Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

This Is What 5,000 Books Looks Like

Excerpt from: The Harry Potter Alliance (click for full article)

 

Our Harry Potter Alliance chapter in Edmonton seems to have a solid grasp on the accio books spell because check this out: they have already collected over 5,000 books as part of our Accio Books! campaign! Major props to Edmonton Potterwatch!

There's still time for you to share your love of literature by contributing to Accio Books!

Accio Books! is the Harry Potter Alliance's annual book drive. Since 2009, Harry Potter fans around the world have donated more than 86,000 books to underprivileged or underserved readers. This year, we're working with our partners in the International Quidditch Association and NaNoWriMo to help raise books in support of Read Indeed.

Read Indeed is a non-profit literacy organization and the vision of Maria Keller, a book-loving 7th grader who wants to collect and distribute 1 million books to needy kids by the time she's 18. Maria is a huge Harry Potter fan and she has already donated over 800,000 books. We are very excited to assist her in reaching her goal of 1 million books.

ACCIO BOOKS! runs until May 31st.

JARC and the Camp Tanuga/Bear Hug Foundation Camp 2013

Download JARC and the camp Tanuga 2013 flyer

The Camp Tanuga/Bear Hug Foundation camp experience is
back. Join us for three fun-filled days of swimming, tubing,
boating, eating s’mores, going on nature walks, mountain
biking and so much more.
Camp is for kids, teens, their siblings & friends ages 7-16.
The actual cost of camp is $325 per person. The Bear Hug
Foundation has been subsidizing a large portion of camp for
families every year. However, due to decreased fund-raising
and increased costs, the subsidy is limited.
For families that can’t afford the $325 cost, Bear Hug will
subsidize up to $100, making your cost $225 per person. If
MORC, CLS-OC, the ARC/Oakland County or another agency
is paying, the cost is $325.
If you are interested in sending your child to camp this
summer, please call Randee Black to obtain the required
paperwork.
All paperwork is due by April 1st, 2013.
If you have any other questions about camp, please call
Randee at 248.488.7531 or [email protected]

Noyo Food Forest

Noyo Food Forest is a non-profit organization in Fort Bragg, California doing amazing work for their community.  They are currently trying to raise money to build a special accessible garden to be used by all community member but with raised beds at wheelchair and standing height for elders and disabled.  They believe that growing organic food should be accessible to everyone.

 

Please go visit their Kickstarter page to see their extraordinary vision.  For more information, visit Noyo Food Forest's main page.

 

 

7th Annual Life without Limits through Assistive Technology

Download UCP Detroit 2013 AT Conf Brochure

Above is the brochure for UCP of Metro Detroit's annual "Life without Limits through Assistive Technology" Conference.

It will cover technology like:

• iPad
• Universal Design for Learning
• Home Modifications
• Lego
• Assistive Technology Vendor Expo

2013 Sibling Day

Download 2013 Sibling Day Flyer

Join us on Wednesday, April 10th at 6:00 p.m.
at TGI Friday’s in Southfield to celebrate your siblings!
TGI Friday’s is located at 26299 Evergreen Road in Southfield, MI
We will be meeting in the bar area for a sibling happy hour!

UCP of Metro Detroit Dining for a Cause

On April 24th from 4pm to 9pm, The Emory in Ferndale will host a Dinning for a Cause where 25% of total bills for those who simply mention UCP Detroit. The Emory donated a pair of certificates to our hockey event plus they invited us to participate in this opportunity. If you have not been to the Emory, it is a relaxed, fun, casual bar with great food just south of 9 Mile on the east side of Woodward Ave.
Please join us and even more, post to your FB pages, send email invites and see how many folks we can get to the event. Thank you.

Lack of Savings Is Americans' Top Financial Concern

Excerpt from: accounting web (click for full article)

 

Consumers admit they're in dire need of professional financial advice, at least according to 78 percent of those who participated in the 2013 Financial Literacy Survey conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association.

 

The nonprofit organizations' seventh annual survey was conducted in the first week of March by Harris Interactive and released April 1 in conjunction with the beginning of National Financial Literacy Month. More than 2,000 US adults participated in the online survey. 

 

"This year's survey results provided somewhat of a mixed message," said Susan C. Keating, president and CEO of the NFCC, in a press release. "More than one in four consumers indicated they are spending more than last year, yet 77 percent admitted to having financial worries, listing insufficient savings as their top financial concern.

Recent Research Points to Better Math and Reading Test Scores for Readers With Disabilities Who Use Audiobooks

Excerpt from: Learning Ally (click for full article)

 

Students with print disabilities who have access to audiobooks significantly outperform their peers in math tests, according to a recent study conducted by the national nonprofit Learning Ally, the nation’s leading provider of accessible audiobook learning resources for students with disabilities such as dyslexia and visual impairment. The study reinforces the organization’s recent findings that audiobook resources bolster student performance in reading.

2013 Annual Fund Campaign: BE A MUSIC THERAPY MIRACLE

Excerpt from: D-Man (click for full article)

 

So, at the D-MAN Foundation, we’ve made it our mission to build a state-of-the-art music therapy program adapted specifically for the special needs of quadriplegics and other physically and cognitively challenged individuals.

With assistive technology including “sip and puff” modules that allow the use of computers hands-free, severely disabled people will be able to record and produce their own music in our new D-MAN Music Therapy Studio.

The doors to our studio will be open and ready for our first patients to begin their personalized music therapy programs on April 13, 2013—Danny’s birthday.

We’re beyond excited about bringing this breakthrough program to disabled people in our Metro Detroit communities.

And there are hundreds of patients who want the opportunity to change their lives for the better with music therapy.

But, we need your help to make it happen.

We need you to be a music therapy miracle.

Annual Life Without Limits Assistive Technology Conference

UCP of Metro Detroit (click for more information)

The goal of the  Annual “Life without Limits through Assistive Technology” Conference is to provide access to information and resources to families and individuals with disabilities and to professionals.

This year's conference will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at the Double Tree-Dearborn (5801 Southfield Service Drive, Detroit MI 48228).

Expo

The Expo will include vendors that can either provide assistive technology products or help you learn to navigate the process of obtaining assistive technology products.

On the webpage, vendor forms, presenters forms, and corporate sponsor forms can be found.