CIDNY Struggles to Assist New Yorkers with Disabilities
Bethany Hoffman
Date: October 02, 2001
The Center for Independence of the Disabled of New York, Inc. (CIDNY) is the
primary Independent Living Center in New York City assisting people with
disabilities who have been affected by the September 11 bombing of the World
Trade Center. As the Independent Living Center closest to the World Trade
Center, CIDNY has served as the nexus of information and services for New
Yorkers with disabilities during the crisis.
CIDNY is assisting people with disabilities who have been displaced from
their homes, whose services have been interrupted, and who are without
transportation because New York’s paratransit system, Access-A-Ride, is
still not running in lower Manhattan. The Center has distributed emergency
food, shelter and funds from its extremely modest budget.
Providing Accessible Shelter, Basic Supplies, Transportation
Since many emergency relief shelters are inaccessible to wheelchair users,
some New Yorkers with disabilities have had to stay in hotels, often in
rooms with inaccessible accommodations. Without transportation or food
stores nearby, many cannot obtain groceries, and instead must rely on hotel
meals or other more expensive alternatives. Many individuals had to evacuate
their homes abruptly, and have not yet obtained warm clothes for fall
weather, or other basic supplies. Some individuals need medical supplies,
which they have not been able to obtain through other relief agencies in the
city. As downtown neighborhoods are reopened, some people with disabilities
have been able to return home, but now cannot get to work, because
accessible transportation in lower Manhattan has been halted.
Morning weekday traffic entering Manhattan has been restricted to vehicles
carrying more than one passenger. Vehicles with disabled parking permits are
exempt, but are sometimes still delayed at checkpoints. In addition, this
restriction has made it difficult for many home health care providers to
reach their clients regularly.
CIDNY assists New Yorkers with disabilities in maneuvering such obstacles,
and helps individuals navigate social services agencies, which are
especially pressured at this time of crisis. While individuals have applied
for relief funds from FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Administration)
to cover the expenses they have incurred, CIDNY and its volunteers have
served as the direct contacts for more immediate assistance.
Heightened Demand Placed on CIDNY’s Resources
The local media and relief agencies have been directing New Yorkers with
disabilities in need to CIDNY. The Center was mentioned on the 11 o’clock
local New York news on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, and
representatives from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) are
now filming a news segment on CIDNY as well. While it is important to
connect isolated people with disabilities to the resources CIDNY provides,
this new coverage is resulting in a still greater number of requests for
assistance, which will press CIDNY’s resources to the limit.
Anticipated Need for More Services Long-Term
In addition to the needs of people who already had disabilities on September
11, it has been projected that an additional 2,500 people have newly
acquired disabilities in New York City. They will require assistance from
Independent Living Centers immediately and long-term.
CIDNY is in the process of providing for outreach to the newly disabled,
through Traumatic Brain Injury counseling and grief counseling.
Understandably, there is an ever more demanding need for peer counseling,
group counseling, and career counseling for those who lost jobs as a result
of the destruction of the World Trade Center.
How You Can Help
You can help CIDNY meet the new demand for assistance by donating:
Technology
5 laptop computers for field use. These are especially needed right now,
with staff making more house visits, since many individuals are without
transportation. Laptops allow staff to access information resources on the
spot, and often allow one counselor to handle the request, rather than two.
5 or more telephone headsets (Lucent Merlin Messaging compatible).
Volunteers with disabilities, some of whom require headsets, are answering
the increased volume of calls to CIDNY’s offices. CIDNY would also like to
provide headsets to displaced New Yorkers with disabilities who need them.
Microsoft Office XP software. During this busy time, information specialists
at CIDNY are recording requests for assistance on forms in longhand. Their
database system, which has been in need of upgrading for some time, is
overwhelmed with the recent influx. Online record keeping would streamline
current relief efforts, as staff would be able to prevent duplication in
research, house visits and requests.
Volunteer management software. Such a tool would assist CIDNY in scheduling
its volunteers, and avoid repetition in their activities at this busy time.
Fax machine – Windows NT compatible with broadcast capability. This would
allow CIDNY to quickly contact other organizations providing assistance to
New Yorkers with disabilities, and coordinate resources as efficiently as
possible.
Expertise
Volunteer Management - CIDNY would appreciate comprehensive advice and/or
participation from people with experience in volunteer coordination. As many
individuals have come forth to help CIDNY meet the current challenge, the
need for management expertise is greater than ever.
Accessible Rides - With paratransit suspended in lower Manhattan, rides in
vehicles with wheelchair lifts or other accessible accommodations are
greatly needed.
ASL interpreters – As CIDNY’s relief efforts continue, support and backup
for ASL interpreters are vital.
Chinese language interpreters - Chinatown is one of the closest residential
neighborhoods to the site of the World Trade Center, and Chinese speakers
are a needed resource at this time.
Website management – CIDNY needs to update and revise relief information on
its website.
Data entry support – Requests which are currently recorded on paper will
need to be entered into the database, to track, streamline and record
activities.
On-site and remote information counselors - As the demand for assistance
continues to increase, individuals knowledgeable in social services and
resources for New Yorkers with disabilities can provide needed support to
CIDNY’s staff.
Funds
CIDNY has established a 911 Fund to provide emergency money to respond to
the current crisis. Mail your contribution to:
CIDNY
841 Broadway, Suite 205
New York, NY 10003
Or wire transfer your contribution to:
The Amalgamated Savings Bank
15 Union Square
New York, NY 10003-3378
Account # 10121379
Routing # 026003379
CIDNY’s Tax Identification Number is 13-2984549.
Related link 1:
The Center for Independence of the Disabled of New York
http://www.cidny.org/ (CIDNY)
Point of Contact 1:
Susan Scheer, Executive Director, CIDNY, [log in to unmask] ; Voice (212)
674-2300, TTY (212) 674-5619, Fax (212) 254-5953
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Michael Turner
> Sent: Friday, October 19, 2001 5:08 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: New York attacks
>
>
> This a bit off the academic track, but I'm writing an article about the
> situation of disabled people during and following the New York attacks.
>
> I'm particulatly trying to find out what the situation would have been for
> disabled people in the towers following the attacks. Does anyone know
> anything about what facilities there were for disabled people? My guess is
> that there would have been refuge points where people would have
> waited for
> help?
>
> If knows anything about this - or has anything else that they think would
> be relevant - please get in touch.
>
> Michael Turner
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ________________End of message______________________
>
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