We hope everyone has been enjoying the holiday season! During this busy time of year, please remember that the Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) continues to accept applications for participation in the James Patrick Memorial Work Incentive Personal Assistant Services program (JP-PAS). The JP-PAS Program provides a monthly stipend to qualified Floridians with disabilities who are employed and require personal assistance services for daily living. If you or anyone you know would benefit from this program, please check out the link below to learn more and view the application!

JP-PAS Program

Image Description: Light blue background with large, centered text at the top that reads, “The JP-PAS Personal Attendant Services and Employment Assistance Program”, with the centered website address, www.floridacils.org/pca-services-program, beneath that text. The FACIL logo is to the left of the website address and the JP-PAS logo is to the right. At the bottom is a centered picture of two people sitting in an office, facing each other. An African American woman is sitting to the left holding papers up in her right hand, and has an open laptop on her lap. She is wearing a white headband, glasses, an off white, long sleeved shirt with white polka dots and teal capris. An African American man is sitting in a wheelchair to the right, with hands folded and resting on the arms of the wheelchair. He is wearing a brown, long-sleeved shirt with beige pants.

At the end of November, Brandi Roy, Community Relations Representative II with Sunshine Health, went to visit our CIL office in Ocala. Sunshine Health is a long-time and proud partner with the CIL, and together they have great collaboration. Recently, the CILNCF received the Sunshine Health Community Connections grant to be used for food distribution, essential resource needs, and transportation costs for food deliveries. We are so grateful for these funds, especially as our consumers with disabilities continue to navigate through the pandemic.  Special Thanks to Sunshine Health and all that you do for our community!

The Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) continues to accept applications for participation in the JPPAS Program. The JPPAS Program provides a monthly stipend to qualified Floridians with disabilities who are employed and require personal assistance services for daily living.

If you or anyone you know would benefit from this program, please check out the link below to learn more and view the application!

http://www.floridacils.org/pca-services-program

Come join us on zoom at the Youth Leadership and Social Group Holiday Party tomorrow on Tuesday, December 14th from 3:30pm to 5:00pm, to celebrate life and laughter as we conclude 2021! Activities will include a student presentation about the 30 Rock comedy sitcom, as well as the history of comedy. We’ll watch different holiday movie snippets, discuss the year of 2021 and celebrate the Holiday Season as we prepare for 2022! As usual, we will have a fun game of Kahoot! trivia. Can you guess what the Kahoot! theme will be?

Class ID: 3523787474
Password: cilclass

Graphic has an olive green background with Happy Holidays listed repeatedly from the top to the bottom of the right side in faded white lettering. The top left side has the CIL logo with a white, square border, and faded image of a Christmas tree in the background. The bottom left shows a close up image of a Christmas tree with a snowflake ornament and a white round ornament, with the CIL logo in the middle of the round ornament, and a white square border. On the right side over the Happy Holidays wording there is white text that states, “Youth Leadership and Social Group Holiday Party. Join us tomorrow!” The white text also includes the date, time and zoom information listed above, and it has a turquoise blue background with a white, square border.

Our Wheelchair Ramp Building Program continues to move and groove! Two wheelchair ramps were recently built for consumers Lonnie Davis and Jeanette Cobb. Both consumers were having severe health issues and chronic pain that prevented them from climbing the stairs that led into their own homes, limiting their independence and community access. Because of the CIL and Custom Design Renovations, both of our consumers can now enter and leave their homes with ease and no longer feel isolated, but empowered and independent!

Special Thanks to David Hilman with Custom Design Renovations, an amazing CIL community partner, for continuing to help the CIL fulfill our mission, To empower people with disabilities to achieve their goals for independence!

The picture to the left is Lonnie’s completed ramp, leading up to the front door of his beige house. The picture to the right is Jeanette’s completed ramp, leading up to the side door of her blue house.

Hurricane season may have come to an end, but our Emergency Preparedness Program runs strongly throughout the year thanks to our Consumer Specialist, Kevin Towles!

In our catchment area, he serves as the Vice Chair for the Emergency Support Functions (ESF) 8 Group in Sumter County. The ESF 8 Group distributed coins as awards to all of the Chairs and Vice Chairs for their hard work, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The picture shows Kevin presenting Tony with his coin for being the CIL Executive Director, and supporting Kevin in his leadership role with the ESF 8 Group.in Sumter County. Great job Kevin for all of your dedication and diligence with our Emergency Preparedness Program and serving people with disabilities!

This past month, our Community Specialist, Sada Ahmed, went to Lake City to collect a Durable Medical Equipment (DME) donation from a community member named Bonnie. The haul included wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and a number of spare parts. When Bonnie purchased her home, these items had been left behind in the shed. We are grateful that she got connected with us at CILNCF to help find this DME a new home!

The CILNCF DME Closet provides wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, scooters and sliding boards. If you or someone you know is in need of any DME supplies to assist with their independent living, please call Sada at 352-378-7474 or e-mail her at sahmed@cilncf.org for more information.

Have a holly jolly time at the CIL! Please check out our latest December calendar of online activities! On Tuesday, the Youth Leadership and Social Group runs from 3:30 PM-5:00 PM. On Wednesday, Independence Hacks (ILS) runs from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM. Everything can be reached on Zoom through the meeting ID: 352 378 7474 and password: cilclass. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Terri Poucher at 352-378-7474 or tpoucher@cilncf.org. We hope to see you there!

This month the CIL Independent Living Skills (ILS) team gathered and bagged craft items for the December ILS groups. During December, we always focus on “Giving of Ourselves” and once our consumers get the crafts made and wrapped, they will have some handmade gifts to give to others for the holiday season. Special Thanks to our ILS Coordinator Terri Poucher for organizing this great activity for our consumers!

The CIL is so thankful for each and every one of you! Wishing you and your families a very Safe, Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!