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Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

disAbility Resource Center

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Fredericksburg, VA
disAbility Resource Center

The disAbility Resource Center (dRC) serves people with disabilities, their families and caretakers.

The dRC is a Center a local Non-Profit Organization in Fredericksburg, Virginia 501(c)3 for Independent Living, one of 16 in Virginia, serving Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George and Caroline counties and the city of Fredericksburg and surrounding areas. The dRC’s services include advocacy, information and resources, independent living skills training, peer counseling, deaf and hard of hearing services, exercise and nutrition classes, durable medical equipment loans, veteran’s outreach, facilitation of consumer driven services, nursing home transition coordination, adult and youth advocacy groups, guidance on Social Security benefits questions, guidance on home modifications and funding for modifications, information on accessible housing, and workshops/trainings for people with disabilities, their families and caretakers, and the community. dRC is staffed and governed by a majority of individuals with a disability and the ones that don't usually have a person with a disability, as an immediate family members. of work to empower people with disabilities and foster a sense of community inclusion.

10/28/2025

📢 Sharing from the Virginia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS):

The IFSP Fall 2025 Funding Round is OPEN — but hurry, the last day to apply is October 30, 2025!

💻 Apply here: https://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/ifsponline

✅ Who can apply?

Priority 1: up to $1,000

Priority 2 or 3: up to $500
(Must live in your own home or family home.)

⚠️ Apply anytime during the window — timing doesn’t affect decisions, but applications close October 30!

ℹ️ Full details: mylifemycommunityvirginia.org/ifsp-funding

📞 Questions? Call 844-603-924

10/22/2025

🧡 Volunteers Needed for a Research Study (you could make $100)!

Researchers at Syracuse University’s Burton Blatt Institute are seeking participants for a study exploring how employment services work for jobseekers with disabilities.

📋 Eligibility:
• Ages 18–64
• Currently receive SSI or SSDI
• Have internet access via phone, tablet, or computer
• Not currently receiving benefits counseling

💻 What’s Involved:
• Complete three 30-minute online surveys
• Some participants may also take part in benefits counseling sessions

💰 Compensation:
• $25 e-gift card for signing up
• Plus $25 per completed survey
👉 You could earn up to $100 total!

Participation is voluntary and confidential.

📧 Interested?
Email: VRstudy@syr.edu

🖼 Image Description: Flyer from Syracuse University Burton Blatt Institute recruiting volunteers with disabilities for a research study on the effectiveness of jobseeker services. Participants must be 18–64, receive SSI or SSDI, have internet access, and not currently receive benefits counseling. Participation includes online surveys and potential benefits counseling sessions. Participants receive e-gift cards. Contact VRstudy@syr.edu

10/16/2025

📅 Did You Know?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month actually started 80 years ago — and it all began with returning WWII veterans.

In 1945, as thousands of soldiers came home with disabilities, Congress passed Public Law 176, declaring the first week of October as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. The goal? To remind employers (and the nation) that physical disability doesn’t mean inability — and that everyone deserves a chance to contribute their skills and talents.

President Harry S. Truman made it official that same year, calling on communities to recognize the value of workers with disabilities. By 1962, the word “physically” was dropped to include all disabilities, and in 1988, the observance grew into what we know today as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

💡 What started as a movement to help WWII veterans return to work has grown into a nationwide celebration of inclusion, innovation, and ability in every workplace. Happy National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

10/14/2025

🎉 Exciting news for Central Virginia!

We’re proud to share that David Minor of Madison County has been appointed by the Governor to the Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (VASILC)!

📸 In the first photo, David is officially sworn in at the Madison County Courthouse, and in the second, he's signing his oath of office.

David’s appointment gives rural counties in Central Virginia a stronger voice in shaping statewide priorities around accessibility, self-determination, and inclusion.

As an advocate who is blind, David brings valuable lived experience and a deep understanding of the barriers people with disabilities face in living independently, particularly in rural areas of the state. His perspective will help ensure those voices are heard at the state level.

Please join us in congratulating David on this well-deserved appointment!

10/08/2025

🎧 Join the Hearing Loss Association of America- Rappahannock Club!

We meet on the last Monday of each month from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the disAbility Resource Center, 409 Progress Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.

Each meeting features a presentation followed by a welcoming discussion group — a chance to connect, share experiences, and learn together! 💬

📍 Where: disAbility Resource Center
🗓️ When: Last Monday of each month, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

💻 Want to join via Zoom or learn more?
Contact:

Diann Drew, President
📞 540-373-5890
✉️ ddrew@cildrc.org

Judy Lawrence, Vice President
📞 540-842-5407
✉️ judyl7271@verizon.net

Accommodations are available with 10 business days’ notice.
Let’s come together to support one another and strengthen our hearing loss community! 💜

10/06/2025

📢 Community Resource Spotlight

We’re sharing this upcoming free information session from the Virginia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and the Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) Regional Councils:

🌟 The Next Steps After a Developmental Disability (DD) Diagnosis: What You Need to Know
🗓 Thursday, October 16, 2025
🕕 6:00 – 8:15 p.m.
💻 Register here: https://ifsp.tny.cc/oct-16

This free session is designed for:
✅ Individuals with developmental disabilities and their families
✅ Those recently diagnosed or newly navigating the DD system
✅ Professionals connecting families to community services and supports

You’ll hear from Brandie Kendrick (Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia and Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services) and a panel of professionals and families sharing insights and lived experiences.

💬 Want an email reminder? Sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ifsp-oct16

📧 Questions? Email IFSPCommunity@dbhds.virginia.gov

Please share with anyone who could benefit from this information! 💙

10/06/2025

📢 Community Event Share!

We’re excited to share this sensory-friendly performance opportunity from the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts 🎭

🌟 Junie B. Jones The Musical — Sensory Friendly Show
🗓 Saturday, October 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM (Doors open at 12:30 PM)
💵 Tickets: $20 per person
🔗 More info & tickets: www.riversidedt.com

This special performance is designed for individuals who benefit from a sensory-friendly environment.
✨ The lights will remain on
✨ Beanbag chairs will be available
✨ A quiet room will be provided
✨ Guests can enjoy the performance in the way that’s most comfortable for them

Sensory-friendly bags are provided by Cooking Autism, Inc.

This is a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy live theatre in a welcoming and inclusive setting. 💙

10/03/2025

📢 Attention Virginia Families on the DD Waiver Waitlist

We are sharing the following information from the Virginia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)

The IFSP Fall 2025 Funding Round is OPEN!
🗓️ October 1–30, 2025
💻 Apply here: https://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/ifsponline

✅ Who can apply?

Priority 1: up to $1,000

Priority 2 or 3: up to $500
(Must live in your own home or family home.)

⚠️ Reminder: Apply anytime during the window—timing doesn’t affect decisions.

ℹ️ Full details: mylifemycommunityvirginia.org/ifsp-funding

📞 Questions? Call 844-603-924

10/02/2025

We had a great time yesterday at the Disability Table Fair at the University of Mary Washington! 💙 We connected with students and community partners working to support disabled people and build inclusive communities where everyone can live full and meaningful lives.

🎉 Disability Awareness Month at UMW – October 2025 🎉
Theme: “See Us, Hear Us, Believe Us”

The James Farmer Multicultural Center, Office of Disability Resources, and student groups Diversability, Talk to the Hands, and Best Buddies are hosting events all month long to celebrate Disability Awareness Month. Join in these powerful programs highlighting inclusion, accessibility, and the accomplishments of the disability community! 🌟

📅 Event Schedule

Kick-Off Table Fair
Wed, Oct 1 | 11 am–2 pm | Campus Walk (Rain: CRUC, 2nd Floor)
Free t-shirts, info & goodies from campus and community partners.

Adaptive Sports Day
Sat, Oct 4 | 11 am–1 pm | Goolrick Gyms
Try goalball, wheelchair basketball, boccia ball & pickleball.

Silent Dinner
Wed, Oct 15 | 5 pm | Chandler Ballroom A/B
Hosted by Talk to the Hands – explore non-verbal communication.

Major Speaker: Dr. Robert McRuer
Tue, Oct 21 | 7 pm | Chandler Ballroom A/B
Leading scholar in disability studies.

Sensory Bins Service Activity
Wed, Oct 29 | 4 pm | Colonnade Room, CRUC
Make a sensory bin to take home or for local students.

✨ All events are free & open to the public.

For info or accommodations, contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at 540-654-1044 or jfmc@umw.edu

10/01/2025

Story time — but not the “once upon a time” kind. This happened yesterday.

One of our employees — a highly capable and extremely competent professional — ran into a barrier that simply should not exist in 2025.

He needed to update his cell phone number so his multi-factor authentication (MFA) code would go to the right device. Simple enough, right? Except the only way to do this was by calling a customer service line. For someone whose speech can be difficult for others to understand, that “simple” step became a wall.

So, another staff member had to sit with him and make the call. After going back and forth with a contractor for a multi-billion-dollar company, their solution wasn’t to fix the process or provide an accommodation. Their suggestion? Maybe just remove him as the administrator on the account.

Let that sink in. Instead of creating access, their answer was exclusion.

We pushed back, but in the end, the only option they gave us was to transfer the administrator role to someone else who could call them. They offered no accommodation — even after we said we could submit a formal request.

We’re not asking for a trip to Mars here. We’re asking for the most basic reasonable accommodations so that people with disabilities can do their jobs.

It’s 2025. This should not still be the fight.

Happy National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Address

409 Progress Street
Fredericksburg, VA
22401

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+15403732559

Website

http://www.cildrc.org/

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