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GHAPS Student of the Month January: Mason Mahacek and Alexa McVoy February: Gabriella Hentemann and Trevor Holleman The sun is shining so happy dollars were flowing! Open Board of Director Role Membership/Public Image: this is an open board of director role. If interested please contact Jill Argetsinger. Disability Network Lakeshore - Stacey Trowbridge, Director of Community Development "Creating access and developing ability" Mission: To connect people with disabilities to resources and opportunities while building communities where everyone can participate, contribute, and belong. Our dream is to create engaged citizens and livable communities. To that end, our staff works to provide information, referrals, and support to people with a wide variety of disabilities. When you remove the letters “dis-“ from the word disability, what remains is “ability,” meaning the possession of talent. Seeing people for their abilities and potentials as opposed to their disabilities is a paradigm shift we keep at the forefront of our thinking. We work with people to discover the talents they already have and set goals to acquire more. A more independent life in the community is likely if people continue to hone and gather skills. For communities to be inclusive of people with disabilities, access is necessary. People need more than physical access to buildings and amenities; they need access to employment and other things that provide for a meaningful life. Programmatic access happens when policies and practices in the broader community do not hinder people. Each year at DNL, we help over 1,500 people with disabilities. We serve people with any kind of disability, including some that may be “invisible,” such as learning disorders. Instead of focusing solely on the disability, we address the needs of the whole person so they can achieve a more balanced life. We also operate on a larger scale by helping governments, businesses, and other organizations make positive changes to improve the lives of everyone in the community. DNL is part of broader state and national networks dedicated to serving people with disabilities. We operate under five umbrellas: - Information and Referral: As a network, we have connections with other agencies, government programs, non-profits, and businesses, which collectively have access to a vast array of resources and services. Feel free to contact us with questions.
- Transition: We help people with disabilities transition in and out of schools, the workforce, and nursing homes.
- Peer Support: You are not alone. There are a number of people in the West Michigan lakeshore area with disabilities. We help connect people with disabilities for social support to join them in their journeys together.
- Advocacy: Disability Network Lakeshore believes people with disabilities are most independent when they learn to speak on their own behalf. DNL offers education and coaching that helps individuals effectively communicate their specific needs and interests. On a systems level, DNL seeks to learn from other service providers. We strive to understand their processes and constraints and then work to build collaborative relationships that recognize the diversity of disability.
- Skills Development: We want to empower people with disabilities. Having access to training programs, we can help teach you basic and advanced skills for living independently.
Statistics: 85% of disabilities are hidden 1 in 5 Americans have a disability 40% of working age people have a disability (18 - 64 years of age) Monday Raffle: Dave Young was the keeper of the cards: $26 taken in; $57 in the pot Denny Dwyer: 8 of hearts Tracy Bremmer: Jack of hearts Dave Young: 3 of clubs ...it rolls over! |
