December 2013 Newsletter

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM
DISABILITY RIGHTS & RESOURCES!

As 2013 comes to a close, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday and happy new year! We are so grateful for all those who have contributed to the success of our agency this past year! In this issue: the Jasper Office, CRPD, and winter weather planning!

RENOVATED JASPER OFFICE NOW OPEN!

Last month marked the official re-opening of Disability Rights & Resources’ renovated, updated, and fully accessible office
building in Walker County! The Jasper office is currently headed by Peer Advocate Vickie Stovall, who has worked with individuals with disabilities for many years. The Jasper office offers a range of services to consumers in Walker county, including locating emergency funds (utilities and housing), providing information on local resources, distributing emergency preparedness kits, referring consumers to places like the Hope Clinic and Capstone for medical needs, and working with the Volunteer Home Modification Coordinator to build ramps, steps, and handrails for consumers in need of home modification. The Jasper office also works closely with the Walker County Community Action Agency, which provides residents with emergency assistance, computer lab training, and employment resources. So far, Vickie has been spreading the word about our Jasper location at places like Cordova City Hall, Parish City Hall, the Carbon Hill Community Center, and the Sumiton Senior Center.

In addition, the Jasper office has some great upcoming projects for the new year, including collaborations with VIP (Visually Impaired People, Inc.) and Vocational Rehab’s Vision Counselors to use the Jasper office facilities to provide kitchen training for those who are blind or visually impaired. Also, the Jasper office is looking forward to further collaboration with Disabilities Unlimited (DU) and future involvement in community events.

The Jasper office is open Monday-Friday from 7:30-4:00 and is located at 300 Birmingham Ave, Jasper, AL 35501. For questions about services, please contact Vickie Stovall, Peer Advocate, at (205) 387-0159.

CRPD UPDATE!

The second hearing on the CRPD Treaty was held Thursday, November 21 and there was a fantastic turnout! The official petition, which you can find here, calling for ratification of the treaty currently has over 67,000 signatures. Furthermore, the newly re-launched disabilitytreaty.org website is equipped with a “citizen action portal” that makes it easy to reach your legislators with phone calls, letters, and emails. For continued updates on the CRPD treaty or for more information, please click here or here.

WINTER WEATHER PLANNING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES!

Some tips from Judy Roy:
Hurricanes and tornados aren’t the only two severe weather events people with disabilities need to be prepared for. Winter brings its own challenges for people with disabilities. What’s your Winter Weather Plan?
•   Dress in layers. Wear loose, lightweight, warm clothing in several layers. Trapped air between the layers acts as an insulator and layers can be removed to avoid perspiration and subsequent chill. (Remember, layers can always be taken off.) Avoid cotton– when it gets wet, it stays wet.
•   Carry two pairs of gloves with you at all times in the likelihood that one pair gets wet. Make sure the gloves are lined for the best protection
•   Head, feet and hands lose heat the quickest. Always wear a hat or cap on your head since half of your body heat could be lost through an uncovered head.
•   Hydration is critical in winter weather. When the body gets dehydrated cold sets in more easily
•   Batteries lose 60% of their charge when the temperature reaches 0 degrees (Flash light, radio, and wheelchair batteries). Keep batteries warm with covers.
•   If you only have a land line think about ice snapping limbs and lines. Develop a buddy system – someone that will check on you in a severe weather event