The Center for Independent Living of North Central FL is hosting the 4th Annual Disaster Preparedness Expo for People with Disabilities. The theme this year is Mental Health. This expo will contain important information on how to adequately prepare for the unexpected.

This event will have ASL interpreters present and other accommodations can be arranged.

In order to look out for everyone’s safety and health at this time, masks are required and there will be a temperature check at the door.

To register please go to the following links:

English: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/center-for-independent-living-of-north-certral-fl-16494197787

Spanish: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/de-preparacion-para-emergencias-para-personas-con-discapacidades-tickets-140356822033

This past year has been a very trying time for many people in our community. With the new vaccine that has come out, we see the possibility of life going back to normal. Florida has established a vaccine registration website at https://myvaccine.fl.gov/

The following groups of individuals are elligible for the vaccine:
· Healthcare Personnel with Direct Patient Contact
· Individuals Deemed Extremely Vulnerable to COVID-19
· Individuals 65 Years of Age and Older
· Long-Term Care Facility Residents & Staff

Visiting the site below allows you to register to virtually “get in line” for a vaccine in your county so you can be contacted via phone, text or email when new appointments become available.

The first two categories of eligibility should be able to cover individuals with disabilities of all ages and personal care workers. The registration process does not request any proof of disability, so please make sure to check out the link and register for your vaccine.

Additionally, in coordination with the White House COVID-19 Response Plan, FEMA is working with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners to deliver vaccinations across the country. As part of these efforts, FEMA has made vaccine support information available on FEMA.gov. The webpage includes information on:

· How you can get vaccinated.
· FEMA support for vaccine distribution.
· The accelerated state vaccine efforts.
· Identifying and filling resource gaps.
· Supporting and establishing vaccine sites.

While the country is still in the initial phases of the vaccine distribution plan, we encourage everyone to follow the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations on staying safe during the pandemic.

Please check out our February calendar of online activities below! If you would like to join us for any of our classes, please contact Terri Poucher at 352-378-7474 or tpoucher@cilncf.org to learn more!

Towards the end of December during the midst of the holiday season, the CIL was able to provide some essential items gifting for our consumers!

This opportunity was created from identifying the needs that were not just food, but also for bare necessities. Our consumers were gifted items that were specifically needed, such as cleansing wipes, toiletries, hygiene products, PPP and more.

Special thanks to the UF Disability Resource Center as they provided several bags of these needed items, and also to the Gainesville Housing Authority that assisted with distributing out the items! The consumers were unaware of their “Secret Gifting”, but were so thrilled and grateful for this small act of kindness. We were so glad we could offer this token of love to show our support in their lives during these uncertain and uneasy times.

Thank you Shera and all of our amazing volunteers for helping put this all together!

Each year, the Able Trust awards the statewide High School High Tech (HSHT) sites for excelling in various program areas. We are so happy to announce that the CIL’s Marion County HSHT Program was recognized for excellence in Family Involvement, one of the HSHT design features!

CONGRATULATIONS to our HSHT Senior Staff Program Coordinator, Arlene Jennings, who runs our Marion County Program, for helping your student’s families get connected to services in the community and providing consistent communications! Thank you so much for your continued hard work and dedication to HSHT!

2020 was a difficult year for the world. Time to start fresh with 2021! Happy New Year from all of us here at the CIL!

The CIL Virtual Art Showcase was a great success! People with disabilities from all over the state of Florida submitted their original artwork, such as drawings, paintings, sculptures, mosaics and photography. Throughout the process, we received artwork from 11 participants, exhibited a total of 45 pieces of artwork and had a total of 2,815 likes in just 8 days of the contest! Many thanks to all those who took some time to check and vote for their favorite artwork! Check out the winning participants and their artwork below!

The ARC of Hernando County was such a pleasure to visit during the CIL’s second rural food distribution. The CIL was able to come in with such a welcoming and supportive staff, that it made the new service of providing food an ease. Our new consumers were happy to have us, as they were taking pictures and building relationships with conversations about life and future opportunities. We definitely enjoyed the outreach, and we look forward to building more services with the ARC of Hernando County in the future!

Holidays are a time to spend with family and friends, eat good food and be thankful! After this especially challenging year, we have so much to be thankful for! We are thankful for our awesome consumers, dedicated staff, generous donors, and our surrounding community partners for their unwavering support. Because of your continued support, the CIL was able to serve nearly 2,400 people with disabilities this past year! You help us make a difference in so many lives throughout our community and we could not be more grateful. We wish you a safe, happy and healthy holiday season!