News at a Glance
New Web Site Helps Youth
in Transition from High School
A new Web site that
connects youth to post-high school education, job and community
resources has been launched by PACER Center. Part of PACER’s
Project C3 (Connecting Youth to Communities and Careers), is designed
for young adults with and without disabilities, their family members,
professionals working with them, and employers.
The site, which is receiving
national attention, uses a “resource
mapping” concept, with state-of-the-art technology to lead
site visitors to services and geographic locations that meet their
specific needs. The system also allows government agencies, nonprofit
organizations, and others to coordinate information and identify
gaps in service.
Users can reach the
site’s resource map by going to www.c3online.org and clicking on C3MN. Service providers can also submit information
about their resources at C3MN.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy,
funds Project C3. The Project C3 site is administered in collaboration
with the Workforce Partnership Division at the Minnesota Department
of Employment and Economic Development. PACER is located at 8161
Normandale Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55437-1044. Families can call (952)
838-9000 (voice); (952) 838-0190 (TTY) or (888) 248-0822 (toll-free).
North Minneapolis Homeowners Eligible for Free Home Improvements
Next summer, qualified homeowners in North Minneapolis will be eligible
for free home improvements, thanks to a partnership of Jordan New
Life Community Church, Maple Grove Lutheran Church and Group Workcamps
Foundation.
To qualify, owners–who commit to being on site while repairs
are done–more must occupy homes participating in the program.
Projects must be completed within a week and pass a safety inspection.
The program seeks to serve elderly, economically disadvantaged families
as well as those simply in need of help. Labor and materials are
provided at no cost to the homeowner.
The first week of July 2006 will bring more than 400 volunteer senior
high youth and adults to North Minneapolis for the project. Teams
of five to six youth and an adult leader will go into various areas
of North Minneapolis to repair and refurbish about 70 homes.
Repairs the volunteer teams will complete include:
• Exterior and interior painting
• Weatherization and caulking
• Porch repair and construction
• Exterior step repair
• Wheelchair ramp repair and construction
Group Workcamps Foundation,
based in Loveland, CO, places volunteers in projects that commit
more than 12,000 hours of free labor during an average week of
service. The organization was established in 1977 in response to
the flooding of Colorado’s Big Thompson River.
Participants come from many denominations across the country to work.
Volunteers do not share religious messages with those participating
in the program, but view their work as an extension of their faith
through serving.
Homeowners seeking to participate in the North Minneapolis program
must complete a confidential application by October 30, 2005. Forms
are available at Jordan New Life Community Church, located at 1922
25th Ave. N., Minneapolis. For more information, contact Dave McCarty
at 612-235-4951 or Rev. La Andriamihaja at 612-522-8624.
Read! Read! Read! Volunteer Needed
Volunteer in Midway,
St. Paul at Galtier Magnet Elementary with the Read! Read! Read!
program. This program is dedicated to improving literacy in grades
K-3 in many of St. Paul’s schools. The main
focus of our program is to encourage literacy amongst K-3 students,
but if your talents and interests are in other subjects, such as
math, science, or art or if you’d prefer working with older
students, we’d be happy to have your help! Contact Helena Safron
by phone at (651) 293-8710 ext 1012 voicemail ext 1139 or by email
at helena.safron@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Hennepin County Parent Aide Volunteer Program
As a parent you know
how helpful it can be to share the joys and worries of raising
children with someone. What if you had no one to talk to? Some
parents don’t and that is where you can help.
As a Parent Aide Volunteer you can offer encouragement and support
to parents who may need a sounding board – just someone to
talk to when they feel frustrated. Your friendship can give them
a life-line and a sense of hope that help them improve their ability
to cope in their life. For more information about the Hennepin County
Parent Aide Program contact Jackie Connolly at 612-348-2875 or by
e-mail at jackie.connolly@co.
hennepin.mn.us.
Low Interest Loans Available for Assistive Technology and Employment
A large variety of simple
tools, equipment and technology are available to improve the lives
of people with disabling conditions. The correct equipment makes
a tremendous difference by breaking down learning, vision, hearing,
communication and mobility barriers while helping the person reach
high levels of self-sufficiency. Home modifications, vans with
lifts and environmental controls that use voice-activated technology
to operate home appliances and open / close doors or windows are
available to assist those in need. These examples of equipment
and applications directly impact the individual’s ability
to live independently and with continuing advancements, more devices
will be available to meet a variety of needs. Unfortunately, many
Assistive Technology devices are cost prohibitive for individuals
who have been restricted by illness and other disabling conditions.
Many individuals with disabilities do not have the private financial
resources to purchase the Assistive Technology devices and services
they need. Sixty-one percent of the respondents in a 1998 Minnesota
statewide needs assessment identified funding as the primary obstacle
in acquiring needed devices and services. Many devices, including
hearing aids, are not covered by insurance. Home modifications are
seldom covered by any type of insurance or cash grant program. Health
insurance providers, Medicare and Medical Assistance do not cover
many of the adaptive devices now available on the market. Health
insurance does not pay for adapted work environments or home modifications,
leaving those in need in a difficult situation. With recent cuts
to services and programs that assisted families in paying for home
based care and equipment needs, individuals capable of employment
find themselves unable to pay for necessary modifications, devices
and services. Lack of employment, hospital bills and limited access
to resources only compound an already grievous situation.
Assistive Technology of Minnesota (ATMn*), a nonprofit organization,
has been serving the Assistive Technology needs of Minnesotans with
disabilities since 1998. In 2003, ATMn* was awarded two significant
federal grants to expand and restructure its low interest loan program,
the Micro Loan, and create an innovative employment program for Minnesotans
with disabilities.
The Micro Loan Program
is being supported by the Alternative Finance Program, from the
US Department of Education under Title III of the Assistive Technology
Act. Through this grant, ATMn* will access 1.2 million dollars
in federal funding, by raising a local match of $423,000. The funds
are being used to establish a revolving loan program and a loan
guarantee providing financial opportunities for people who, in
the past, were ineligible for a traditional loan. ATMn* also provides
an interest rate buy down, when appropriate, to maintain low interest
loans through contractual arrangements with lending institutions.
Interest rates for the loan program are fixed below market rates.
Combined with interest rate buy downs, consumers can save several
thousand dollars over the loan cycle. The Micro Loan program supports
access to a wide range of Assistive Technology, from computers and
software programs for children with learning disabilities, to seniors
who need modifications to stay in their home. People use ATMn’s
Micro Loan Program to purchase vans with lifts, computers with adaptations
for individuals with vision loss and hearing aids that help people
of all ages.
Access to Telework is a new federal program created to provide
low interest loans for individuals with disabilities to purchase
equipment related to employment, with the outcome of placing individuals
in flexible work environments, accommodated work settings, starting
or expanding home based businesses and the opportunity to telecommute.
In addition, ATMn* supports individuals by locating experienced
volunteers to help craft sound business plans for self employment
and identifying financial resources to lower expenditures. The
Access to Telework project builds employment opportunities for
people with disabilities as we network with employers and locate
employment resources to support the needs of program participants.
For every dollar raised by ATMn* for Access to Telework the federal
government matches at a rate of nine to one up to a maximum of
$860,000. The program is designed to be self-supporting following
the initial funding, providing ATMn* with the ability to provide
services for many years into the future. In Minnesota, the unemployment
rate for people with disabilities ranges from 36 - 40%. This does
not include figures on under-employment or dissatisfaction within
the current profession / occupation. In fact, many anecdotal stories
indicate that individuals with disabling conditions are often overlooked
for promotions, are not offered new or innovative jobs and feel
as if their work is not a challenge. Offering flexible work environments,
including working from home, is an area underutilized when considering
employment for people with unique challenges. Opportunities to
create alternatives to the traditional workplace have been limited
by a lack of resources to support the individual in need of employment
outside of the mainstream. For many with acquired disabilities
(injury, illness or disease related) the challenge to remain employed
can be limited by factors such as transportation, the need for
personal assistance and medical conditions such as fatigue or limited
mobility. Often all that is needed is employment related equipment
to help the individual achieve self sufficiency.
By establishing a variety of lending options under the Micro Loan
and Access To Telework Programs, ATMn* will increase access to desperately
needed funding for equipment and home modifications. These programs
will provide a systemic change for Minnesota, providing flexibility
to people who in the past had difficulty obtaining a traditional
loan, and will impact families and individuals who are economically
challenged. For more information, or to donate to ATMn* call 763-479-8239,
or e-mail lannis@atmn.org.
