Two issues two solutions

"It's a lot easier to blame people for their situation than figure out what to do next." Whether it's finding jobs for people with disabilities or growing a town in Kentucky where people need jobs, the concept is the same. The spirit has been lost after years of neglect and somehow it must revive so it can thrive. What...How... The first step is to take the first step. Not overthink it but create a tentative plan that will be flexible enough to change when needed yet stable enough to offer some structure when support is needed. What is there to work with already? In the case of people with disabilities, I live amidst the tourism area filled with establishments that are always seeking applicants. The problem is employers fear hiring people with disabilities will be problem. Appalachia is a ghost town with no establishments for miles and employers who fear hiring people who have backgrounds that are questionable and education is limited. I need to do some research with what has been tried and what hasn't worked then I can find a new angle. In the case of disability employment I will find out the primary concern of employers then approach them.

A disability vendor fair

A local foundation wants to create a public event that will draw attention to my population. It is in the planning stage and since I'm involved it will become an implemented event. I never thought I'd be glad that I so much time to get this moving. There are so many ways to make this work but since I'm not with an agency I will work on the other end- marketing. It will be meaningless if no one attends. I will work hard to get business people to learn about it and perhaps be involved. That will be my forever goal... to build the bridge between people from agencies and people from for profits. First I must make a meeting with someone from Networks for Training and The Sertoma Club. These people have turned businesses into donors; I will learn how. This is what I've wanted to do all along however, now I have specific opportunities for reaching that goal. I may also have a few aces to help me with my goal.

Disability plus ...

It seems that the best way to grow Infobility is to add a disability component to established programs. The Lancaster Community Foundation is willing, Be U Complete is willing, Jewish Family Service is willing, and now "Growing up Health" may be interested. A national interactive workshop for kids filled with staff from PNC Bank was at the Science Factory and I tried to learn who I can talk to about including something about "Growing up with a Disability." Who knows, it's worth a try and I figure if I keep trying different angles some will come through. I now have a video message called "Wheeling and Dealing" and soon I'll contact HACC to discover if a student will produce a video for me on another related topic. I was thinking of creating a shortened version of "The Ten Commandments." Show a photo and have my voice in the background explaining specific information. The sky can be the limit.

Squeaky wheel

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease." I was wheeling around and the noise got worse and worse. Rights and lefts became really hard to make so I eventually contacted my provider for repairs. The service man came and after evaluating the problem he said I need ball bearings, tires, and arm rests. I questioned the last suggestion and he explained that the one on the left is losing it's puffiness. WHAT? In Susan's hierarchy of needs a puffy armrest doesn't even make the list. Two weeks later I call to check on this order. Suddenly I'm informed, 40 days later, that I hadn't met my deductible and owe $1000+. WHAT? The lady couldn't give me a definitive answer, she gave me three dollar amounts and I said I'd let her know. I called my provider who still couldn't confirm anything and then said my company may be out of network WHAT? I never had this issue before. She said she'd look into it (2 weeks later still no answer)so I called the insurance back. I explained exactly why I couldn't have NOT met my deductible. Then I was told that my provider is out of network. I had a hard time believing that too but started looking into other providers and made an appointment. Suddenly, my provider called and said I was completely right. I paid the $339 and made an appointment for equipment installation. Can't urge people with disabilities enough to not take insurance CSR's at their word. Make them prove their claims.

New Possibilities

The disability awareness project is enabling me to meet to people, learn new options, and enjoy new experiences. Each day that I'm there, kids who I never would think would be interested, saw another kid in the chair wheeling around and asked if they could try. I met grad students from Franklin and Marshall who are surveying kids about autism. I spoke with them about collaborating and they were interested. I met a volunteer who is a film student and said he'd help me create a short film on disability to give to the Lancaster Foundation facebook site. I spoke with the lady who runs the STEM program during the year and asked if I'd like to give a 90 minute class on disability. Whenever I try something new I do my best to shape it around my situation. I'm confident this is a good but unique idea.

Support

I just met with The Lancaster County Foundation and was pleasantly surprised. They are willing to slowly infuse the disability component into some of what they do. They do so much and are so well received that just finding a little opening is enough for now. It will gain momentum eventually and I have so many ideas I can keep trying different ones. I came up with snippets on their facebook account. This would begin with a film of inaccessible things around town but seeing them as tongue and cheek. It is important that I don't come across as "The Angry Wheelchair." I want people to see that I look at the flip side of life rather than complain. Hopefully I will get the chance to do a disability program with the "Disability Dialogue" film and "Working on Wheels" with people who volunteer for the experience. The key is slow, positive, and interactive.