Thursday, December 19, 2024

New Mobility, Wheelchairs

 

New Mobility Logo
December 18, 2024 - View in browser

PRODUCTS

16 Holiday Gifts for Wheelchair Users
This year’s holiday gift guide features 16 products that New Mobility staff and contributors can’t live without. We have gifts at a variety of price ranges — from $25 and under, like grip straps and flameless candles; to midrange purchases like wet-weather gloves and a massage gun; to bigger items like a more dependable set of wheel locks — plus a whole lot more.

NEWS


Pioneering Inclusive Restaurant Contento to Close
After 3 1/2 years of widespread acclaim and awards for its revolutionary approach to accessibility, Contento restaurant in New York City will close its doors Dec. 21. Read more about its founders’ hope that Contento’s impact lives on.
 

WHAT TO WATCH

Super/Man Shows Christopher Reeve Beyond the Cure
Before watching, Teal Sherer was afraid the new documentary would fall into the same inspirational trap as most media depictions of the late actor. Although a few parts did make her cringe, Sherer found the movie gives an intimate look at Reeve’s life while also exploring big-picture issues like his role in the disability community. Read the full review on newmobility.com and watch Super/Man on Max and other streaming services.

SPONSORED CONTENT

QUICKIE QS5 X: Folding Lightweight Manual Wheelchair
The QUICKIE QS5 X redefines easy folding. With FreeFold technology, folding is 40% easier—perfect for hassle-free car transfers. Designed for effortless lifting, it features an optional folding fastener to keep it securely locked during transport.

Crafted with a durable aluminum frame, the QS5 X delivers lightweight convenience and rigid-like performance with its oval-tubed 4-arm cross-brace. Convenience meets comfort!

Managing Bladder & Bowel Health with Spinal Cord Injuries
Getting used to bladder and bowel management can be a challenge for some people with spinal cord injuries. Visit our website to learn more about how things change for both men and women after such an injury, and the best ways to manage bladder and bowel health.

PERSPECTIVES

Wheelchair Builder Muhammad Hussain Shah
Muhammad Hussain Shah grew up in rural northern Pakistan and still lives in this mountainous area even after his 2016 spinal cord injury. See how he gets through his day — managing limited access to electricity while designing and manufacturing custom wooden wheelchairs that can cope with rugged terrain.

PRO TIP

Taking Action Against a Hospital

When wheelchair user Barb Zablotney received subpar medical treatment in 2021 due to lack of accessibility and a staff untrained to meet her needs, she made the difficult decision to sue the hospital. We take you inside her three-year legal battle and how she won a settlement she hopes will make it easier for local wheelchair users to get the care they need.



United Spinal logoNew Mobility publishes member content for United Spinal Association, whose mission is to empower wheelchair users to achieve their highest quality of life. Join here.
 
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Fort Totten NY 11359

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Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Family Connection SC, Education Resources Campaign

 

HIRE ME SC, Newsletter

 

Hire Me SC
 

Hire Me SC Quarterly Newsletter

Photo of a young Black man holding a sign in the shape of South Carolina that reads 'Hire Me SC.'

Hire Me SC

People with disabilities can work, want to work, and should be afforded every opportunity to work. Hire Me SC is a campaign that promotes a culture of inclusion across the state of South Carolina, one in which employment for every individual, disability or not, is the norm rather than the exception.

View our website

With your help, we can change the culture of disability employment in South Carolina.

SC Employment Equality Project

Are you a minority person with paralysis on SSA benefits and is interested in working, but wants more information? The SC Employment Equality Project can help! Funding through the Reeves Foundation is available to provide benefits counseling services! 

Many individuals fear working because of what might happen to their cash or health benefits. Able SC assists individuals in understanding the changes to benefits by providing accurate and timely information.   

This is done through:  

  • Verifying current benefits
  • Discussing the impact of employment and available work incentives
  • Providing a comprehensive written outline of the available options to support your ability to make an informed decision.  

Who can we serve under the SC Employment Equality Project? 

Residents of South Carolina with disabilities who are: 

  • Entitled to SSA Benefits
  • Working or seeking employment
  • Between the ages 14 to full retirement age  
  • Black Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) 
  • Have a disability under the umbrella of paralysis such as: 
    • Spinal cord injury
    • Traumatic brain injury
    • Stroke
    • Cerebral palsy
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • ALS, etc. 

How do I get started?  

You can get started by calling 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 for TTY, or email: wipa@able-sc.org.

 

Able SC Employment Programs
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Logo
 

Upcoming Events & Workshops

Employing with Intention Workshops 

South Carolina Employers:

  • Are you an HR professional interested in supporting minorities with disabilities? 
  • Have you begun implementing inclusive business practices but are overwhelmed? 
  • If so, join us for this free workshop! 

Workshop Objectives:

  • The training aims to educate employers about the intersection of race and disability within the workforce. Participants will understand how intersectionality affects the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color employees with disabilities and learn how to create and implement inclusive workplace policies and practices.

Join one of the virtual workshops below to learn how to support your multi-marginalized employees. 

SC Disability Employment Coalition logo

SC Disability Employment Coalition Update

During the Quarterly meeting on December 12, Marly Saade and Michael Hanna with Able South Carolina presented Nontraditional Resumes: Train the Trainer. They introduced them, explained their benefits, and provided examples to the 25 community partners. 

A Nontraditional resume uniquely showcases a job seeker’s skills, talents, and interests. Examples include a presentation, video trailer, poster, website, and more! Nontraditional resumes can be an excellent resource for individuals with or without disabilities who may prefer to highlight skills and experiences in action on their resume. 

Through the PACE Grant, Able SC developed a pilot project working with Spartanburg students to develop Nontraditional Resumes. View the PowerPoint below to learn more about developing Nontraditional resumes and their benefits!

Coalition Webpage
PowerPoint Presentation

Disability Benefits & Employment Workshop Highlights of 2024

Able SC's WIPA Project hosted six benefits workshops in 2024, and 133 people attended to learn more about how working can impact benefits. Three workshops were virtual, and three were in-person, with two specifically geared toward those affected by subminimum wage. 

Able SC’s Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program hosted presentations about the myths of working while receiving SSI and SSDI. Disability Rights SC presented its services and gave information on preventing and appealing overpayments. In addition, representatives from state agencies shared information on the employment services they provide. In the two workshops geared toward those with subminimum wage employment history, leaders from Thrive Upstate and Lauren’s County Disability and Special Needs Board spoke about their organizations’ experiences in phasing out subminimum wage. 

We received great feedback from those who attended the workshops. An individual with a visual disability shared that it was a “Wonderful presentation, [and] very informative.”

We thank the many partner organizations that participated in these workshops. In addition to the many state agencies that participated in the resource fairs, thank you to Disability Rights SC for funding these workshops and to SC Works Trident, SC Works Midlands, and Thrive Upstate for hosting our in-person workshops. 

We look forward to offering more workshops in 2025, so stay tuned for that announcement!

Photo of Julia, a white woman in a wheelchair, and partners presenting, with Brittany, a white woman seated in front of a laptop, operating the presentation screen. The photo is taken from the back of the room, with the backs of participants in the foreground.

2025 Assistive Technology Expo 

Join the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program within the University of South Carolina School of Medicine's Center for Disability Resources on March 25, 2025, for a full day of exhibits and workshops showcasing assistive technology for people with a wide range of disabilities.  

  • Date: March 25, 2025 
  • Time: 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
  • Target Audience: People with disabilities, their families, seniors, educators, veterans, and healthcare professionals. 
  • Cost: Free 
  • Place: Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201 
Register for the AT Expo

Hire Me SC is here for you - we have resources for everyone:

A white man with Down Syndrome working in a shop holds a sign that reads, 'Hire Me SC.'

Job Seekers- You have skills and talents. Employment is possible, and we have the resources you need to get there.

A Black man in a power wheelchair speaking outside.

Employers- You will benefit from hiring individuals with disabilities. We can show you how your company can thrive.

A white woman sitting with a young Black man with a developmental disability, holding materials and talking.

Service Providers- You can empower disabled people to reach their goals. We can show you the skills you need to make it happen.

A Black mother smiles with her Black daughter with Down Syndrome.

You can empower your loved one to meet their employment goals. We can help you be an educated advocate.

I'm a job seeker
I'm an employer
I'm a provider
I'm family
Able SC staff and consumers, diverse in age, race, gender, and disability pose outside for a photo in front of their office, with Able SC sign visible.
Employment Programs

Able SC Employment Programs

We offer a variety of employment programs and initiatives to help people with disabilities achieve their employment goals. Our Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA team works with people who receive social security benefits to help them understand how working may impact their benefits and what work incentives may be available to them. 

Our employment services include:

  • Self-esteem/confidence building to prepare for employment
  • Access to benefits counseling
  • Career options counseling
  • Job search skills (resumes, interviews)
  • Workplace skill-building (communicating effectively, workplace etiquette, professional relationships, etc.)
  • Job performance support
  • Troubleshooting Workplace Issues (including disclosure, accommodations, and advocacy)
  • Peer Support

Other employment programs include Hire Me SC, Ticket to Work, SNAP2Work, and SC Disability Employment Coalition.

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Hire Me SC
720 Gracern Road Suite 106 | Columbia, South Carolina 29210
803.779.5121 | hiremesc@able-sc.org

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