ENDEPENDENCE CENTER NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE 2015
This summer people with disabilities and other advocates will celebrate
the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before the
passage of the ADA in 1990 discrimination against people with
disabilities was a common occurrence. Physical access to many places
was not available. Discriminatory practices and policies prevented
people with disabilities from participating in activities that others took
for granted. Interpreters, Braille, and other forms of effective
communication were not readily available. Ramps are now used by
everyone - people with skateboards or strollers – not just people with disabilities. Captioning of the spoken word
helps everyone, not just people who are deaf. Modification of policies and procedures to ensure people receive
appropriate accommodations has helped everyone to join together for work, socialization and other activities.
We will celebrate together and recognize the many achievements advocates have made. While celebrating is good,
we still have quite a way to go before full implementation of the ADA is achieved. Inaccessible business, missing
curb cuts, lack of effective communication, discriminatory practices are still all too common. This important
anniversary will be a celebration of how far we have come and encouragement to continue our progress.
If you have taken advocacy action related to the Americans with Disabilities Act that resulted in changes to make
things accessible or accommodating or that ended a discriminatory practice, we would love to highlight your story.
Please contact Cheryl Ward at 351-1585 or cward@endependence.org to share your story. Several people will be
selected to tell us all about your experience during our ADA Celebration in July and during our annual meeting in
November.
Please plan to join us at the Endependence Center on Friday, July 24 at 12 noon for a celebration lunch. More
information will be in the July newsletter.
LogistiCare May Pay For Your Bus Pass
Do you have Medicaid? Do you use the HRT Bus system? If so, LogistiCare may pay for
your Medicaid oriented bus trips. This could include, Doctors, Day Support, Supported
Employment, and etcetera. If you have multiple or consistent Medicaid appointments
each month, LogistiCare may provide you with a 30 day unlimited bus pass. To schedule
a LogistiCare trip or find out more information, please contact the LogistiCare reservation line at 866-679-6330.
Disability Fare ID Card Change
Beginning February 1, 2015 HRT will no longer provide photographs for the half-fare disability ID card.
Customers will now be required to bring the picture with their Half-Fare application when applying. It must be
a passport photo (you do not need to get a passport, just the photo). The photo must measure 2 inches in
height by 2 inches wide. It must be in color and taken within 6 months of the time you are getting your ID. You
can buy passport photos at places such as Rite Aid and Walgreens. The following are locations where you can
apply for the Half-Fare ID:
HRT
HRT
HRT
HRT
Hampton Transportation Center – 2 West Pembroke Avenue, Hampton, VA 23699
Newport News Transportation Center – 150 35 th Street, Newport News, VA 23607
Silverleaf Transportation Center – 4300 Commuter Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Southside Administration Facility – 509 East 18 th Street, Norfolk, VA 23504
The Southside Administration Facility will issue IDs on Wednesdays ONLY between 8:30am-4:00pm.
The Hampton Transportation Center will issue IDs on Fridays ONLY between 8:30am-4:00pm.
JUNE 2015
Sun
7
Monday
Tuesday
1
2
8
9
Participant Led Event **
@ Greenbrier Mall
Chesapeake
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Wednesday
15
CAC Meeting @ ECI
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
--------------------------Movie Monday
“Robocop” @ ECI
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
21
22
29
Participant Led Event **
Writer’s Club @ ECI
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Sat
4
5
6
10
11
Participant Led Event **
Hebrew Class
@ ECI
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
---------------------------------Participant Led Event**
Women’s Group
@ ECI
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
12
13
Mix & Mingle
@ ECI
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
16
Participant Led Event**
M.A.N. Group
@ ECI
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
26
27
Advocacy Group
@ ECI
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
28
Friday
3
IL Support Group
@ ECI
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Note: Mix & Mingle is
now held on the 2nd
Wed. of each month
14
Thursday
30
ILS Training on
Emergency Preparedness
@ ECI
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
ENDEPENDENCE CENTER INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR JUNE 2015
2nd IL SUPPORT GROUP – 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Mon This support group is for anyone with a disability. We talk about adjusting to a disability, being independent,
plus dealing with stereo types and attitudes.
15th CAC MEETING – 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Mon The Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) members are appointed by the ECI Board to work on the Consumer
Satisfaction Survey.
15th MOVIE MONDAY – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Mon The movie Robocop will be shown followed by a discussion of thought and feelings regarding disability and how
it relates to the movie.
24th ADVOCACY GROUP – 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Wed This group will discuss HRT paratransit and planning for the 25th Anniversary of the ADA.
26th ILS TRAINING- EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS - 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Fri Learn about how you can prepare yourself for a storm or an emergency. Hurricane season lasts from June 1st to
November 30th. Learn about things to consider as a person with a disability when planning and making decisions
during an emergency. Learn how the City of Norfolk reaches out to people with access and functional needs,
sheltering and what to expect, evacuation, and transportation. A drawing will be held for prizes for your
emergency kit. Presenters: Cheryl Simpson, ECI, Operations Manager and Scott Mahone, Deputy Emergency
Management Coordinator, City of Norfolk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PARTICIPANT LED SCHEDULED EVENTS**
Tuesday, June 9, 2015 – 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
@ Greenbrier Mall, 1401 Greenbrier Parkway, Chesapeake
Thursday, June 11, 2015 – 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm -- Hebrew Class @ ECI
Thursday, June 11, 2015 – 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm -- Women’s Group @ ECI
Tuesday, June 16, 2015 – 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm -- M.A.N. Group @ ECI
Monday, June 22, 2015 – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm -- Writer’s Club @ ECI
Participants schedule these events; therefore, staff will not be present, however, staff will be available for assistance
for events taking place at the Endependence Center. For information about participant led events in the community,
contact Deon Latham at 581-6932. **HRT HANDI-RIDE/BUS TICKETS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED FOR EVENTS IN THE
COMMUNITY!! (Tickets will be provided for events taking place at ECI)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Social Security Matters – Has a New Blog
Look who’s talking - Social Security is proud to introduce its new blog! They are calling it Social Security Matters,
because this is where they will discuss the information that matters to you about their programs and benefits! Join the
millions and discover your benefits! Open a My Social Security account at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/
and access the blog at http://blog.socialsecurity.gov.
Silent Dinner Schedule – June 2015
All dinners take place 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm in the food court of each mall listed below and is open to the general public.
Meet the Deaf community, ASL-English interpreters, ASL students and signers.
6/5 Lynnhaven Mall
6/12 Greenbrier Mall
6/19 Lynnhaven Mall
6/26 Greenbrier Mall
Disability Advocacy & Services
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Norfolk, VA
Permit No. 102
Endependence Center, Inc.
6300 East Virginia Beach Blvd
Norfolk, VA 23502
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone:
(757) 461-8007 Voice
(757) 461-7527 TDD
Fax:
(757) 455-8223 or
(757) 461-5375
E-Mail:
ecinorf@endependence.org
Place label here
Website:
www.endependence.org
Alternate formats of this
Newsletter are available upon
request by contacting
Cheryl Simpson at 351-1575
Mix and Mingle
Trainings and Activities
ARE HELD AT ECI unless otherwise
noted.
Check ECI website at
www.endependence.org
for any changes to the
schedule or by calling
461-8007, Extension 400
To sign up for a training
or to request an
accommodation, such as a
sign language interpreter,
CART, attendant, or Braille,
contact Rena Lewis at
351-1578 Voice, 461-7527 TDD
or,
rlewis@endependence.org
All are welcome to
come to the Center to
socialize with others
and play cards, watch movies,
etcetera.
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE
The Endependence Center (ECI) has
office spaces available for rent to
non-profit disability organizations
with a similar mission as ECI-promotion of disability rights,
advocacy, direct services and
resource sharing.
For more information contact Carol
at 351-1598 or
ccrabill@endependence.org
For All Ages
June 10, 2015
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
nd
2 Wednesday (New Day)