Art of Advocacy

14/05/2025

Remember

Today, the Buffalo and Western New York community is joined in somber remembrance of the ten innocent lives lost three years ago. May their names never be forgotten and their loved ones find peace amidst unimaginable grief.

Celestine Chaney, Roberta A. Drury, Andre Mackneil, Katherine Massey, Margus D. Morrison, Heyward Patterson, Aaron Salter, Jr., Geraldine Talley, Ruth Whitfield, Pearl Young.

13/02/2025

Joyce Morrison Donatelli and Max E Donatelli are very happy with the supports our son Craig, pictured here, has received for the past 11+ years in a Self Directed, semi-independent living situation with Aspire of WNY. He has also has a job choice to support his job at Explore and More Children’s Museum.

09/01/2025

Check it out…

09/01/2025

https://www.facebook.com/1052014818/posts/10231221902304838/?

08/01/2025

https://www.facebook.com/1052014818/posts/10231214048668502/?

20/12/2024

Action needed now!

17/12/2024

As members of the Developmental Disability Alliance of WNY Family Committee, we ask that you help us extend our reach to families here in WNY and the Finger Lakes. Please share the following with friends and family and join us…

DDAWNY Family Committee and Whole Person Supports

We are worried about our children’s futures and know so many other parents who have loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities are as well. The Developmental Disabilities Alliance of WNY Family Committee is looking for your help. The system that that is supposed to serve our loved ones as you know is difficult to navigate, has long waiting lists, doesn’t allow agencies to pay staff a fair wage, and is unresponsive to many individuals’ needs.

To help address this injustice, we have recently become involved in a statewide effort of providers, parents, and self advocates to help design a more equitable, adequately funded, and responsive system. It is called the Coalition for Whole Person Supports, see wholepersonsupports.org. We have WNY representatives on the Advisory and Steering Committees that are starting to design a system that meets the needs of more individuals and families.

The WNY representatives need you to follow this process as plans unfold and offer your feedback and input on what would help assure your loved one will have a more secure future. Please follow us on Facebook and give us your thoughts by email at ddawnyfamilycommittee@gmail.com. We are counting on the many caring families in WNY to help us build a strong network that will become a force for change.

DDAWNY Family Committee Core Team

20/09/2024

06/08/2024

FYI

🔥 🔥 Salsa 💃 📻 ❤️ 🎶 Sintoniza ❤️ Tune in “Acento Sabroso” 7p - 9p (Tuesday-Thursday) Radio Bilingue Sin Fronteras WNY: A Radio Show for the WNY Latino WBFO 88.7HD3 📻 ❤️ 🎶

https://www.wbfo.org/radio-bilingue

25/07/2024

Celebration of the contributions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities was unfortunately distracted by a provider…

Aside from the City's ADA Advocate, who is Deaf, representatives from the disability community did not speak until the very end of the speaking portion of the event. Nine people, not including the ADA Advocate, spoke first.

19/07/2024

Join us

Join us next week for the Disability Pride Flag Raising Ceremony! 🌟 Wednesday, July 24th at 12PM inside of Niagara Square, outside City Hall. Celebrate and honor the strength, resilience, and pride of the disability community. See you there!