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YOU’RE INVITED TO COME AND CELEBRATE ACCESSIBLE PLAY!

Ribbon Cutting Party for the Disability Connection Community Playground

Friday, May 10th, 11am to 1pm at the Bruce Ladner Memorial Park off Highway 53,

 just west of Highway 49, Gulfport in Harrison County.

Join Disability Connection for light refreshments, art, music, dancing, and more as we celebrate the official grand opening of the Disability Connection Community Playground, Harrison County’s first fully-accessible playground.
The event is open to the public, but Disability Connection appreciates an RSVP for planning purposes. Come celebrate accessible play and bring your own bagged lunch!

THE DISABILITY CONNECTION COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND
A variety of specialized equipment designed for everyone to play, a lighted walking track, benches, accessible bathrooms, shade, and ample parking.

“…We enthusiastically recommend…the Disability Connection Community Playground. I…understand the value that Disability Connection is to the communities of South Mississippi…” Phil Bryant, Governor of Mississippi.

The Community Playground is brought to you by:

Harrison County Board of Supervisors, IP Casino Resort Spa, Brown, Mitchell & Alexander, INC., Kaboom!, Playscapes of Mississippi, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, and Best Buy.

To help finance higher education for gulf coast students, GCHRA will offer a scholarship to students pursuing a four year degree at an accredited college or university.

One (1) scholarship will be awarded annually. This year’s Chapter scholarship will be a $1000 scholarship awarded in the fall of 2013.

Qualified applicants must be:

 a resident of Jackson, Harrison, or Hancock County

 enrolled full time in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university (preference given to majors of a Business or Human Resource related discipline)

 at least starting their junior year (college level) during the semester or term of the award

 have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA (Cumulative)

Applicants must submit all eligibility requirements and provide a completed application packet postmarked before May 15, 2013. Application packet includes:

1) scholarship application

2) resume

3) official transcript

4) cover letter

5) two (2) letters of recommendation from a teacher, or supervisor from a job or volunteer position

Selection criteria will be based on the applicant’s academic achievement, leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors and awards, work experience, statement of educational and career goals, recommendations, and cover letter. Preference will be given to active Student SHRM members and students pursuing degrees in a human resources related career field.

Mail to: Gulf Coast Human Resource Association, P.O. Box 3308, Gulfport, MS 39505

Scholarship Application can be found here.

Disaster Legal Services provides legal assistance to low‐income individuals who, as a result of the disaster, are unable to secure adequate legal services. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, provides free legal help for survivors of a presidentially declared major disaster if they are unable to pay.

Disaster legal assistance that local lawyers typically provide covers:

·         Help with insurance claims for doctor and hospital bills, for loss of property, loss of life.

·         Drawing up new wills and other legal papers lost in the disaster.

·         Help with home repair contracts and contractors.

·         Advice on problems with landlords.

·         Preparing powers of attorney.

 The Young Lawyers Division of The Mississippi Bar has provided a toll free number, 877-691-6185, that is staffed Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. When staff steps away or during all other hours of the day, a caller may leave their name, and a good daytime contact number. A legal representative will return an applicant’s call as soon as possible.

Legal help in any area of law is only available if the legal issue is directly related to a declared major disaster. Disaster legal advice is limited to cases that will not require a fee.

– Information courtesy of FEMA – 770-220-5226

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

 FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

WebAIM (Accessibility In Mind) works with government, private and public organizations to make their Web content more useful to people with disabilities. If you have ten minutes to spare, you can help make the web more accessible!

WebAIM has launched two surveys – a Survey of Users with Low Vision and a Survey of Users with Motor Disabilities. If you have a vision or motor disability that impacts your ability use a computer, please take a moment to answer the survey. Responses are due March 15.

• The low vision survey is here: http://webaim.org/projects/lowvisionsurvey/

• The motor disability survey is here: http://webaim.org/projects/motordisabilitysurvey/

Survey results will help web designers, developers, and standards bodies make the web more useful to everyone. For questions or more information, contact WebAIM here: http://webaim.org/contact/ .

– Courtesy of Mary Troupe, Just Advocacy of Mississippi

Disability Connection hosted the first Celebration of Health on Friday, February 15th, at the Donal Snyder Community Center. The event was a huge success, with over 280 individuals in attendance. Thank you to all the community partners and event sponsors that made the Celebration of Health possible!

View the WLOX coverage of the Celebration of Health here.

By March 1, 2013, the Federal Government will only disperse electronic benefit payments.

If you receive Social Security, SSI, Veterans or other federal government benefits by check in the mail, you will have the option of having the money deposited directly in your savings or checking account, or onto a Direct Express debit Mastercard.

If you would like the debit card, do nothing. After March 1, you will automatically receive your payments on the card. If you prefer direct deposit, sign up at your local bank or credit union, or by calling (800) 333-1795. You can also sign up online at ttps://www.godirect.gov/gpw/index.gd .

Learn more about this change in your benefits at http://www.godirect.org/ .

– Thanks to JAM (Just Advocacy of Mississippi) –

NAMI Vicksburg will offer the 12-session Family to Family Class for families of adult individuals suffering from a mental illness.  This is a free course, and is designed to meet the needs of family members and caretakers. The course covers mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, etc.; medications and treatment; coping; communication skills; empathy; and other important information. 

The class will begin Feb. 18th, and will meet on Monday and Thursday from 6 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of Warren-Yazoo Mental Health Admin. Bldg. on Wisconsin Ave. 

Pre-registration is required.  Contact Ann Jensen, Family Education Coordinator, at NAMI MS Office—800-357-0388  

Congressman Gregg Harper reintroduced a proposal that revamps federal programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, as they transition from high school into the working world.

“In order for individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities to reach their maximum potential, Congress must enact a systems change,” said Harper, a longtime champion for the disabilities community. “The current federal disability laws are hopelessly outdated and will ultimately lead to unemployment and poverty for these children.”

Congressman Harper’s proposal looks to improve the current system in place. Read more about his plan HERE.