Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is Coming to Asheville!

Do you know a deserving family in the Asheville area that is in need of a home makeover? Well you’re in luck because ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is coming to the Asheville area and is currently searching for a deserving family in the Asheville area that is in need of a new place to call home.

So how does a family qualify for a home makeover?

It’s simple- A family must own their own single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives.

What does it take to be picked for an Extreme Makeover?

The Producers at Extreme Makeover are looking for deserving families and deserving people . In their words, “people who have amazing strength of character and who put their own needs aside to help others. Whether it’s a mom, a soldier, a teacher, or a fireman, we think a deserving family, are families who inspire those around them. In addition, the producers are looking for families whose houses need major alterations or repair- homes that present serious problems for the family and affect the family's quality of life.”

To enter a deserving family in Asheville for an Extreme Makeover, send an email to CastingNorthCarolina@gmail.com, and give a brief description of the family. Be sure to include:

· The names and ages of each member of the family
· A contact number, the challenges the family faces
· Photos of the family
· Why they are deserving of a home makeover.

For more information on how to apply you can visit their website at:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply

Maybe someone you nominate will be the lucky recipient of an Extreme Makeover!

Real People, Real Jobs

What better way to learn how you can be successful in your search for employment than by looking at what others have done to become successful.

The Real People, Real Jobs website was created for this very reason! The Real People, Real Jobs staff created the website to, “increase awareness of the full range of employment opportunities and support options available and to provide individuals and their support networks with examples that will enable them to think creatively about employment.” The site contains EXCELLENT employment success stories from people with developmental disabilities. Each story follows the person’s success from start to finish and explains what strategies they used along the way. These stories are meant to be read by people with disabilities, their families and employment support professionals. The website also includes a great glossary of work-related terms that spells out each step of the employment process.

Success stories are broken down by the following categories to help you achieve your specific goals:

· Career Planning
· On the Job Supports
· Job Matching
· Job Negotiation
· Funding Strategies
· Job Creating
· Networking
· Interagency Collaboration
· Career Advancement
· Self-Employment

You can use this website as a tool to be successful in your own employment endeavors!

You can also contribute your success story to the website. If you are person with developmental disabilities, or know of a person with developmental disabilities, who has successfully found a job working in the community and you would like to share your story, contact Jennifer Bose by phone at (617) 287-4353 or by email at Jennifer.bose@umb.edu

Visit the website at http://realworkstories.org/home.

Who Would You Nominate

Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond to be an advocate for people with developmental disabilities?

The North Carolina Council of Developmental Disabilities is seeking nominations for its 2010 Hefner Award. The Hefner Award is presented annually to an outstanding North Carolinian who exemplified leadership and achievement in promoting a great quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Hefner Award is in honor of Jack B. Hefner, who served on the NCCDD for 22 years and is the highest honor given by NCCDD to those who have sought to better the lives of people with developmental disabilities.

Holly Riddle, the Council’s Executive Director, had this to say about Jack Hefner and the purpose of the award, “The commitment of ‘Big Jack’ to do whatever it took to enhance the lives of North Carolinians with disabilities inspired a generation of passionate advocates to strive for full inclusion. This award is dedicated to keeping his legacy alive and honoring the families and self-advocates who've followed in his footsteps.”

If you know someone who strives everyday to better the lives of people with developmental disabilities now is the time to honor them! Their wonderful work should not go unrecognized.
Nomination forms and more information can be obtained by going to the Council Web site at http://www.nccdd.org/ or by contacting Melissa Swartz at the Council office at 919-420-7901.

Completed forms need to be faxed to 919-420-7917, e-mailed or postmarked and mailed to the NCCDD office at 3801 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 250,Raleigh, NC 27607, by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1.

Let's Celebrate!

Team Daniel is on The List (under North Carolina), now it’s time for you to take action and get businesses and organizations in your community to adopt the Proclamation of Recommitment!

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects people with disabilities from discrimination, was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President H.W. Bush. Now Disability Rights North Carolina is asking businesses, organizations and local governments to adopt a Proclamation of Recommitment to the mission of the ADA.

To adopt the Proclamation of Recommitment visit http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DisabilityRightsNort/468a32e202/7163976289/843d353720 and fill out the form. Disability Rights North Carolina’s goal is to get 500 signatures by July 26, 2010. Pass the link along to businesses and organizations in your area! It’s simple and easy, and the adoption of the Proclamation is part of an even BIGGER effort.

The National ADA Symposium is heading up a nationwide effort to get 2,010 organizations, businesses and governments to adopt the Proclamation of Recommitment as an affirmation of the mission of the ADA. All organizations, businesses and governments that adopt the Proclamation of Recommitment will be posted on their website, http://www.2010anniversary.org/. The National ADA Symposium will hold its annual conference on June 20-23 in Denver, Colorado.

Those who have signed the Proclamation so far include the state of Colorado, City of San Francisco, the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and the U.S. Business Leadership Network.

Don’t you want your local businesses, organizations and government to show their support for the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Information regarding the American’s with Disabilities Act can be found at www.ada.gov.