Florida Grantor 2 Friends of the Able Trust
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lorida GrAnTOr F • Official Publication of The Able Trust www.abletrust.org Winter 2010 Advocacy, Access, & Achievement: 2 President’s Letter A Florida High School/High Tech Graduate Secures Employment Inspire and Be Inspired at the Pentagon 3 2010 Ability Celebration 4 Project Impact: Creating a Generation of Change through Awareness & Action 5 Florida Youth Leadership Forum 2010 The Journey Begins 6 Grants for 2nd Quarter 2010 6 2009 DMD Financial Awards 7 Florida Disability Mentoring Day: Making Dreams of Employment a Former High School/High Tech graduate Tiffany Ramos is now a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University. Her path to employment began with job-shadowing opportunities and internships through HS/HT. Reality 8 Recipe for Success iffany ramos is the most recent in a long line of success stories to come out of the Florida High School/High Tech (HS/HT) program. Thanks to her dedica- Grantee Spotlight T 9 tion, Tiffany has something that many in our country are desperately searching 10 American Express Joins the Mission for; a job. 10 Thank you, Darden Restaurants At an early age, Tiffany realized she would have to advocate for herself in order to achieve her dreams. She joined the Lee County HS/HT Program – administered by Make a Donation to The Able Trust 11 Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. – when she was 16 years old. While 12 Upcoming Events enrolled in the program, Tiffany participated in The Able Trust’s Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) during the summer and secured job shadowing opportunities dur- 12 Memorial Gifts ing the school year. Tiffany was exposed to the careers fields of Communications and Public relations through a mentorship at Clear Channel radio, and through job shadowing at a local non profit. She became a peer mentor, and serves as an inspiration to Florida’s high school students with disabilities. “I consider myself a self-determination educator who provides presentations to parents, educators and students in order for people with disabilities to know their rights in attaining an appropriate education,” Tiffany said. Today, Tiffany is a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. Through the Work recruitment Program (WrP) -- which is dedicated to finding nationwide federal occupations for recent college students with disabilities -- Tiffany was linked to a telecommunications director- ate located in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon. What began as a summer work experience has expanded into an internship with the possibility of becoming a permanent occupation. Tiffany’s future employment goals are to obtain a perma- nent position in the telecommunications directorate and to eventually specialize in the area of public relations. “HS/HT has impacted me by improving my advocacy and leadership skills. Due B E C A U S E P E O P L E WANT T O W ORK to the HS/HT program, I learned to advocate for myself which strengthened my The Able Trust’s mission is to be the leader personal, academic and employment growth,” Tiffany said. in providing Floridians with disabilities fair employment opportunities through fund raising, grant programs, public awareness and education. A Message from the President Inspire and Be Inspired B E C A U S E P E O P L E WANT T O W ORK Board oF dirECTorS ne of the greatest benefits of my job is the daily in- spiration I enjoy, and all the “eureka moments” that Chair O Bridget r. Pallango, MBA, Miami come so regularly. recently The Able Trust developed a video as a part of its 2010 public awareness campaign, Vice Chair richard L. Cole, Jr., Esq., The Villages entitled “Look at My Ability”. The five inspiring models who lent their stories and faces to this campaign shared Secretary Jeannie Amendola, Lake Buena Vista background that is truly remarkable, and reaffirms our be- lief that people with disabilities have many, many talents, Treasurer talents that contribute greatly to their organizations and in- Jason E. Havens, Esq., niceville deed inspire not only the staff of The Able Trust, but those that work with them at their place of business. Eladio Amores, MS, Sarasota robert A. Butterworth, Esq., Ft. Lauderdale Bryan Vaughan is one of the stars of our video. He has MS and is legally blind, and runs the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities with talent and energy J.r. Harding, Ed.D, Tallahassee and expertise that are amazing. Carly Fahey is a college student and works part Barbara G. MacArthur, rn, Mn, Tallahassee time to help cover the costs of her education. Always bright and cheerful, Carly inspired her professors and fellow students, who felt she was a teacher herself, raising awareness everywhere she went. Brian Johnson works with the Advo- amBaSSadorS cacy Center in South Florida, does his work in a wheelchair, is a dynamo at his Bob Billingslea, Orlando job, and admired by his co-workers for the work he produces. Also working Bob Bromberg, Miami from his wheelchair, Enrique Madrinan works extremely effectively in manage- ment for the Center for Independent Living in Ft. Lauderdale. He shares how Sherra G. Payne, Plantation he is blessed to have a job, a family, a wife and lives a very good life. He does nancy Kline, Ft. Walton Beach this with a twinkle and a smile that directs any in his presence to his capabili- ties, which are extensive. STaFF President & CEO Jeannie Amendola works for Walt DisneyWorld in Orlando, and in addition to Susanne Homant, MBA, DPA her leadership position at the corporate headquarters, Jeannie has represented Vice President of Grants Program Walt DisneyWorld worldwide as an Ambassador. Jeannie, who is legally Guenevere Crum blind, works full time and also devotes herself to volunteer activities locally Director of Development & Marketing and serves on The Able Trust Board of Directors as its Secretary. You can hear natalie Lamb these five individuals talk about being “hired for my abilities” on the video at Financial Manager www.abletrust.org. They represent many others that we meet everyday who Leona Boutwell have been given the opportunity to succeed. They are a part of our message to State Director, Florida HS/HT businesses throughout the state that a great but often forgotten pool of talent Cat Keen exists for business growth as this economy recovers. Assistant Director, Disability Mentoring Program & HS/HT Sally Ash now for the eureka moments. As we listen to people with disabilities about their challenges and needs we learn many things that may not be generally Assistant Director of Communications & Events ray Ford, Jr. apparent, simple things that would make life easier, and yes, become good mar- keting tools for business. One person who was legally blind indicated he pre- Assistant to President & CEO fers to patronize restaurants that have large print menus. Easy to produce, ever Mary Jo Hatala wonder why more restaurants don’t offer that? Another person in a wheelchair Administrative Assistant stated she has several shops where she can’t go, because there is no way to get Alexis C. Garcia her wheelchair between the racks of clothes. So she shops elsewhere, mostly STaFF & CoNSUlTaNTS on-line. Another with a right-foot prosthesis told me he limits air travel be- cause there are no vehicles with left-foot controls, so he can’t rent a car and be Regional Endowment Director Michael S. Campbell fully mobile when traveling. He can buy one, but cannot rent one. These are just a few examples of many. The irony is that all of these individuals have suf- State Consultant, Florida HS/HT Donna Mundy ficient discretionary income to shop and spend, and perhaps some changes to accommodate these simple needs would increase spending naturally and surely CoNTaCT US add to the economic recovery of this state. We’d love to hear from you! If you would like to share your disability-related story ideas, events, questions, comments, or are more (Inspire and Be Inspired... continued on page 3) interested in learning about The Able Trust, please call us at (888) 838-2253 or visit our website at www.abletrust.org. Florida Grantor 2 FriENdS oF ThE aBlE TrUST Abilities Foundation (Inspire and Be Inspired... continued from page 2) Abilities of Florida, Inc. Ability 1st Businesses that learn to adapt to the needs of these customers have a greater oppor- Accessible Alternatives, Inc. tunity for success because they have expanded their markets. Learning the simple ACT Corporation Action Disability Advocates, Inc. changes that can be made to adjust a business to all of its potential clientele is as Advance Ability Solutions simple as contacting one of the experts in that regard throughout the state, or hiring Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities someone with a disability who will help to identify those changes and spread the AFIrE of Pasco County, Inc. Against All Odds-Macular Degeneration network word. Businesses that want someone to help them with the process can contact my Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc. office for recommended individuals, many of whom will provide information at no Agency for Persons with Disabilities charge to the business. Agency for Workforce Innovation Aids Community Project of Tampa Bay American Foundation for Visual rehabilitation We wish all a great and inspiring 2010! American Habilitation Services, Inc. American with Disabilities Working Group Ann Storck Center, Inc. Kindest regards, Apalachee Center, Inc. ArC, Inc. ArC Alachua County ArC Florida ArC Gadsden Susanne F. Homant, MBA, DPA ArC Gateway, Inc. ArC Glades Area President & CEO ArC Jackson County ArC Madison-Jefferson ArC Marion, Inc. ArC nassau ArC nature Coast ArC of Alachua County ArC of Bradford County The Able Trust 2010 Ability Celebration: ArC of Broward ArC of Indian river County Celebrating Success in Employing People with Disabilities - ArC of Martin County ArC of Okeechobee ArC of Palm Beach County Because People Want to Work ArC of Putnam County Arc ridge Area ArC South Florida, Inc.