---------------------- Forwarded Message: ---------------------
From: "On A Roll Radio" <[log in to unmask]>
To: List Member <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Help New Yorkers with Disabilities
Date: 26 Sep 2001 04:46:35 -0000
NEED FOR FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN NEW YORK
For the past two weeks, Susan Scheer, Director of the Center for
Independence of
the Disabled of New York, has been a guest on our program, filling us in on
how
the the Attack on America has impacted people with disabilities. You can
hear
archives of these broadcasts at http://www.broadcast.com/shows/onaroll
According to Susan, CIDNY has already assisted many individuals with
disabilities affected by the dislocations and crisis. "In Manhattan, people
with disabilities have encountered extreme barriers and crisis," she said.
CIDNY Independent Living Services, a separate affiliate of CIDNY, uses over
400
home care attendants to provide care to their clients. These heroic workers
were among the essential personnel that reported for duty at Mayor
Giuliani's
request the day after the attack. Making sure that home care services to
persons with disabilities continue to be provided during this crisis is
critical.
J.J. Doran, a volunteer at CIDNY reports that his aunt, a deaf woman and
wife of
one of the firefighters missing for 36 hours, was frantic and not able to
receive TV news accounts because TV stations cut off closed captioning for
the
deaf.
A twenty-one year-old girl with a traumatic brain injury was afraid to leave
her
apartment in the frozen zone, but had no food or money for two days. CIDNY
sent
a volunteer downtown with cash and food, and called in all of its contacts
to
expedite benefits and emergency food stamps for this woman.
A woman who tried to go to a Red Cross shelter found the bed was too low for
her
disabled daughter who uses a wheelchair. She had to rent a hotel room she
could
not afford. CIDNY has been providing medical equipment and support to the
family.
The ILC's are working diligently and aggressively to meet the demand as a
result
of last week's crisis, but have never had to deal with an emergency of this
magnitude. "Staff can't do needed outreach due to barriers in
transportation
and communication, or a lack of critical technology, like computers or TTY
services for the deaf community," said Scheer.
Critically needed items for CIDNY include: laptops, accessible vans and
drivers
(to deliver food, equipment, and medications to people in wheelchairs who
may be
trapped in their apartment), supplies (catheters, diapers, medications,
wheelchairs) and administrative staff to provide information, and keep track
of
the people with disabilities who are calling with their needs.
Volunteers are desperately needed to handle crises as they arise, make
calls,
and provide support to inundated staff. IT volunteers are needed to fix
computer / LAN problems, expand the network for volunteers and provide
hourly
updates to the website. People who are trained in ASL (American Sign
Language)
are needed to communicate with the deaf community. Counselors are needed to
donate time to address the trauma of an already vulnerable community.
Temporary
housing accessible for people who use wheelchairs and have been displaced is
in
critically short supply.
Donations of money are crucial to provide emergency funds for medication,
transportation, and assistive equipment: and to buy food, supplies, and to
support volunteers with food and lodging.
"We need corporate America, CEO's, small and large businesses, community
organizations and just plain folks to step forward and donate their time and
their resources. People with disabilities, at this time in NYC, are among
the
most vulnerable of Americans. NYC ILC's are preparing to meet that need but
we
absolutely need the support† - today - of the greater community," Williams
said.
To donate funds to CIDNY please mail to: CIDNY, at 841 Broadway, Suite 205,
New
York, NY 10003. Please make checks payable to CIDNY, and designate
"Emergency
Fund."
To donate supplies or volunteer time please call J.J. Doran, CIDNY,
Manhattan,
212-674-2300 x146 (voice).
________________End of message______________________
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