Starbridge

Ways to get ready for managing your health as an adult, including finding new providers. #TransitionTuesday https://gottransition.org/youth-and-young-adults/

We are proud to be a new Member Agency of the Al Sigl Community - the first new agency in 34 years! We have been a tenant at the Wolk Campus for several years now. We have appreciated the facilities and the operational benefits of being near remarkable agencies, all connected by a shared goal of supporting children and adults of diverse abilities to lead successful lives. Becoming a member of this collective allows us to contribute our particular strengths in education, employment, and self-direction to the overall strength of the Al Sigl Community. Thank you WXXI News for helping us spread the word!

It's that time of year: when families start thinking about the annual review meeting. January's issue of Bridges has advice from Starbridge advocates and expert resources just for you! https://conta.cc/2M5QcXx

Our friends at Action for a Better Community, Inc. are hosting a virtual conference series: Racism is a Public Health Crisis. We are looking forward to listening to and learning from leaders in the work of racial equity and justice. Join us!

There is strength in atypical journeys. We know that timing is not everything in our community. Delayed does not mean never. Value is not measured, it is inher...ent. These truths are all strength-building gifts. But they are often dismissed as platitudes in typical circles. Nodded away with smiles and best wishes as true, but not true enough to make space for neurodiversity. There is also a strength that comes from the struggle of being counted out. The desire and the grit that is cultivated in our children who are defined as other than typical sharpens them in ways that are powerful and painful. It readies them in a way no glide path to academic success ever could. Typical is not the exclusive domain of honor, service, and giftedness. It is not the singular path to a limitless future. Yet, typical is too often the bar set for access to opportunity and even voice in our larger communities. Systemic racial and socioeconomic inequities make the journey to access even more perilous. Access to education and student life is essential for all children. For many of us who have been at tables and heard words like delayed as an excuse to limit access to things like poetry, literature, art, science, service, student life, and curriculum ...

Happy New Year! Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, safe, and healthy start to 2021.

Our TIES Program has some great virtual activities planned for youth ages 8-21! Check out the listing and contact TIES Program Director Kathy Costello at [email protected] to sign up or find out more.

Great news! Everyone benefits when we have inclusive healthcare practitioners and facilities in every community. #TheMoreYouKnow #inclusion #disabilityrights

Families in Rochester CSD, do you know about the RCSD SEPAC? They are a parent-led organization for families of students receiving special education supports and services. They invite you to sign up to receive their emails about meetings and other matters.

Brockport Central School District is seeking a parent for the part-time position of TIES Coordinator. TIES (Together Including Every Student) is a program that promotes the participation of children/young adults who have developmental disabilities in extracurricular/community activities by providing effective support with trained peer volunteers. www.starbridgeinc.org/ties-program The TIES Coordinator is essential to the success of this program, helping families to explore available opportunities, developing support plans for each participant, and marketing TIES to the local school and community. The TIES coordinator can be the parent of any student, special education or general education. To learn more, please contact Kathy Costello, TIES Program Director at [email protected] or (585) 414-5345.

With so many of us shopping online, AmazonSmile has donated over $200 million to charities. You can help increase AmazonSmile donations to Starbridge by shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/22-2702285 or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app. Thank you in advance for your support!

Our friends at Al Sigl Community are holding their annual WalkAbout as a Car Parade this year! Starbridge will be participating. If you'd like to support us, you can donate at https://secure.qgiv.com//wfa/classification/258056/donate/ This is a FREE socially-distanced, family-friendly event you can enjoy from the comfort of your car. The CAR PARADE kicks off at 9AM. Activities along the driving route will continue until 10AM. Decorate your car to show your support and join the fun. Enter this year's COSTUME CONTEST by sharing your family or team photo in advance or on the 25th. You can also enjoy a VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM of the event. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. To register for the event, go to https://secure.qgiv.com/event/wfasc2/register/

Two days until our annual celebration, Among the Stars - have you registered yet? Admission is free, event is being held via zoom, and Dino Kay of Fickle 93.3 will be our host for the evening. Join us to celebrate our Community Award winners AND our 5th year as Starbridge! www.starbridgeinc.org/gala

FYI - while not a big increase, for people who depend on these safety net programs, every added dollar counts.

This Friday, October 9th, is the last day New Yorkers can register to vote in the 2020 Election. To register, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the Stat...e and the county, city, or village in which you are registering for at least 30 days before the election; and be at least 18 years old on or by November 3rd. Learn the ways you can register to vote by visiting www.elections.ny.gov or check to make sure you are registered to vote by visit the following website: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ See more

Looking to hear more from regional candidates about issues important to you? Sign up to attend Developmental Disabilities Alliance of WNY Family Committee's virtual candidate hours - Oct 14th for Buffalo and Oct 15th for Rochester/Finger Lakes. Make your voice heard! #vote #inclusion #DisabilityRightsAreCivilRights

Excited to announce the 2020 Community Award winners: * Kateri Warren, Director of Pupil Services at Bloomfield Central School District ~ 2020 Inclusion Award * Sara Walworth, Social Worker at Mary Cariola Center ~ 2020 Advocacy Award * Ashley Todd, Paraprofessional at Fairport Central School District ~ 2020 Rising Star Award * James Grossman, Partner at Barclay Damon LLP ~ 2020 Outstanding Community Partner Award... Join us at our free online event, Among The Stars, on October 17 from 6:30-7:30pm to celebrate these remarkable people and the work they do for so many! www.starbridgeinc.org/gala

Starbridge's TIES Program team, Kathy Costello and Sarah Salamone, will be presenting at the Power of Play Virtual Conference in a little over a week. There's still time to register if you are interested in joining! #inclusion https://www.inclusionproject.org/conference/

It is the first day of October, which is also the first day of National Disability Employment Awareness Month #NDEAM. This year’s NDEAM takes on a special significance because we are marking the 75th anniversary of NDEAM and the 30th anniversary of the ADA. Our economy and community are stronger when they include everyone. Workers with disabilities can and do contribute in every industry. Our goal is to see every adult be competitively employed in workplaces that are truly welcoming. #inclusion #employment

#TransitionTuesday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayOhGRcNt4&t=7s

So pleased to announce that we have received a five-year, $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue our work with families and schools to make a positive difference in educational opportunities for students across New York State. Thank you RBJ for helping us make this announcement! #education #inclusion #breakingbarriers https://rbj.net//09/23/starbridge-receives-2-million-grant/

#TransitionTuesday Video Interview TIPS - How to Stand Out in Video Interview for Jobs! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDr1j6LnSqo

Did you know? Results of the US Census inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. The deadline to respond is Sept 30th so make sure you get counted! Visit https://my2020census.gov/