CEPA-Operation Round Up Grant
This year Coast Electric “Operation Round-Up” Grant has been extremely helpful in our mission to serve this community. Through their financial assistance Disability Connection has been able to serve about 2,600 individuals in the Gulf Coast community with food, medical equipment, and resources. As part of their support Disability Connection is close to releasing the 2025 MS Coast Community Resource Guide. The community support has been so supportive that Disability Connection will be printing and distributing almost 5000 Guides to agencies in the 6 counties of South Mississippi.
Your support has made a difference in the lives of others!
Thank you for your generosity!
Tidal Wave
Tidal Wave Auto Spa in Ocean Springs Partners with Disability Connection
for Annual Charity Day Event on September 20th
Tidal Wave Auto Spa is pleased to announce its 16th annual Charity Day, benefiting local charity and non-profit organizations, will be held on Friday, September 20, 2024.
As part of the company’s commitment to giving back, Tidal Wave will donate 100% of wash proceeds made across their footprint during the one-day philanthropic event.
This year, Tidal Wave Auto Spa’s Ocean Springs location at 2910 Bienville Blvd. is pleased to partner with Disability Connection. Disability Connection serves the southern 6 counties of Mississippi and is dedicated to creating a connected community through programs, employment, events, and special projects. www.DisabilityConnection.org hosts four of Disability Connection’s MS Coast Community Resource Guides in interactive, downloadable formats. It also hosts 160 pages and 44 films of Disability Connection’s Mississippi Heritage Information Center, for those who love to travel.
Disability Connection will receive 50% of all proceeds made at this location during the September 20th event. The remaining 50% will be donated to the company’s longtime corporate partner, Annandale Village, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing progressive life assistance to adults with developmental disabilities.
33rd Annual Arbor Day 5K-1 Mile-1/4 Mile Run Walk Roll
33rd ARBOR DAY 5K-1 MILE-1/4 MILE RUN/WALK/ROLL, Town Green, Biloxi
Please join us for a fun event to encourage healthy lifestyles and disability awareness.
Option 1
Event at Biloxi Town Green: Saturday, Feb 20, 2021 Join this fun event promoting healthy lifestyles to individuals of all ages with and without disabilities. This event has 2 goals to encourage a healthy lifestyle and to encourage people with disabilities to be active community participants by joining the fun of a run.
All Registration for Individuals is through the Gulf Coast Running Club. You can register for the Run/Walk/Roll at the event or pay a discount by Pre-Registering, postmarked by February 12, 2021. To pre-register, go to www.GulfCoastRunningClub.org, click on the Arbor Day Run. Print the registration form, and mail it to the address on the form. On-line registration is optional at www.RaceRoster.com. Runners receive a T-shirt. Runners with challenges receive a Medal. Volunteers/Caregivers do not need to pay registration fee to accompany a walker, but can register to receive a t-shirt.
This event is in partnership with Gulf Coast Running Club, the most respected running club in South Mississippi. The race includes a ¼ mile challenge so that everyone, including wheelchairs, can participate in the healthful benefits of a run with awards following.
Saturday Schedule (Run with Gulf Coast Running Club, Town Green):
- 8:00-9:30 Registration and Sign-in for those Pre-Registered
- 9:00 5K Race Start
- 9:45 1 Mile and ¼ Mile Ability Challenge Start
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OPTION 2
Event at School or Optional Walking Track: group scheduled
Due to the current pandemic, DC is offering a second option to participate in the 2021 Arbor Day Run/Walk/Roll. Individuals and/or groups can register through DC, pay $10 per individual, and walk/run/roll a minimum of ¼ mile at the time and location of their convenience. Staff can verify the list of those completing the walk to receive t-shirts and medallions for the participants.
Call the office for Sponsorship and Team information.
Disability Connection, 700 Pass Rd, Gulfport, MS, 39501; 228.604.4020; Fax 228.284.4419
Ocean Springs City Hall Office: 228.870.7775
Disability Connection now has a full time ADA Coordinator on staff
Janie O’Keefe, the Executive Director of Disability Connection, has completed the ADA Coordinator Training Certificate Program. The ACTCP is offered through the University of Missouri, College of Human and Environmental Services, School of Architectural Studies and the Great Plains ADA Center.
Twenty-five years ago, through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. Disability Connection is proud to play a role in working towards a future in which all the doors are open to equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, integration and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities.
How a Family Car Wash Has Changed the Lives of People With Autism
Like many people with autism, Andrew D’Eri had a hard time finding a job.
Then, his father, a veteran entrepreneur, and older brother, who had recently finished business school, had an idea: What if they opened business employed mostly by people with autism?
“We wanted to build … an example big and bold and out there that other companies could go ahead and want to emulate,” Andrew’s brother Tom D’Eri, 25, told ABC News, adding that they wanted to find a business that would educate the community by putting autistic employees in front of the customers.
They opened the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida, in 2013, and today they employ 35 autistic men and women!
2015-Gardening from a chair is practical & enjoyable!
Want to make your life a little greener? Start with a garden. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation have great adaptive gardening tips for people living with paralysis featured in the Reeve Health Minute series.
For most people, a few simple adaptive practices can make gardening from a chair practical, easy, and highly enjoyable.
Take a look at our gardening videos and see if this is the activity for you.
You’ll get to spend time outside, connect with others, and make sure your meals are full of delicious, healthy fruits and vegetables.
Wendy Crawford, founder of mobileWOMEN.org and the Raw Beauty Project, shares her special adaptive gardening tips in each episode. Running only a few minutes long, each video is packed with great information. Now it’s up to you!
View one video or the whole series:
The gardening series is part of our popular Reeve Health Minute videos. Thousands of people around the world have accessed these videos to learn more about adaptive practices from swimming, to cooking, and improving your mind.
Each episode is full of actionable tips for individuals living with paralysis to improve their health and wellness.
Enjoy the warmer weather and go spend some time outside in the sun.
Happy gardening!
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation ChristopherReeve.org
