[Nfbofsc] FW: Able SC March Newsletter

Mon Mar 30 22:47:34 UTC 2015

Steve and Shannon Cook

Steve on Dice World: Steve6009

Steve on Twitter: @SteveCook67

Today I married my best friend.  

The one that I laugh with, live for, love.

October 11, 2003 

From: Able South Carolina [mailto:smarin=able-sc.org at mail24.wdc03.rsgsv.net] On Behalf Of Able South Carolina
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2015 9:18 AM
To: =?utf-8?Q??=
Subject: Able SC March Newsletter

See what's new at Able SC! 

 <http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=5ce313528c&e=79a1c95e5b> View this email in your browser 

Image removed by sender. HealthCare Navigation Logo and Able South Carolina logo featuring the tag line: independent living for all.

By: Hannah Warth, Healthcare Navigator & MSW Intern

At the end of 2014, a new program/service kicked off at Able South Carolina!  We are excited to announce that we now offer Healthcare Navigation to all of our consumers throughout the Midlands and the Upstate.  Our Healthcare Navigators can provide individuals with disabilities and their family members with FREE and fast assistance in finding appropriate and affordable medical insurance! Our staff can help you understand your options for Marketplace insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and/or small business insurance (SHOP). Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace for 2015 ended February 15, 2015, but if you are eligible for Medicaid, CHIP, or a Special Enrollment Period you have extra time to sign up! In the Marketplace, you may discover that you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period after certain life events occur; including marriage, birth of a child, out-of-state move, and/or loss of other health coverage. Our staff can help you review and compare health plan options and find out if you are eligible for financial assistance, which can help pay monthly premiums and reduce out-of-pocket costs.  Remember that all of our services are FREE and enrolling in a plan is not required—we are simply here to help you!

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Our Volunteers Rock! 
By Angela Deese, Independent Living Specialist

Able SC’s volunteers are simply awesome! Volunteers are a vital part of Able SC.  Our volunteers assist us in so many ways, including performing administrative tasks, conducting community outreach events, delivering assistive technology, and helping facilitate peer support discussions. 

On January 22, we held a luncheon to celebrate all the wonderful work our volunteers help us with.  Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A were gracious enough to provide the food.  During our luncheon, volunteers were recognized individually for the work they do for our organization.  We appreciate all our volunteers and what they contribute to Able SC.  Thank you, Able SC Volunteers, for all you do to help us accomplish our mission of empowering individuals with disabilities!  

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I am “The Same”
By Rachel Kaplan, Youth Transitions Coordinator

In January of 2015, EQUIP Leaders Effy Francis, Alex Cano, and Shontia Gray saw months of hard work and preparation come to fruition with the video release of “The Same,” a short film about what it is like to be a young adult with a disability. “The Same” gives viewers without a disability the opportunity to hear from the disability community about how they want to be treated by friends, family, and community members. “The Same” showcases a person-first mentality, stressing that people with disabilities are people first and disability is one aspect of what makes up who they are and what their interests may be. This video is striving to help change the way disability is viewed and stereotyped by the general population.  “The Same” helps to show that people with disabilities can go to school, graduate with a diploma, get a driver’s license, have a job, and accomplish the same goals as their peers without a disability can.
To help spread the message of equality and being the same as individuals without a disability, “The Same” video has a hashtag at the end, allowing for viewers of the video to utilize the hashtag to post personal stories on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This hashtag [#thesame] is a way for young adults with disabilities to share with the world the goals they have reached without being hindered by disability. At the most recent In-Person Peer Support Meeting with EQUIP, attendees had the opportunity to watch “The Same” and create their own #thesame statements to be posted to social media. The picture above showcases the power and confidence that this short film inspired in the Peer Support participants. Statements (from left to right, back row moving forward) read:

*	“I can talk clearly and write poetry (thanks to a creative writing class), and I'm good a drawing creatures. Just because I have a disability doesn't mean I can't work or I can't take care of myself."
*	“My name is Alejandro Cano and I have Cerebral Palsy. Don't underestimate me. I can dance bachata and salsa. I have a license and drive.”
*	“I can make bracelets out of horse hair.”
*	“Have fun, be happy, leave the house – major depressive disorder.”
*	“I have my own dog grooming business and pet sitting business. I am a dog walker.”
*	“I can make soaps and bath salts. I have a Facebook account. I can dance and sing.”

The responses are empowering for people with disabilities and sending an important strong message that the community and people without disabilities need to understand.  “The Same” can be viewed at  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=a863497688&e=79a1c95e5b> http://www.able-sc.org/equip-media/ 

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Travel Can Be Fun…If You Plan
By Dori Tempio, I&R/Training Coordinator

Have you ever wanted to travel the world or even see a new place in your community?  Often times, individuals with disabilities think this is not possible due to equipment they use or anxiety they may have in regards to traveling. On January 21, 2015, these myths were cast aside thanks to the important work of Brittany Higgins, Travel Trainer, COMET and Al Orton, CRO of Delta Airlines.  Consumers with disabilities learned the important people they need to talk to when booking reservations, how to read the bus map and understand fares, how to request reasonable accommodations when traveling, and the best way to advocate for yourself in a difficult situation.  In addition, consumers got the opportunity to board and practice using a fixed route bus as well as paratransit, thanks to the wonderful staff of the COMET. With the spring coming forth, let's get out and make all of our travel dreams achievable!

Fundable: A Life Changing Event
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By John Facchinei, Marketing Intern

FundAble is the main fundraising event for Able SC.  This year was a first time for my wife and me.  It went beyond fundraising because the people that Able SC helps and employs were there along with individuals without disabilities to celebrate.  The individuals with physical disabilities, individuals who are blind or have low vision, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals with learning disabilities all came to celebrate.  And whether they walk or use a cane, crutches, or a wheelchair they danced and had a good time.

The event was held at the Columbia Conference Center on November 7, 2014.   A southern display of hors d’oeuvres and dessert was available.  An open bar was featured with “River Rat” craft beer made in Columbia, wine, soft drinks and a variety of liquor to quench our thirst.  All this for the $40 ticket price.
Sponsors helped make this a wonderful evening.  Special thanks goes to SC Blue Cross and Blue Shield, River Rat Brewery, McGregor & Company, Carolina Mobility Sales and Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson and Delgado LLC.

Drink Small is an African American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter and he's known as the 'Blues Doctor'.  Drink Small has the biggest, deepest bass voice in the blues. His amazingly expressive sound falls right in between B.B. King and Bo Diddley.  But Drink's got a little something extra.  Growing up, as Drink puts it, he was "boogalooing on Saturday, hallelujahing on Sunday."  It gives his work on the fretboard a little extra reverence and soulfulness.

The Silent Auction was a success because we had 70 donors give generously with beautiful gifts from ranging from art to whiskey and something in between for everyone!    There was a lot of action at the end of the auction with some bargains available.
Awards were given to individuals and companies who showed a special gift for “working for independent living for people with disabilities”.   The adaptABLE award went to W.C. Hoecke and Karl Hoecke for promoting community education on disability rights. The reliABLE award was presented to Michael Walter for dedication and volunteer work.  The creatABLE was given to Zero Gravity for their work on the “What You Should Know” video series, which can be found  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=7bd77047ab&e=79a1c95e5b> here.  The respectABLE award was awarded to The COMET for improving public transportation for those with disabilities and commemdABLE went to Letrell Hodge and Derrick Means for their work in promoting leadership for youth with disabilities.

Lastly, the event was expertly staged.  The Able SC group brought all the elements together for the second annual fundraising event and it was a success, as planned.   Having seen this community come together was truly empowering. 

Mark your calendar for the next FundAble event on November 6, 2015 at 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC. Stay tuned for more information about ticket sale. If you or your company is interested in sponsoring Able SC during the November 6 FundAble event, please contact Sara Marin at 803-779-5121.   

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Youth Empowerment in Action

By Krista Dickerson, MSW Intern

On February 27 and 28 hundreds gathered at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina to take part in two interactive and educational conferences that promoted disability pride and advocacy among youth and their families, while teaching parents and educators new and exciting ways to engage with their learners in an effort to promote empowerment, not enablement. The all day events included interactive and exciting sessions, guest speakers, Keynote speakers from the I’m Determined Group, a resource and information fair, lunch, prizes, and also facilitated networking opportunities for professionals as well as for transition aged youth.   

Empowering A Future took place on February 27, and kick started the Transition Conference weekend by drawing in professionals from across South Carolina with a passion for delivering quality transition services to students. Attendees were treated to informative seminars on such topics as, disability rights in education and how to explore student options after high school. Panel discussions assured that all were able to interact with knowledgeable experts in disability issues, as well as with experienced youth and other professionals. In between sessions, the resource and information fair boomed with guests flocking to vendors wanting to learn more about disability organizations and the best ways to get involved. A major component of the event was the ability to network with other agencies while learning new content delivered by multiple entities, including the I’m Determined Project based in Virginia. Another highlight was the ability for teachers and social workers to earn Continuing Education Units. 

On February 28, youth participants from across the state arrived at Furman University in order to jumpstart the Mapping Your Future conference. This free event centered on the importance of youth with disabilities taking charge of their lives as they transition out of high school and into the real world. With sessions like, “True Life after High School: College, Employment, and Community,” students received important information and resources from peers who have lived through similar experiences. The conference also featured an interactive panel of youth with disabilities discussing their unique transition experiences and how to navigate various resources within their own communities. To foster the idea of independence and self-advocacy, the youth participants also attended sessions on student-led IEPs while their parents attended sessions on becoming their child’s greatest ally.  The best part of this event was watching the youth enter as strangers and leave as a community, ready to take their next steps towards their highest level of independence.  Both events were a joint effort hosted by Able South Carolina and Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc., and funded by the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council.  The feedback gathered at the end of the event demonstrated overwhelmingly that participants gained new knowledge, felt empowered, and had higher expectations for individuals with disabilities.

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Persistence Pays Off!
By LaQuanda Porchea, Lead Independent Living Specialist

Hard work and determination pays off and Taylor Duckworth is a perfect example! Taylor came to Able SC needing to learn the basic skills of being independent. He learned multiple new skills, such as creating and shopping on a budget, time management, self-advocacy, public safety, and even cleaning skills!   Once he had some of the soft skills down, Taylor wanted employment skills so along with being an Able SC consumer, Taylor also decided to become a volunteer with us.
Taylor started volunteering at Able SC once a week for a little over a year. Able SC staff always looked forward to seeing Taylor’s smiling face each week!  One of the most important skills Taylor learned was social skills. After volunteering with Able SC and creating a resume and cover letter with his Independent Living Specialist, Taylor started job hunting. Taylor was ABLE to get a job working at a great restaurant using the skills he learned from Able SC. Great job, Taylor!

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We Are Not Your Inspiration

On December 6, 2014, the world lost an amazing comedian, journalist and disability advocate named Stella Young.  Stella did not think using a wheelchair made her a noble inspiration to all humanity. Click on the link below to hear the very funny Stella Young discuss society's habit of turning people with disabilities into "inspiration porn."  http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2014X/None/StellaYoung_2014X-480p.mp4 <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=57a9ac62fc&e=79a1c95e5b> 

Upcoming Training and Events

Advocacy Day for Access & Independence (April 16, 2015)
Planning Your Future (April 22, 2015)
Midlands Gives (May 5, 2015)
Understanding Ticket to Work & Benefits (May 20, 2015)
For more events, check out our calendar at   <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=9b8fdc187a&e=79a1c95e5b> http://www.able-sc.org/events/

Save the Date:

Mark your calendars! This year Able South Carolina is once again participating in Midlands Gives, a 24 hour period of charitable giving on May 5, 2015! You can do your part in helping us to reach our goal of raising $5,000 by  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=b53c449bc9&e=79a1c95e5b> donating here, or by simply logging on to  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=543866fea8&e=79a1c95e5b> www.midlandsgives.org and searching for Able South Carolina. Every bit counts and we are counting on you all to help us to continue to provide our services to 23 counties here in South Carolina. Want to know what $5,000 can do for Able South Carolina? Then be sure to follow us on  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=51439770d7&e=79a1c95e5b> Twitter and like us on  <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=d8484e4a8e&e=79a1c95e5b> Facebook for all the excitement and info starting April 1. Thank you all so much and we look forward to a fun and eventful Midlands Gives on Cinco de Mayo!

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Image removed by sender. Advocacy for Access and Independence Day logo

 <http://able-sc.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=c86fb5ede9ea4a8329ed696f6&id=c08a5ad47e&e=79a1c95e5b> Image removed by sender.

What:  Advocacy Day for Access & Independence

When:  Thursday, April 16, 9:30 am – 1 pm

Where:  South Carolina State House,
1100 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201 

Our mailing address is: 

Able South Carolina

136 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC

Suite 100

Columbia, SC 29210

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