FREE Dinner ~ Music ~ Gifts Fun Fantastic Music Wednesday, December 18th—4 to 7 pm Friends Food You’re Invited to Net News Congratulations to the winner of The Disability Network’s first annual Holiday Card Design Contest. Jordyn Spaly Watch for your card to arrive soon in the mail. NET NEWS is published quarterly by : The Disability Network, a Center for Independent Living supporting people with any type of disability in Genesee County. NET NEWS is designed to inform people with disabilities and other interested parties, of disability related issues and other matters relevant to the disability community. We welcome your comments and suggestions. THE DISABILITY NETWORK 3600 S. Dort Hwy. Ste. 54 Flint, Michigan 48507 (810) 742-1800 voice (810) 742-7647 Caption Call (810) 742-2400 fax [email protected] www.disnetwork.org THE DISABILITY NETWORK will be closed Monday, December 23rd and will reopen Thursday, January 2nd. Have a wonderful Holiday Season! . DATES OF INTEREST Holiday Party .......................Wednesday, December 18th Office Closed ..................December 23rd thru January 1st Board of Directors meeting ... Wednesday, February 19th Computer Classes (call 742-1800 for starting dates) 2013 Sustainability All-Star Award Winners Announced at Green Fleet Conference Edgar Benning, President, Mass Transit Authority (MTA) of Flint was among the 40 fleet professionals recently honored as Sustainability AllStars. MTA is an important community partner of TDN, providing needed transportation to people with disabilities. Green Fleet magazine staff reviewed nominees submitted online based on professional longevity, accomplishments (significant sustainability achievements), innovation (innovative ways individuals have contributed to reducing emissions and fuel consumption), and overall industry involvement. Benning described his agency’s efforts in adding alternative fuel vehicles into service. After researching costs and convenience, he explained, MTA opted to fuel its paratransit fleet with propane autogas rather than compressed natural gas and now operates 92 propanepowered vehicles. Bennings efforts, along with the other fleet professionals, have reduced greenhouse gas emissions and created green fleet and sustainability policies. They have dedicated their time and energy to ensuring the path to sustainability is clear. Congratulations to Ed Benning and the Flint MTA. Raise money for The Disability Network when you search or shop online! ADA Celebration July 2013 Please visit our website for pictures and a video on our recent ADA celebration. Raise a penny (or more!) for The Disability Network every time you search the web. We also encourage you to read the editorial submitted to the Detroit Free Press in response to an article they wrote about the ADA Celebration. www.iGive.com/tdn is the internet's first online search engine and shopping mall where a penny or more per search and a portion of each purchase is donated to your favorite cause. Over 1,300 of the web’s best stores participate in this free program, and up to 26% of each purchase benefits TDN. The pictures, video, and editorial are on the website at disnetwork.org Search and shop online at www.iGive.com! Disability Guide Program The Disability Network is proud to announce our participation in a statewide Center for Independent Living (CIL) pilot – the Disability Guide Program. What is the Disability Guide program? It was awarded to CILs by the legislature. The program assists persons with disabilities and their families at the front-end by identifying and removing barriers early, so they can access and navigate state systems. The goal is to address barriers and assist people to navigate systems and support paths to financial self-sufficiency. What does that mean for you? If you are a person with a disability who needs some assistance in accessing community resources, give Adrienne Howe or Sheletha Graves a call at TDN 810-742-1800. Let us be your “Guide”. Important Survey on Disability Employment NCIL is asking that you please participate in an important survey on disability and employment. The survey takes about 10 minutes, and everyone who completes it has the option to be entered for a chance to win $500. Take the survey Enter this address: http:// web-polling.com/Survey3.aspx?sID=28954449 . The survey questions are well designed and have the power to shape the debate about disability policy. Power and control of policies can be ours for the taking, but we need a very large sample size and strong participation from the grassroots disability community to ensure that the results are valid. The results of this poll will be shared with the White House, all 50 Governors, top media, disability groups, and more! The results of each individual will be confidential, but the overall results will be made public. For further information, please contact Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi at 202-365-0787 or [email protected]. Mike Zelley was recently the keynote speaker at the Michigan Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Annual Diversity Celebration in Detroit. Mike shared his personal story and the influence his disability has had in his life and the lives of those around him. He spoke about diversity being about the person in the mirror we see every day and how we view the world around us. He stressed that we must all be able to look in the mirror and know that we can see past the differences and see the ability in everyone. We should treat people as we would expect them to be at their greatest. Mike Zelley with Terrence M. Beurer, Michigan DHS Services Director Mike’s complete remarks can be seen on the TDN website at disnetwork.org. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Are you or do you know a person with a disability who is homeless or “doubled up”? To be classified as homeless, you must be living in a shelter, living in a place not fit for human habitation (outdoors, in an abandoned building, in your car) or living in a home you rent or own that does not have gas, electric or water. To be classified as “doubled up”, you must be living with someone else because you lost your place to live and have no other options or are moving from place to place. If any of the above describes you or someone you know, please contact Deborah, Housing Coordinator at The Disability Network. Your voice needs to be heard and you need to be counted so that HUD can get an accurate picture of homeless people with disabilities. Future funding for housing programs depends on an accurate count. Low-interest Loans Available Seniors and people with disabilities (or their family members) can use the Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund to buy assistive technology devices and related services, including modification of vehicles and homes. If you would like to apply for a loan to purchase any item or piece of equipment that will help you improve your independence and overall quality of life, The Disability Network is your local organization for Loan Fund information. Contact Carrie at The Disability Network at (810) 742-1800. Need Assistance enrolling in the Healthcare Marketplace? The Disability Network Flint hosts a regional health care Navigator to help you apply and answer questions you may have about the Affordable Care Act, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. In order to have health insurance active on January 1st, 2014, individuals must be enrolled and have made their first premium payment on their Qualified Health Plan by December 23 rd. What is a Qualified Health Plan QHP required to provide? Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital) Emergency services Hospitalization (such as surgery) Maternity and newborn care (care before and after your baby is born) Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy) Prescription drugs Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills) Laboratory services Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management Pediatric services Individuals and small businesses can enroll electronically by fax or by phone. E-mail is required for online application. You will need: Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage Social Security Numbers or legal documents for immigrants. Resources: www.Enrollmichigan.com www.Healthcare.gov MSU Smart Choice: http:// msue.anr.msu.edu/program/info/ affordable_care_act_roadmap Monday Webinars MSU extension URL: https://connect.msu.edu/ healthinsurance/ (individual General info) Mondays 9-11am, 3-5pm, 6-8pm Small business, farm, and self employed Mondays 12pm-2pm The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Subsidy Calculator http://kff.org/interactive/ subsidy-calculator/ At The Disability Network, Adrienne is available to answer your questions and assist with enrollment from 9am – 5pm most days. Contact her at (810) 742-1800, or by e-mail [email protected]. TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS TDN wants to know what activities you would be interested in attending. At this year’s Holiday Party, representatives will be getting feedback from our guests so that we can plan and develop new and exciting opportunities for our customers. Be on the lookout for us and make sure you tell us your thoughts and ideas! You may also send us a note or give us a call at The Disability Network. We look forward to hearing from you! Information and Referral at The Disability Network A single mother with four children was burned out of her home in October 2013. During the mother’s escape she fell and broke her leg in three places. She was hospitalized for a week. She was referred to The Disability Network’s Information and Referral (I&R) department. They worked with her to find an agency that would help with motel fees keeping the family off the street and together. I&R helped her find a home that she and her family moved into by Thanksgiving. They assisted with applications and advocated for the family with other agencies that would help cover some of the cost for her first month’s rent, deposit, and water affidavit. This family was able to have dinner for Thanksgiving in their own home. I&R is able to assist with finding housing, food resources, income, and insurance. Give us a call and learn about the services we can offer. "College Hunks Hauling Junk and College Hunks Moving is a local franchise that opened here in Flint, MI in March 2013. Owners Zak and Angie Hawley bought into the franchise after learning about College Hunks through family members who run a successful franchise in St. Louis, MO. They saw the need for a company that not only moves people from house to house, but one that trains college students and prepares them for the future. College Hunks Hauling Junk removes unwanted items from both residential and commercial customers. Instead of taking these items to the landfill, they donate or recycle at least 70% of the items hauled away. One way that they do this is through partnerships with local non-profits. The Disability Network is a recipient of many of their gently used items, along with Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Goodwill, and St Vincent DePaul. Many items that have been donated to The Disability Network include washers and dryers, mattresses, couches, end tables, dressers, televisions, entertainment centers, and other household items." These items are used by people with disabilities transitioning from Nursing facilities into their own homes. NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE THE DISABILITY NETWORK 3600 S. Dort Hwy. Ste. 54 Flint, Michigan 48507 PAID Flint, MI PERMIT NO. 489 r e to ou m o c e Pleas ay Party Holid er 18th b m e c e sday, D Wedne 0 to 7:00 PM 4:0 COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS FOR THE DISABILITY NETWORK We are thankful for friends like you. When we take time to think about it, we all have lots to be thankful for. Please take a moment to count your blessings and make a tax deductible donation to help people with disabilities. All donations go directly to support people with disabilities. I graduated from Yale I took an online course $50.00 5.00 _________ _________ I vacationed in Hawaii I made a pineapple upside down cake 50.00 5.00 _________ _________ I had dinner at Red Lobster I went fishing 25.00 2.00 _________ _________ I won the lottery I found a penny, picked it up, had good luck 15.00 1.00 _________ _________ I bought a Ferrari My 10 year old Chevy still runs 10.00 1.00 _________ _________ I have ________ televisions in my home I have ________ pairs of shoes I send ________ texts a day I have ________ family members/friends .50 each .50 each .10 each .10 each _________ _________ _________ _________ Other things I am thankful for: ___________________________________________ _________ ___________________________________________ _________ My Total for the things I am thankful for $ __________ Please mail with your donation to The Disability Network. Thank You.