Granite State Stuff : Granite State Independent Living

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

AskLisa — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:17:00 GMT

In 1988 Congress declared October National Disability Employment Awareness Month and as the state’s only Independent Living center, Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is taking this opportunity to spread the word about some of the progressive employment programs our award winning organization offers.

This past year, despite tough economic times and record unemployment rates, the Employment Services department at GSIL placed 83 individuals with disabilities in jobs with salaries ranging from $7-$25 per hour. Note, of this group, 98% have disabilities defined as severe.

Many of us are defined by our jobs; it is an important part of who we are. With this in mind, the Employment Services team strives to place individuals in career-track positions that offer benefits, stability and an increasing opportunity for advancement. As GSIL continues to serve our consumers, we will continue to be leaders in addressing the needs of New Hampshire employers.

GSIL committed to assisting people with disabilities reach their employment goals by providing a wide range of employment services- including benefits counseling- so achieving the American dream is a real possibility. GSIL collaborates with Vocational Rehabilitation, offers Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) and Medicaid for Employed Adults with Disabilities (MEAD), and is an Employment Network for Ticket to Work.

Congress designated a National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). To highlight the specific employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed. This effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment actually began in 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."

Granite State Independent Living recognized for exceptional management

AskLisa — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:55:00 GMT

Granite State Independent Living is one of three nonprofits named as the 2009 recipients of The Corporate Fund Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management. The other award winners are: Student Conservation Association of Charlestown, and Partnership for Successful Living (a/k/a Harbor Homes) of Nashua.

“It takes a mission and a passion for that mission to be successful. At Granite State Independent Living our mission is clear; we work for the day when people with disabilities will be judged by their character and not by a characteristic of their being, a day when we live in a culture that fosters the best of everyone’s ability to achieve their dreams. We thank The Corporate Fund and its evaluators for supporting GSIL’s mission by recognizing our passion for the work we do and naming us one of the 2009 awardees,” said Clyde E. Terry, JD CEO.

For more than one-quarter century, The Corporate Fund has presented the award annually to those organizations demonstrating exemplary nonprofit management practices. Past recipients are listed on The Corporate Fund website at http://www.thecorporatefund.org.

“This year’s large field of 25 applicants underscores the importance New Hampshire nonprofits are placing on sound, sustainable management practices,” said Byron Champlin, Assistant Vice President and Program Officer with Lincoln Financial Group and chair of the Corporate Fund panel. “The three 2009 Dunfey Award recipients represent the very best in a rich pool of healthy, vibrant organizations that that are meeting critical community needs in the Granite State every day.”

Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) has received a $36,750 grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation

AskLisa — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) has received a $36,750 grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. These generous funds will support GSIL’s Access Modification Program (AMP). The grant funds will be used solely to provide a minimum of 15 individuals with spinal cord injuries with the necessary access modifications for their homes.

Last year, AMP assisted 44 consumers in overcoming access barriers by providing coordination and funding for the installation of ramps, home modifications, or the purchase of equipment. The AMP program and the critical modifications it makes possible open the door to a greater degree of independence and allows individuals with disabilities to better access their homes and communities.

For some, these barriers are so confining- they literally become prisoners within their own homes. These barriers severely interfere with or prevent the individual’s ability to earn a living and go about the activities of daily life. This lack of independence diminishes the dignity and pride inherent in those personal freedoms. This funding from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation will now allow GSIL to assist a minimum of 15 more consumers in achieving greater independence. Additional information about the Access Modification Program can be obtained by calling Granite State Independent Living at 603-228-9680 or by visiting www.gsil.org.

Granite State Independent Living receives $10,000 Grant

AskLisa — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:50:00 GMT

Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is please to announce the Alexander Eastman Foundation has awarded GSIL $10,000 to support the purchase of a fuel efficient, cross disability bus to be used to transport consumers. This vehicle will replace a bus which was auctioned off due to age and high mileage.

For individuals with disabilities, securing reliable transportation is one of the biggest obstacles on the path to living independently. GSIL offers accessible transportation to individuals with disabilities which allow them to be independent and self direct their lives. Our transportation services help people live their lives by getting them to and from events, meetings, appointments and errands. Having reliable transportation fosters independence in consumers, reduces stress and dependence on others and improves the overall quality of life. GSIL would like to thank the Alexander Eastman Foundation for its generous support of our mission.

About Granite State Independent Living (GSIL)
Founded in 1980, Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote life with independence for people with disabilities and those experiencing the natural process of aging through advocacy, information, education and support. We offer the tools and resources so that individuals can participate as fully as they choose in their lives, families, and communities. The organization provides a wide variety of services, including employment, peer groups, transportation, personal care, access modification and benefit counseling.

November 4 marks the first time every New Hampshire citizen who wants to privately vote is able to

AskLisa — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:25:00 GMT

This election marked the first time every New Hampshire citizen who wants to privately cast a vote can.

In July, Secretary of State William Gardner and Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Manning partnered with Granite State Independent Living and rolled out a training program on the latest accessible voting equipment which allows voters with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired- to vote privately and by themselves.

“New Hampshire has worked very hard to make polling places accessible to all voters and with this new technology we hope even more voters will feel confident about coming out on Election Day and voting,” said Manning.

The program trained employees of Granite State Independent Living, a Concord based Independent Living center, to travel throughout the state and demonstrate the latest equipment to community groups, human service agencies, senior centers and at libraries. With regional offices in Manchester, Nashua, Keene and Littleton, in addition to Concord, Granite State Independent Living staff was able to hold more than 80 voter equipment training programs throughout the state prior to the November 4 election.

“This is another terrific day in the rich tradition of New Hampshire to make sure that every citizen can get into a polling place and vote in private. New Hampshire has one of the highest election participation rates in the country and these changes will only increase that percentage,” said Clyde Terry, Chief Executive Officer of Granite State Independent Living.

Founded in 1980, Granite State Independent Living is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote life with independence for people with disabilities and those experiencing the natural process of aging through advocacy, information, education and support. The organization provides services and advocacy on behalf of over 200,000 people with disabilities and every resident of New Hampshire.

Making sure every citizen with a disability was aware of the availability of accessible voting equipment is in line with Granite State Independent Livings mission.

To the voter, the accessible voting equipment looks like a telephone and a fax machine. To use it, the voter calls a number, enters a code and the device reads the ballot to the voter. The voter then makes selections on the key pad for their choices in each contest. When completed, the fax machine receives a print out of the voter’s selections. That ballot is then deposited in the ballot box along with all other ballots in the polling place. For this election, the equipment has been adapted to also allow voters who have limited use of their arms to use a sip and puff device to mark their ballot.

“Granite State Independent Living is honored to work with Tom Manning from the Secretary of States Office to participate in such an important activity. The Secretary of States office has worked very hard to put all of this equipment in place with well trained poll workers at every polling place, and we wanted to do everything we could to make sure voters realize that this new accessible equipment is available for their use,” said Debora Krider, Chief Operating Officer at Granite State Independent Living.

To compliment Granite State Independent Living's work, the Secretary of State’s office provided comprehensive training sessions throughout the state to educate local election officials and poll workers about the new accessible voting system. These seminars included disability etiquette information and suggestions about how they can respectfully assist all people with disabilities.