Legislative/Advocacy Updates

*** Please mark your calendar***

Our Legislative Forum is set for April 9, 2010

Come One, Come All

We are pleased to announce that we have set up the date for Northeast Independent Living Program's Annual Legislative Forum that will be held this year:

Location:
The Massachusetts School of Law
500 Federal Street, Andover, MA
Date: April 9, 2010
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

All of the more than 100 people who came last year greatly appreciated the Dialog with their State Representatives, and local officials. Again, this April, you will have the opportunity to join our friends, as well as key leaders in local and state government and meet with constituents to discuss important issues affecting the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Given the competing demands for shrinking resources, we can work together to provide innovative solutions that safeguard and expand programs that promote independence.

This is the perfect time to have a meaningful dialogue that emphasizes solutions, rather than highlighting problems. Together, we can endure the hardship of these difficult and busy times. This partnership is only as good as your commitment to attend this unique gathering.

We thank everyone who attended last year for your show of support for the disability community of the Greater Merrimack Valley by joining us to celebrate our combined strength. Please mark your calendar! We look forward to seeing you, because together we do make a difference. Stay tuned for more information.

SILC Public Education Day State House Boston

When: Thursday, April 22 2010
Time: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Location: State House, Great Hall, Boston MA

Join the SILC, our DSU Partners MRC & MCB, Massachusetts 11 Independent Livng Centers & the Disability Policy Consortium at our annual education day.

SILC Quarterly Meeting Natick

When: Thursday, June 24, 2010
Time: 11:00 am to 03:00 pm
Location: Moorse Institute Library, Natick, MA

ADA 20th Anniversary

When: Monday, July 26, 2010

Stay tuned for more details!

For more info, please contact:
Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council
280 Irving Street Framingham, MA 01702
Contact Phone Numbers: Voice/TTY: 508-620-7452
Toll Free: 866-662-7452 (Within Massachusetts)
FAX: 508-620-7450

Advancing Careers through Connection: The Peer Employment Network

Spread The Word About The Peer Employment Network
Advance in your line of work or start a new career.
Expand your network of business contacts.

We invite you to come to the third meeting of the Peer Employment Network to reconnect and/or make new contacts and learn more about career advancement, reasonable accommodations and other issues relevant to individuals with disabilities who are interested in maximizing their employment opportunities.

If you are a working person with a disability or, you are actively seeking employment and would like to connect to people with similar interests, you owe it to yourself not to miss this opportunity. Space is limited. Please RSVP by 2/22/10. To register using the form on the back of this page fax to the attention of Drew Glazier at 617.287.4352 or e-mail the electronic version to Andrew.Glazier@umb.edu. To register by phone contact Marie Hennessy at 781.321.1071.

If you have any questions or need any accommodations, please contact Rick Kugler: at rick.kugler@umb.edu

Download Reservation Form Here

Affordable Homeownership Opportunity

Bread & Roses Housing (BRH) is pleased to announce the opening of its application process for affordable home ownership. Please help us to get the word out by posting, publishing or announcing the following information:

Interested in buying an affordable home?

BRH is currently accepting applications for 3-bedroom homes to be built (duplex style) in Lawrence, MA. Each 3-bedroom, 1.5 bath home will be sold for $75,000 to a low income first time homebuyer. The homes will remain owner-occupied and affordable through all future sales and re-sales.

To receive information and to learn about how you can apply:
You must attend a BRH seminar. Applications are only available by attending a BRH seminar. See below for more information.

¿Esta interesado en comprar una casa económica?

BRH esta aceptando aplicaciones para comprar casas de 3-dormitorios que estarán en construcción en Lawrence, MA. Cada unídad (la mitad del duplex) tiene un coste de $75,000 y serán vendidas a propietarios de bajos ingresos y ser primeros compradores. Las casas deben permanecer ocupadas y mantenerse a bajos precios en ventas futuras.

Para recibir más información y una aplicación
Tiene que asistir a una.

Maximum Household Income / Ingreso Máximo de su Familia
2 persons - $33,900, 3 persons - $38,150, 4 persons - $42,400, 5 persons - $45, 800
Minimum Household Income/ Ingreso Mínimo: $20,000

For more information, contact:
Lidia Rivera-Garcia
Bread & Roses Housing
PO Box 7 Lawrence, MA 01842
(978) 685-1823 x 1
infoatbrh@aol.com

2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson.

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Youth Leadership Forum

YLF is here again!

The Youth Leadership Forum was initiated in 1992 by the California Governor's Committee on the Employment of Disabled Persons. This popular program spread across the country and is now conducted annually in more than 30 states. The mission of the YLF is to identify High School students with disabilities who have demonstrated leadership potential, academic success, involvement in their school and community and provide them with training and experiences, role models, and mentors to assist them in becoming tomorrow's leaders. Last year we held a one day YLF event at the State House, but this year we have a small budget to host a more typical YLF experience on a college campus.

With the funding that we have, we are holding YLF at Bridgewater State College for three days and two nights from July 7th-9th. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stacy A. Hart
Youth Transition Specialist BCIL
60 Temple Place, 5th FL. Boston, MA 02111-1324
Phone 617-338-6665 ext.232 Fax 617-338-6661