UCP Economic Forum and 60 Years and Onward Celebration
In a change from the annual Gala format, September's Life Without Limits Economic Forum focused on highlighting the economic potential of the disability community, and the event went off without a hitch. Life Without Limits Chairman and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Tony Coelho, opened the event and introduced his friend and the evening's Keynote Speaker, Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor. Martinez praised the Life Without Limits initiative as being in sync with the goals of ODEP and said she looked forward to collaborating with UCP in the future.
Forum co-chairs Dustin Longstreth and Rich Donovan, both of consulting firm Integrated Process Solutions (IPS), gave a presentation outlining the disability consumer market and offered some proactive steps that business leaders can take to learn more about it.
Several presenters gave a brief overview of healthcare innovations, including UCP President & CEO Stephen Bennett and UCP Chief Technology Officer, Greg Elin, who discussed the progress that open sourced innovational technology has experienced since the 1980s and the impending demands that will be placed on the system from the baby boomer generation. John Kuniholm from the Open Prosthetics Project provided evidence of how much technology has changed in society, and he noted that innovations have remained the same for people with disabilities by showing chronological slides comparing data since the early 1900s. Frank Hecker, Director of Grants and Programs at the Mozilla Foundation, discussed the innovations explored by the Mozilla Foundation in an open sourced capacity to develop new accessible technologies, including a screen reading software developed by a visually impaired person in Australia. All of Forum participants engaged in a lively and fascinating discussion about the intersection of technology and disability and the possibilities to integrate into the business world.
Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor
John Kuniholm,
The Open Prosthetics Project
Full Panel: From L to R:
John Kuniholm, Open Prosthetics Project,
Greg Elin, UCP Chief Technology Officer
Frank Hecker, Director of Grants and Programs at the Mozilla Foundation, Dustin Longstreth, Integrated Process Solutions LLC and Richard Donovan, Board Member, Integrated Process Solutions LLC View More Photos on Flickr.com
The Forum concluded with an agreement by all that progress towards full employment and economic prosperity for people with disabilities would only be made through cooperation amongst government, business, and nonprofit communities.
Following the Forum, participants joined other invited guests at the 60 Years and Onward Celebration. The theme for the evening was "Toasts, Tastes and Testimonials"
Celebration Chair and UCP Chairman, Bruce Merlin Fried, Esq. welcomed the audience to the event celebrating the efforts of those committed to advancing the UCP mission of a Life Without Limits for people with disabilities. Throughout the evening the audience enjoyed a specially produced video recollecting the amazing people instrumental to the success of United Cerebral Palsy throughout the years, produced through the support of the Loreen Arbus Foundation. Please follow this link to view the videos showcased during the 60 Yeas and Onward Celebration.
Terry Moran, the co-anchor of ABC News "Nightline," stood as Master of Ceremonies during the Celebration, and Emmy-nominated actress and UCP Board Trustee Cheryl Hines gave out the evening's awards. UCP of the North Bay won the No Limits Award for their outstanding employment program for people with disabilities, and WineBev Service and Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) President Ari Ne'eman won the Expanding Horizons Award for his work advocating for rights and dignity for persons on the autism spectrum.
Terry Moran, Co-anchor,
ABC News "Nightline"
Emmy-nominated actress and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Board Trustee Cheryl Hines
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) President Ari Ne'eman Winner of the 2009 UCP Expanding Horizons Award View More Photos on Flickr.com
Make a Fundraiser Out of Any Event –
and Raise Donations Online
Have you ever contacted a UCP affiliate inquiring about any of the following:
1) You wished to host a special event to benefit the UCP affiliate organization,
2) You wanted to know if the UCP affiliate had an easy way to collect donations, or
3) To get information about how to host an event to benefit UCP?
Firstgiving.com makes all of the above a possibility. Anyone, regardless of whether they are specifically endorsed by UCP, can access Firstgiving.com's free service allows the public to raise money for any charity that files IRS Form 990 and is located within the Guidestar.org database.
For example, UCP supporter Cesar Rondon participated in a non-UCP-related event in August 2009, and he wanted to raise money to be donated to UCP. He found Firstgiving.com after speaking with the UCP national office and quickly set up his own event. After a few short steps, Cesar was off and running, or rather cycling to raise $2060.00 for the UCP.
Great reasons to use this service:
It is a simple way for a supporter to set up a personalized event by raising funds for an organization without an affiliate having to worry about collecting and keeping track of donations at the event.
It crosses geographical boundaries. If a student studying overseas wants to hold an event on another continent, he or she can still ask his or her friends and relatives to support a cause by easily by signing up online.
The site is safe and secure, and friends and family donate via credit card.
Firstgiving.com provides advice and support through its blog, which offers tips and pointers about how to create successful events. The blog is available at OnlineFundraisingBlog.com
Here are some potential events that fundraisers can use to jump start an event dedicated to UCP:
Pool or Darts Tournament
Read and Recall
Quiz Time
Story telling
Barbecue
Picnic Party
Chess Tournament
Comedy Evening
Bowling
Sing or or Hold a Play
Video Games Competition
Face Painting
Costume Party
Cheese and Wine Party
Cooking Contest
Treasure Hunt
Run a Marathon or to the End of the Block
Climb a Mountain
Ride in a Bike Event or Race
Host a Golf Scramble/Tournament Among Friends and Co-Workers
Host an End of the Year Holiday Event or Party
The fee for hosting an event on Firstgiving.com is 7.5% of each transaction, which covers securing each transaction online, connecting to Guidestar.org, providing support and ensuring a transfer of money to the benefiting organization. Please click the following hyperlink to learn more about how it works.
Recently, UCPeople reported on the status of hate crimes legislation. On Wednesday, October 28th, President Obama signed hate crime legislation (HR 1913/S.909) that extends protection to people with disabilities, among others. The new law expands federal hate crimes protection to include those committed due to gender and gender identity, sexual orientation and disability. It also loosens limits on when federal law enforcement can intervene and prosecute crimes — the biggest expansion of the civil-rights era law in decades.
Girl With Cerebral Palsy Opens Hearts Through Artwork
Most kids expect to see their artwork on their parents' refrigerator, and not hanging in bank and credit union branches across the greater Sacramento, California region. Three years ago at age nine, Celeste Hewitt painted a swirling pink heart. This summer, her artwork became a symbol of how the greater Sacramento region is coming together to support local families with developmental disabilities.
Order Holiday Cards To Benefit United Cerebral Palsy
Looking to buy cards for this holiday season? Check out this great new way to support United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).
UCP has teamed up with morethancards to introduce UCP holiday greeting cards. There are a variety from which to choose , and proceeds from each sale to benefit UCP.
For more information, please contact Allyson Doherty at (202) 973-7125.
Founded in 1948 to help people with cerebral palsy, today United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is a pivotal advocate for the rights of all people with disabilities. As one of the largest health charities in America, UCP is dedicated to advancing the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities.
Betty Slowe: Fundraiser inspires local cookbook Tuscaloosa News Tuscaloosa,AL,USA 11/4/09 After years of hosting Tuscaloosa's Taste of the Town, a fundraising event for United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama, the group decided it was time to document all those good foods and produce a cookbook.
Plan Creates New Program to Pay for Long-Term Care Wall Street Journal New York,NY,USA 11/4/09 One provision of the health-care legislation with broad potential impact on Americans isn't about health insurance. Instead, it would create a new federal long-term care benefit that would pay cash to people who become disabled.
Program helps students with disabilities get textbooks The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Atlanta,GA,USA 11/3/09 It used to take colleges up to a month to get an alternative text delivered to students. But a new national partnership involving a Georgia group makes it possible for students to get the material in about three or four days.
Access for all Cape Cod Times Cape Cod,MA,USA 11/3/09 One attendee, Toni Saunders of Sandwich, whose 26-year-old daughter has cerebral palsy, gave the Cape a mixed grade for accessibility. Saunders said ramps are one problem, but she added that cramped stores make it difficult for her daughter to get around. "I think people with disabilities in our society are viewed as second-class citizens," Saunders told Times reporter Patrick Cassidy.
A Powerful Identity, a Vanishing Diagnosis New York Times New York,NY,USA 11/2/09 It is one of the most intriguing labels in psychiatry. Children with Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism, are socially awkward and often physically clumsy, but many are verbal prodigies, speaking in complex sentences at early ages, reading newspapers fluently by age 5 or 6 and acquiring expertise in some preferred topic — stegosaurs, clipper ships, Interstate highways — that will astonish adults and bore their playmates to tears.
Halloween race raises funds for children Times Daily Florence,AL,USA 11/1/09 Runners braved the chilly morning Saturday to run what organizers hope will become an annual half marathon to raise funds for a preschool for developmentally delayed infants and toddlers.
Autism Walk on National Mall Stirs Controversy ABC Affiliate WJLA News Channel 8 (Video) Washington,DC,USA 10/31/09 Several protesters, many of whom also fall on the autism spectrum, used the annual "Walk Now for Autism" event to point out the flaws with the event sponsor.
Danny Hicks rises above his disability through tae kwon do State Register-Journal Springfield,IL,USA 10/30/09 Danny Hicks has a front-row position at the Auvenshine School of Tae Kwon Do in Auburn. His hard work over the past decade has made him one of the highest-ranking students in the school: a first-degree black belt. And he got there in a manner few, if any, have: from the seat of a wheelchair.
GAO: Only 27% of U.S. polling places accessible in 2008 Media dis&dat Blog USA 10/28/09 [T]he latest U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) survey shows that a mere 27 percent of polling places in the 2008 election were accessible to people in wheelchairs.
House bill likely to include long-term health care Washington Post Washington,DC,USA 10/27/09 House health care legislation expected within days is likely to include a new long-term care insurance program to help seniors and disabled people stay out of nursing homes, senior Democrats say.
Artist With Autism Puts Extraordinary Memory To Work Disability Scoop USA 10/26/09 A 20-minute flyover is all Stephen Wiltshire needs to create a stunningly detailed skyline drawing from memory. Now, the artist who has autism is taking on New York City.
Prep sports: Golfer grinds it out against disability The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City,UT,USA 10/11/09 While his teammates quickly navigated the 18-hole course on their way to a second place finish at the Barn Golf Course, Baker steadily limped across the green, his bag of golf clubs clinking at his side after each lopsided step.
Statue of Helen Keller to be installed in Capitol WLTX Chicago,IL,USA 10/7/09 The hair comes from the collection of Gary Pepper, a man with cerebral palsy that Elvis befriended during his lifetime. Pepper became the president of one of Presley's first fan clubs, and got plenty of memorabilia from Elvis himself.
Helen Keller statue to be unveiled at Capitol CNN Washington,DC,USA 10/6/09 It was a moment vividly depicted in the movie about her life: 7-year-old Helen Keller, holding one hand under a water pump as her teacher spelled "W-A-T-E-R" into her other hand.
Eat, drink and be charitable Huntsville Times
Huntsville,AL,USA 10/4/09 If a city had a taste, what would it be? That's easy: The annual Taste of Huntsville gathers up Huntsville's best restaurants and chefs and challenges them to spread out their most tantalizing dishes for us to sample.
Hines Makes Appearance at UCP Event Politico
Washington,DC,USA 10/1/09 Cheryl Hines is a comedic actress and on the board of trustees for an organization dedicated to the serious issue of cerebral palsy. But that doesn’t mean they can't go hand-in-hand.
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In a change from the annual Gala format, September's 
Following the Forum, participants joined other invited guests at the 
Recently, 
