Cares

Nearly thirty years ago President Reagan established Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. As described by the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month highlights the importance of fostering a society where people with disabilities are empowered to contribute to their communities. Each year the NACDD creates a campaign in March to mark the importance of this month. This year the campaign, 'We're Here All Year,' is a great reminder that individuals with developmental disabilities are shopping, working, volunteering, and participating in their community just like everyone else. Learn more about Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month by searching the hashtags #WeReHereAllYear #DDAwareness

The core of our work are the people and communities we get to work with. Transforming aging and disability systems means knowing those systems, and we are thankful for the opportunities we have to collaborate with and learn from our aging and disability communities and friends. #unccares

Cares is thrilled to share our new logo and tagline, thoughtfully created to highlight our connection to community and the UNC School of Social Work and our role in aging and disability systems. In the coming weeks we will be introducing a new website built to showcase this fresh look and provide a space to learn more about the mission of Cares and how we can work together. Stay tuned!

We are thankful to North Carolina Governor Josh Stein for recently proclaiming March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Originally enacted by Congress in 1987, Developmental Disability Awareness Month is a time to recognize the hundreds of thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and advocate for the continued commitment to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

Johnnie Lacy spent much of her life fighting for fighting for disability rights. After becoming paralyzed from Polio at 19 years old Johnnie relied on the use of a wheelchair. Over the years, she struggled to be accepted or have access to the same things her peers had and Lacy chose to fight back and advocate for change. She began the Berkeley Center for Independent Living in 1981 and went on to be the Director of Hayward CA's Community Resources for Independent Living for 10 years.

Steve Strom of NC Money Follows the Person and Annamae Giles of Cares are on the Hill today to educate and inform Congress about the importance of Fragile X research funding.

Originally from North Carolina, Eliza Simmons Bryant moved to Cleveland Ohio where she made a profound impact on the community. After seeing the need among her community, Eliza raised money to create the Cleveland Home for Aged Color People, now named the Eliza Bryant Home for the Aged, which provides essential care and services for older adults in the Cleveland area.

Cares is hiring a Project Coordinator! If you love supporting community engagement projects and strategic planning, please apply! For more information click here:https://buff.ly/3QsUxla.

Solomon Carter Fuller, MD, was born in Liberia and moved to the United States at 17 years old. Dr. Fuller became America's first Black psychiatrist, and, in 1912, published the first comprehensive review of Alzheimer’s Disease, establishing that the disease had origins as a physical disease of the brain, not due to insanity or aging. His work has help inform decades of Alzheimer's research and support.

After living in an institution for many years, Lois Curtis wanted to transition into her community and found that the support and transition she was relying on never came. She and another woman filed suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act to be released from the institution and in 1999 the US Supreme Court, through Olmstead v L.C., found that unjustified institutionalization of people with disabilities was discrimination. Lois Curtis, through her determination and creative spirit, helped paved the way for transitions and Home and Community Based Services. #loiscurtis #blackhistorymonth #hcbs #olmstead #disabilityrights