Disability Mentoring Day a Highlight of National Disability Employment Awareness Month

From the JFA Moderator:

Each year, AAPD celebrates Disability Mentoring Day on the third Wednesday of every October with a national launch. On October 20, AAPD hosted the 2010 DMD National Launch in Washington, DC. Twenty promising college students heard a call to public service and learned about the President's Executive Order to increase the numbers of federal employees with disabilities. The DMD Launch began with a breakfast hosted by former Governor of Pennsylvania and US Attorney General, The Honorable Dick Thornburgh, and Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, The Honorable Christine Griffin, at K & L Gates law firm. Following the breakfast, the college students with disabilities shadowed federal officials who are committed to achieving equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  The day was capped off with a dinner at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights where the young people were able to speak with leaders throughout the broader civil rights community.  By all accounts the event was a spectacular success for mentors and mentees.

>>> For the Event Press Release

Look for more on this event in the week to come.

Disability Mentoring Day News from around the country:

From ABC WMBB News 13 (10.20.10):

Businesses Open Their Doors for Disability Mentoring Day

>>> Read the Full Article

From KIDK TV Idaho Falls (10.19.10):

Disability Mentoring Day event set for Wednesday Share
By Tammy Harmer

>>> To Read the Article

From the Brattleboro Reformer - Brattleboro, VT (10.22.10):

A perfect fit: Residents with disabilities check out workplaces
By HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN

>>> To Read the Article

From myFOXPhoenix (10.20.10):

Adults with Handicaps Get Job Training at Sam's Club

>>> To Read the Article

*** Action Alert ***

As we close out Disability Employment Awareness Month this week, we have time for one last media push. President Obama’s Disability Awareness PSA has a great message to close out Disability Employment Awareness Month.  Please call your local TV and radio stations and ask to speak with the person in charge of running Public Service Announcements.  

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month

Preview President Obama’s PSA On Disability Awareness Now

Dear PSA Director,

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, and I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that the American Association of People with Disabilities has partnered with the Ad Council to produce PSAs to commemorate the 20^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The PSA features President Obama reminding people that 1 in 5 Americans are living with a disability.  That’s over 50 million people.  The President encourages all Americans to visit www.Disability.gov to learn more about fulfilling the promise of the ADA.  We’ve come a long way but there is more to be done before all people truly have the right to live, work and participate fully in the American experience.

We encourage you to incorporate these campaigns into your programming, online and through your social media channels to help in our efforts to raise awareness on disability.  If you have been supporting the Disability Awareness campaign by broadcasting the President’s PSA, thank you for your support.  If not, please consider doing so.  Go to the website below for the free broadcast quality PSA.

Radio Assets

Disability Awareness:

                Can Do: 15

                Can Do: 30

                Can Do: 60

TV Assets

Disability Awareness:

                Do Your Part: 15 HD

                Do Your Part: 30 HD

http://www.adcouncil.tv/view/#/campaign/disability-awareness/

(Free Registration may be required)

>>>Download a Word Version of this PSA Announcement

Comments

[Alie Kriofske Mainella]

IndependenceFirst in Milwaukee Wisconsin is home to the Disability Mentoring Day Coordinator for the four county area that is Metro-Milwaukee. We had 160 youth from all four of our counties participating in Disability Mentoring Day, but job shadowing, touring and talking with designated mentors at more than 40 area businesses!!! We had a successful day too!!