Beyond Barriers

10/16/2025

Thank you KSN TV for covering this wonderful event! It was a great day of mentorship and connection. 😍

A group in Hutchinson says it was “breaking down stigmas” on Wednesday by exposing students with disabilities to career opportunities on National Disability Mentorship Day.

10/15/2025

Hip hip hooray! 🎉 It’s Disability Mentoring Day in Hutch! The American Legion Lysle Rishel Post No 68 Is FULL of students and mentors ready for a great day!

10/14/2025

Thank you, Hutch Post, for having us on to talk about Disability Mentoring Day! Listen to the interview with Employment Specialist Anthony Frishchenmeyer here: https://hutchpost.com/posts/0c8db10d-efd0-4d27-af5a-ff2e989c2cc1

Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day here: https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/dmd

Image is a screenshot from the Hutch Post website, headline reading "BW Morning Show interview: Anthony Frischenmeyer, Disability Mentoring Day." Time stamp is Oct 14, 2025 8:34 AM. Anthony, a man with short dark hair, a beard and goatee, is pictured, smiling at the camera, wearing glasses and a black Beyond Barriers t-shirt.

10/13/2025

Great news! 🎉 Employment Specialist Anthony Frischenmeyer recently spoke on behalf of Beyond Barriers at the Hutchinson City Council meeting, accepting a proclamation declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month! ​
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"Beyond Barriers helps employers realize that not only can they hire people with disabilities, they should. It's an untapped group of people who may not have ever been given a chance for employment. And they may become your best employee."​

✨ At Beyond Barriers, we believe that disabilities aren’t “one size fits all.” Whether it’s how you were born, something that happened later in life, or even one that’s invisible to everyone but you—we serve people with ALL disabilities, free of charge. ​
​
🔗 Learn more: https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/​

Image 1: A man wearing glasses and a gray cardigan over a checkered shirt, with brown hair, a beard and goatee, speaks at the Hutchinson City Council meeting.
Image 2: The certificate from the City of Hutchinson, declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month!

Text on certificate:

CITY OF HUTCHINSON, KS
PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS Hutchinson joins the nation in recognizing Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, a time to lift the many contributions by people with disabilities - visible and not visible - to our workplaces, economy, and communities; and

WHEREAS people with disabilities come from diverse racial, ethnic, educational, social, religious, and economic backgrounds, and are valued members of society who strive to enjoy an everyday life; and

WHEREAS people with disabilities and their families are working for inclusion, equality, recognition, and appreciation of their skills, views, abilities, and contributions, like all Hutchinson residents; and

WHEREAS the ratio of individuals with developmental disabilities enrolled for services engaging in competitive integrated employment has peaked through the increased provisions of training, resources, services, and supports that allow more individuals to pursue their desire for employment; and

WHEREAS recognizing the intersectional nature of disability and addressing systemic barriers will strengthen our society, as business and community leaders have called for a diverse and capable workforce to further advance the economy of the city;

NOW, THEREFORE, I Stacy Goss, Mayor of the City of Hutchinson, Kansas, do hereby proclaim October 2025, as "DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH" in Hutchinson, Kansas and encourage all citizens to join this observance

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have here unto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Hutchinson, Kansas, to be affixed this 7th day of October, 2025, Stacy Goss, Mayor

ATTEST: Mary L. Rogers, City Clerk

10/10/2025

Trends come and go, but one thing remains the same—people love free swag! ​🆓 Especially teenagers, like these Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) participants who enjoyed their free hats, or their "drip" as they called it, from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. ​

Does your business have items for our DMD goody bags? ​
🧢 Hats​
👕 Shirts​
🖊️ Pens​
🥤 Cups​
🗒️ Notepads, etc. ​

Disability Mentoring Day in Hutch is coming up SOON ⌛ so we need items by end of day Monday, October 13. Drop them off anytime at 115 E 4th Ave. Or contact Cindy Daniels at Cindy Daniels – 620-663-3989 or cdaniels@beyondbarriersks.com. ​
​
Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day here: https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/dmd​

📸 Photo of 4 teenagers sitting at a table wearing Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center hats at the 2024 Disability Mentoring Day.

10/03/2025

🌟 Calling all local businesses and community partners! 🌟

We invite you to take part in Disability Mentoring Day (DMD)—a nationwide event dedicated to building career pathways for students and job seekers with disabilities.

By joining us, your business can make an impact by:
✅ Serving as a mentor
✅ Hosting job shadowing opportunities
✅ Offering financial sponsorship
✅ Helping with logistics such as transportation, meals, or the closing reception

📍 Hutchinson & Dodge City – Wednesday, October 15
📍 Pratt – Wednesday, October 22

Why DMD matters:
• Expands internship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities
• Breaks down myths and misconceptions about inclusive hiring
• Advances disability inclusion as a key element of workforce diversity
• Sparks mentoring and career-readiness initiatives year-round

Together, we can make DMD a success! 🤝

👉 Interested in sponsoring or getting involved? Connect with us today:

📞 Hutchinson: Cindy Daniels – 620-663-3989 | cdaniels@beyondbarriersks.com

📞 Dodge City: Phil Handsaker – 620-371-7690 | phandsaker@beyondbarriersks.com

📞 Pratt: Joe Gonzales – 620-672-9600 | jgonzales@beyondbarriersks.com

Learn more at 🌐 BeyondBarriersKS.com

09/30/2025

Balance activities for older adults help prevent falls and reduce the risk of injuries, such as bone fractures. During Healthy Aging Month, learn what types of physical activity older adults need: https://bit.ly/442UwdN

Examples of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and balance activities for adults 65 and older.

09/24/2025

We’re calling on local businesses and community organizations to join forces for Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), an annual event that promotes career development for students and job seekers with disabilities. Local businesses can participate by serving as mentors, providing job shadowing opportunities, offering financial support, or assisting with event logistics such as transportation, breakfast, and the closing reception.

📍Hutchinson and Dodge City: Wednesday, October 15
📍Pratt: Wednesday, October 22 

DMD is:
•Increasing internship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities
•Dispelling myths and fears about hiring individuals with disabilities
•Promoting disability inclusion as a central part of workforce diversity
•Serving as a catalyst for year-round mentoring and career-readiness efforts

The success of DMD relies on a collaborative effort! 🤝

Are you interested in participating or sponsoring? Reach out today! 
📞 Hutchinson: Cindy Daniels at 620-663-3989 or cdaniels@beyondbarriersks.com
📞 Dodge City: Phil Handsaker at 620-371-7690 or phandsaker@beyondbarriersks.com 
📞 Pratt: Joe Gonzales at 620.672.9600 or jgonzales@beyondbarriersks.com 

Learn more about Beyond Barriers at BeyondBarriersKS.com.

09/22/2025

TFW packages show up on your porch, and you aren’t sure what’s inside because you don’t remember what your ordered? We’d love to get some “surprise” packages as well! 🙌

Do a little shopping for good and fulfill our Amazon wish list! Simply add a few items to your cart and check out, and you’ll be helping Beyond Barriers better serve our consumers. 

Things We Need:
🧼 Cleaning supplies
🗒️ Office Supplies
🔋 Batteries and Tools

Things our Consumers Need:
🛏️ Bedding and Towels: It’s something many take for granted, but having access to clean, new bedding and towels is very important for hygiene and wellbeing. Help us keep some on hand to help us better serve our consumers!

🛒Start shopping now! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/E3KCFYT78UPR/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

If you’d rather donate directly, that’s great too! https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/donate

Thank you for your support!

09/15/2025

🙌 Woohoo! Disability Mentoring Day is on the way! 

📍Hutchinson and Dodge City: Wednesday, October 15
📍Pratt: Wednesday, October 22 

This celebrated annual event, hosted by Beyond Barriers in Pratt, Hutchinson, and Dodge City, promotes career development for more than 220 students with disabilities by pairing them with local businesses for a day of job shadowing.

Disability Mentoring Day was founded at the White House in 1999 and has since grown into a national initiative with programs in every state and beyond. 

See how you can get involved, by mentoring, donating or participating at https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/dmd.

09/01/2025

Meet Jenica Downing, Independent Living Specialist in our Hutchinson office! 🤩

Jenica helps people become more independent by supporting them in finding employment and engaging in daily activities. She also assists with completing important paperwork. 

“My favorite part of the job is seeing the smile on their face after I’ve helped them. It’s rewarding to know they’re happy and gaining more independence.” 

Curious to learn more about getting involved with Beyond Barriers? Reach out today!
Call (620) 663-3989 or contact us here: https://www.beyondbarriersks.com/contact

(Photo is Jenica Downing, a woman with short gray hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a gray t-shirt that says Beyond Barriers.)

08/27/2025

The safety and individual needs of people with disabilities during disasters and emergencies is one of our top priorities and we are grateful to officially partner with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Kansas Syndromic Surveillance Program (KSSP) through our Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL). This partnership is "a nationally recognized effort to improve how real-time healthcare discharge data reflects the experiences of people with disabilities during disasters and extreme weather events." (-KDHE news release, Aug. 1, 2025)
Kansas is one of only three jurisdictions selected by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) to pilot this program - which will work to ensure that real-time health and discharge data will include and accurately reflect the experiences and health outcomes of people with disabilities.

Read more about what KSSP and will work to accomplish in this KDHE press release: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/51873/KSSP-and-KACIL-Launch-Effort-to-Improve-Visibility-into-Disability-Needs-During-Disasters-PDF

ID: Emergency personnel work together to load a stretcher into the back of an ambulance