Helping to Facilitate the Participation of Children with Disabilities in Community Settings
The Community Connections Communicator -- March 2004
In this Issue:
The theme of this month’s issue is Finding and Accessing
Disability-Friendly Businesses. In this issue you will
find information on how to find local businesses and resources right
for all kinds of families. You will also find tips on making your
community outings accessible as well as fun. In addition you will
find an abundance of resources on local business, resources, and upcoming
events to get your ventures started. You will also have an opportunity
to “Spotlight” any local businesses you feel have been
accessible, accommodating, and disability-friendly. Disability-friendly
businesses: ready, set, here we come!
 |
Tip Sheet: Tips for Making Your Business More Welcoming To Children with Disabilities and Their Families |
| Check out the tip sheet compiled by Community Connections which will help businesses make no and low costs modifications to help make their businesses more welcoming to children with disabilities and their families. | |
|
Article: A Business Born From Adversity: Access Travel Opens World to Disabled |
| This article has valuable
information from Tim Daly about the need for accessible businesses.
Mr. Daly who has had a disability for the last 37 years gives
insight about the need for accessible and welcoming business.
To view the entire article click, on the link below. http://www.bizmonthly.com/9_1999_focus/moonjeane.html |
|
|
Spotlights
of the Month: |
|
Recommended Websites:
Washington Parent: All Kinds of Kids This website has an excellent guide for families of children with disabilities. http://www.washingtonparent.com Baltimore’s Child: A Special Edition You can find many resources ranging from dentists, lawyers, recreational activities, camps, etc in this guide. Click on the link below for further information. http://www.baltimoreschild.com Family-Networks Resources: Resources This website provides a wealth of information on resources throughout Maryland and beyond. http://family-networks.org |
|
Spotlight
a Welcoming Business: Community Connections would like to “Spotlight” businesses who are welcoming to children with disabilities and their families. If you would like to spotlight a business, please click on the following link and we will post it free of charge on our website. Thank you. www.communityconnections.umd.edu |
Tips for Making Your Business More Welcoming To Children with Disabilities and Their Families
Are you a business owner interested in making your business more accommodating? Are you a parent who would like to share low and no cost ideas to businesses in order to help make them more welcoming? If so, this tip sheet will help you the opportunity to do just that. Community Connections has compiled a brief list of tips that are sure to enhance the service that businesses provide to families with children with disabilities. Take a look at the tips below and feel free to distribute and use them.
Tips for Making Your Business More Welcoming
To Children with Disabilities and their Families
• JUST DO IT!
• ALLOW FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO CALL AHEAD
TO REDUCE WAITING TIME
• OFFER ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS, BRACES
(IT’S HARD TO PUSH A WHEELCHAIR AND A SHOPPING CART AT THE SAME
TIME!)
• KEEP AISLES CLEAR OF BOXES AND INVENTORY
• KEEP DESIGNATED HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES FREE (SNOW, TRASH
CANS, SHOPPING CARTS, ETC)
• CREATE SPECIAL WHEELCHAIR CUTOUTS IN THE THEATRE
• HAVE HAND BASKETS THAT GO IN LAPS
• HAVE FAMILY RESTROOMS
• PUBLICIZE SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS
• SANTAS WHO CAN INTERPRET AND USE SIGN LANGUAGE
• FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS: OFFER TO CARRY TRAY TO TABLE AND SERVE
SOFT DRINKS
This tip sheet may
be freely reproduced and disseminated,
provided appropriate reference is given.
Additional Tip Sheet:
Simple Etiquette – These five tips provided by the Access Group
gives valuable techniques on how to communicate with and serve individuals
with disabilities. To view the entire tip sheet, click on the following
link: http://www.accessgroup-md-com/manner.htm
A Business Born From Adversity: Access
Travel Opens World to Disabled
This article has valuable information from Tim Daly about the need
for accessible businesses. You can read about the problems he faced
while traveling in inaccessible locations. He also details how his
experiences gave him the opportunity to begin his own successful business.
You will also find tips to travelers to make their trips more accommodating.
To view the entire article, click on the link below. http://www.bizmonthly.com/9_1999_focus/moonjeane.html
Volunteer Medical Engineers (VME)
Workforce & Technology Center
2301 Argonne Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
(410) 243-7495
email: vme@toad.net
The Volunteer Medical Engineers is a non-profit organization, which
uses volunteers with various expertise to create devices to enhance
the lives of individuals with disabilities. Volunteers such as engineers,
rehabilitation and healthcare personnel use their expertise to design
and build devices, which may have been unattainable to their clients
because of high cost. VME has completed such innovative projects as
a special cane, communication aids, a lawn mower device to connect
to a power wheelchair, grasping assistance devices and an insulin
injector. For further information, and to read about the fascinating
projects VME has completed, please visit the following link:
http://www.toad.net/~vme
SPECIAL EVENT – VME is coming to Prince George’s
County
Volunteer Medical Engineers will present at the Coffee Break for Families
of Children with Physical Disabilities on Friday, April 2, 2004 at
10:00 am until 12 noon, at the Arc of Prince George’s County,
1400 McCormick Drive, Largo, Maryland. For further information, contact
Mary Funk at (301) 925-7050 ext. 232.
Access
Group
Tim Daly
Email: info@accessgroup-md.com
As managers and employees, would you like to receive training from
an expert on how to make your business more disability-friendly? Would
you like to know what techniques and etiquette are needed to be disability-friendly?
Mr. Tim Daly has developed a unique training program, which will do
just that. Mr. Daly, an individual with a disability, would like to
help remove negative attitudes that cause barriers and poor service
to people with disabilities. In addition, Mr. Daily has a new book
available entitled “Ramping Up for Profits” that will
also provide valuable ideas. To reach Mr. Daly, please email him at
info@accessgroup-md.com
or for further information you can visit his website at www.accessgroup-md.com
World of Possibilities Disabilities Expo
Caring Communities, Inc.
1015 Gleneagle Court
Eldersburg, Maryland 21784
(410) 549-5707
One of the largest Disability Expos is coming to our region. Caring
Communities presents an Expo in Baltimore, Maryland and Chantilly,
Virginia expected to draw more than six to ten thousand attendees.
The World of Possibilities Expo will have an array of disability-related
products and services available. If you are a parent of a child with
a disability, healthcare provider, education professional, or an individual
with a disability, the World of Possibilities Disabilities Expo is
sure to have meet your needs. The first Expo will be held at the Baltimore
Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland on June 25th through June
27, 2004. In addition, there will be an Expo at the Dulles Expo &
Conference Center on October 22 through October 24, 2004. To download
a free pass and for further information, click on the link below:
http://www.caringcommunities.org
Families
Together Spring Conference
The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center
9630 Gudelsky Drive
Rockville, Maryland
Families Together is sponsoring a Spring Conference on May 14, 2004
from 9am to 4pm, to be held at the Universities at Shady Grove Conference
Center in Rockville, Maryland. Families Together serves families who
have children with disabilities with the hopes of strengthening families
through providing supports in education and recreation. For more information
about the conference as well as the registration fee, please contact
Cindi Clark at (301) 460-4417.
Accessibility Leadership
Summit:
McLean Bible Church
McLean, Virginia
Sponsored by the McLean Bible Church, this summit has topics related
to any one involved in the life of an individual with a disability.
McLean Bible Church also offers a variety of family centered programs
which include respite care, support groups, summer camps and trainings
for volunteers and staffers For further information, visit the link
below or contact Jan Sanders at (703) 770-2938.
http://www.mcleanbible.org/ministries/page.asp?page_id=1
We currently offer training
and technical consultation to businesses, churches, and other community
organizations to help make them more welcoming to families and children
with special needs. If you know of a business or other organization
that would like to take advantage of these services, please e-mail us
at: communityconnections@umd.edu
OR
If you know of a business that is already welcoming to children with
special needs and their families and you would like to share this information
with other families and professionals, please send us your name as well
as the name and contact information for the business with a brief description
of why you believe they are welcoming to families. If appropriate, we
will post the business on our website and we may even feature it as
a 'Spotlight if the Month'. E-mail your submissions to: communityconnections@umd.edu
*Questions or Suggestions about our newsletter? Have an idea you would
like to submit? Please feel free to contact us at communityconnections@umd.edu
Virus Protection
We are very careful about our email communications. This EMAIL
and any ATTACHMENTS are sent under the protection of Norton Antivirus.
Disclaimer
Unless otherwise noted, all referenced articles are available
at no charge to you. Community Connections provides this for informational
purposes only and cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided
by linked sites. The opinions and views expressed at these web sites
do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Community Connections.
Any personal information requested by any of the web sites will be governed
by the privacy policy at the site, and any questions you have related
to the sites' use of information should be directed there. The information
contained in this newsletter is not intended to make any offer or commitment
to purchase, subscribe to, provide or sell any service or product or
to provide any recommendations on which readers should rely.
Join Us
We welcome new subscribers. If you would like to join
our growing list please go to our Subscription
Page on the website.
Delete
If you do not want to receive this newsletter, please
click here and
send the email. We will immediately delete your name from our subscription
list.
© Copyright
2004, Community Connections. All rights reserved.
You are invited to forward this complete letter to friends and associates.
Commercial Re-Use Prohibited.
 |
 |
 |
|
© 2004 University of Maryland. All Rights Reserved.
Last updated on
September 26, 2005
.