With hurricane season upon us, The Center for Independent Living is in desperate need of wheelchairs (all sizes) and rollators with seats. 🌧️🌀

These items are crucial for helping our community during emergencies, and we currently can’t keep them in stock. We kindly ask that all donations be in good, like-new, or new condition.

It’s disheartening when individuals with disabilities request these essential items, and we have to say no due to lack of availability. 💔

If you have these items to donate, please contact us to arrange a pickup or drop them off at our center. Your support can make a significant difference in someone’s life this hurricane season.

Thank you for your generosity and support! 🙏❤️

📍 Drop-off Location: The Center For Independent Living
222 SW 36th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32607

Please reach out to:
Kevin Towles at ktowles@cilncf.org or 352-368-3788 ext. 1017
Claudia Avendano at cavendano@cilncf.org or 352-378-7474 Ext. 2100

Join us for an informative session featuring CaptionCall, a service designed to assist individuals who have difficulty hearing phone calls. CaptionCall provides specialized phones that display real-time captions of what the other person is saying, ensuring you never miss a word. Additionally, calls are saved, allowing you to review the conversation at your convenience. Discover how CaptionCall can enhance your communication experience and provide peace of mind.

This presentation will be especially useful for anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing, or those who know someone who could benefit from enhanced phone communication.

Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: The Center for Independent Living
2760 SE 17th Street, Suite 300 Ocala, FL 34471

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89174062765?pwd=uCFaFCzrx4QL589pfSxu3qeg6Xjzej.1

Meeting ID: 891 7406 2765
Passcode: 610039

One tap mobile
+13052241968,,86184197216#,,,,*031553# US
+16469313860,,86184197216#,,,,*031553# US

For questions, contact Brandon Palermo at (352) 368-3788 ext. 1012, or via e-mail bpalermo@cilncf.org.

In celebration of Disability Awareness Month, the Alachua County Citizens Disability Advisory Committee, in partnership with the city of Gainesville, is excited to host a FREE ADA EXPO! 🎉

📅 Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center, 1028 NE 14th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601

This event is open to the public and will feature various organizations showcasing their products, services, and resources that support people with disabilities. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about disability awareness and inclusion, connect with the community, and discover valuable resources.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with local organizations and learn how we can all contribute to a more inclusive community. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you have a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the Expo please contact the Alachua County Equal Opportunity office by 7/22/24.

Call 352-374-5275 TDD/TTY Users: please call 711 (Florida Relay Service)

*Free A1C Testing and Giveaways Sponsored by Alachua County Health Dept.

Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸 Today, we celebrate the spirit of independence and freedom that our nation was built upon. At our center, we believe that everyone deserves the ability to live an independent life, regardless of their abilities.

Independence means something unique to each of us. For some, it’s the ability to move freely and confidently in their community; for others, it’s about having access to resources and opportunities to thrive. This Independence Day, let’s remember the importance of inclusion, accessibility, and support for all individuals.

Join us in celebrating the spirit of independence and the power of community. Together, we can create a world where everyone has the ability to live their best life.

July is Disability Pride Month, celebrating the history, achievements, and experiences of the disability community, and marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed on July 26, 1990. This month symbolizes progress toward inclusivity, beginning with Boston’s first Disability Pride Day in 1990 and Chicago’s first parade in 2004.

Although Disability Pride Month is an annual event, its message should resonate year-round. Here’s how you can take action:

📓 Educate Yourself About Ableism
Ableism assumes people with disabilities need fixing, leading to discrimination. Use “people with disabilities” to prioritize their humanity and read books to deepen your understanding of disability pride.

🙋 Participate in Disability Pride Month
Join parades and celebrations, whether you have a disability or not. Your participation helps create a more inclusive world.

🤗 Embrace Disability Pride Every Day
Promote inclusivity, awareness, and empathy daily. Support physical and digital accessibility for all abilities. Let’s build a world where everyone can thrive.

Join our Independent Living Skills (ILS) classes to empower yourself with healthy living strategies, peer support, and essential life skills. Learn how to advocate for yourself, communicate effectively, solve everyday problems in a supportive community, and connect with others who share similar experiences.

GAINESVILLE: Thursday 10:30AM-12:00PM
222 SW 36 Terr. Gainesville, FL 32607

OCALA: Tuesday 10:30 am – 12:00PM
2760 SE 17th St. Suite 300 Ocala, FL 34471
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89525615262?pwd=T2RCMHFhb2EvcGQrbXJTeUpKK0UyZz09

CITRUS CO: Tuesday 2:00PM – 3:30PM
Calvary Chapel Inverness
960 South US-41 Inverness, FL 34450

For more information, contact Terri 352-378-7474 ext.2036

Last month, we continued with our monthly Health and Wellness activities by having a fun and festive “May Day Game Day”! The Gainesville team had a wonderful time, relaxing, visiting with each other, tackling a 1,000-piece puzzle (and we’re still tackling it!) as well as playing a spirted game of Pictionary. The Ocala team also had a great time, playing games such as UNO Attack, Water Pong and the game that produced the most laughs of the day, Doubles Balloon Tennis!

For Doubles Balloon Tennis, staff had set up tables side by side, long ways, so when they started playing, the balloons were going everywhere and staff ended up just hitting whatever came by. They had made paddles out of paper plates with sticks taped on for the handles, and the “paddles” kept falling apart as staff played, so everyone ended up just holding the plates and hitting the balloons. Everyone was laughing so hard, they didn’t even bother to keep score! They all agreed at the end of the day, that they needed those laughs, and had not laughed like that for way too long! We’re so happy we can continue to offer our amazing CIL team these types of opportunities, so staff can get away from their desks for a bit and create new, non-work related memories with each other!

Happy Summer! Our weekly Youth Social Group has been kicking off the summer with many fun and educational activities! We have created music and art together, learned how to budget, explored our career goals, learned about the science of egg drop experiments and conducted our very own, and enjoyed an active field day filled with camaraderie and excitement. Please enjoy photos from our field day and egg drop science experiments below.

Youth Social Group is open to youth and young adults ages 14 – 24 with disabilities looking to build social skills, prepare for the transition into adulthood, and learn new things with peers. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact Ashlyn Michael by phone (352) 378-7474 ext- 2056 or email amichael@cilncf.org.

ID: There are a total of 3 graphics, all with a light blue background. Graphic 1 is a group photo of Youth Social Group participants; “Summer 2024” is written across a yellow sticker on the bottom left corner and the CILNCF logo is displayed on the bottom right corner. Graphic 2 contains an abstract collage of four photos taken during a Youth Social Group activity, both inside in the CIL Activity Room and outside of CILNCF office. Graphic 3 is a collage of four photos of Youth Social Group participating in the egg drop science experiment taken place inside and outside at CILNCF.

Juneteenth celebrates freedom, but as we honor this day, let us also remember that many enslaved people also had disabilities, and their stories are often missing from the conversation. Their strength, resilience, and contributions deserve to be recognized.

This Juneteenth, we recommit to fighting for a world where ALL people have equal rights and opportunities, regardless of race or disability. We celebrate the progress towards liberation, but also acknowledge the work that remains.

Here are some ways you can learn more and get involved:

❤️ Read about the experiences of Black disabled people throughout history.

💛 Support Black-owned businesses with accessible features.

💚 Educate yourself and others about intersectionality and disability justice.

Mr. John, a 75-year-old gentleman facing mobility challenges due to disability and dialysis, recently reached out to our Center for help. His home’s lack of accessibility made it difficult for him to attend crucial doctor’s appointments and treatments without relying on family or friends to navigate the stairs.

Thanks to the generosity and support of our community, Mr. John now has a brand-new wheelchair ramp at his home! 🏡 This ramp now allows him to independently come and go, making his life much more convenient and enjoyable.

Mr. John is deeply grateful for this positive change, and we’re honored to have played a part in enhancing his quality of life. 💙

Thank you to everyone who contributes to making these transformations possible. Together, we’re making our community more inclusive and accessible for everyone!