Religious Community Stands Together to Promote Disability Employment

From IDAC (9.18.10):

IDAC Statement of Solidarity

by Ginny Thornburgh, Director of AAPD Interfaith Initiative

We in the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC) are seeking to use the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act to focus attention on an issue that is of critical importance to all Americans--the issue of employment.  We are seeking sign ons for a Statement of Solidarity by the Religious Community Around Employment of People with Disabilities (posted on the AAPD Website and downloadable in pdf format below).  In this document religious organizations of all traditions come together to recognize that the vast majority of working-age Americans with disabilities would like to work, but are not participating in the labor force.  In fact, the employment rates for people with disabilities have not improved in the 20 years since the ADA was enacted into law, and there is evidence that disabled workers have been disproportionately affected by the current economic downturn.

Please join with us in signing on to the Statement of Solidarity which IDAC plans to release in October during National Disability Awareness Employment Month. The sign on of congregations, seminaries, denominations, faith groups and religious organizations will continue through September, 2011.

Once you have completed and returned the Sign On Form (immediately below) to IDAC@aapd.com, the name of your religious organization and its city and state will be listed at the bottom of the Statement of Solidarity on the AAPD website at www.aapd.com/IDAC/StatementofSolidarity . Please help us circulate the Statement of Solidarity throughout your faith community, and throughout the interfaith community and encourage all religious communities to sign on. 

>>>Download IDAC SIGN-ON FOR STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY

>>> Download IDAC Statement of Solidarity (pdf)

Signers as of September 18, 2010:

IDAC Members

American Baptist Home Mission Societies
Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies
Council for Health and Human Service Ministries United Church of Christ
Islamic Society of North America
The Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
L’Arche USA
Lutheran Services in America Disability Network
Muslim Public Affairs Council
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
Rabbinical Assembly
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
Women’s Rabbinic Network

Religious Organizations

Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church - Baltimore, MD

Comments

[charles]

Yes , As an individual who is still recovering daily from the defecits STROKE left me with , I say yes!!!!

Yes , I would like to feel needed , and be a part of a team making a difference in the lives of others , part time , I am no longer to work full time , my two simultaneous strokes have left me a bit tired daily after 1:00 pm ! But yes overall we as citizens do want the chance to contribute , and be a part of , not a part from!!!!!