Programs, Initiatives, and Potential Future Projects
Noah Blake Radzik Memorial Scholarship
The Pennsylvania Partnership for the Deafblind (PPDB) awarded the Noah Blake Radzik Memorial Scholarship this spring to Levi Levato of Cannonsburg PA. The scholarship was made in recognition of contributions made by the brothers and sisters of our children with deafblindness.
Applications are due by April 30, 2011. Download application for more information.
Parent Networking Calls
PPDB conducts monthly conference calls for its members on a variety of topics, including Extended School Year, advocacy for your child, college scholarships for siblings, transition to adulthood, IEP development and other issues. These calls provide an opportunity for PPDB members to share information among themselves, as well as hear from the occasional guest speaker.
Transition from School to the Adult World
A child who is transitioning from high school to the adult world presents challenges for many families, but it is particularly troubling for parents of children with deafblindness. PPDB has developed a guide to assist parents of these children. Funded by a grant from the PA Developmental Disabilities Council, the guide is available here for download. (click here to download "Hopscotching Your Way Through Transition)
Donations of Equipment, Assistive Technology, Adaptive Devices and Toys
PPDB is developing a policy that will permit the organization to obtain donations of equipment, assistive technology, adaptive devices and toys from families whose child has outgrown them or has no further need of them. PPDB would then identify families who could use these items and make them available to those families.
Sponsorships of Family Members to Attend Conferences
There are many conferences for family members of children who are deafblind, but attendance is often precluded because the family lacks the funds for travel, accommodations, meals and fees. The Pennsylvania Partnership wants to establish a fund that would sponsor family members to relevant conferences. The attendees would issue a report to the PPDB membership, summarizing what they learned and sharing key resources and personal contacts.
Creation of a “Rainy Day” Fund to Assist Families in Emergency Situations
For many of our families, unusual expenses aren’t so unusual. Frequent trips to the doctor/emergency room, surgery upon surgery upon surgery, missed days of work for IEP meetings and other expenses can really take a toll on the family budget. However, sometimes families face emergency situations that are beyond the normal. For example, a surgery that can only be done hundreds of miles away from home, with a month-long hospital stay, or the breadwinner gets laid off and loses both a paycheck and benefits.
To assist families in these types of extreme situations, PPDB is considering developing a “Rainy Day” fund. A family could apply to PPDB for a “Rainy Day” emergency grant. A limit would be set in advance, an application would need to be completed, and a committee would make the decision based on the family’s need and the available funds.
Fundraising with Gift Cards from Giant Food Stores
Giant/Martins Food Stores has a program that gives 501(c)(3) organizations a 5% discount on gift cards. The organization sells them at face value and earns the 5% for its treasury. If you shop at a Giant or Martins, contact Gordon Boe at g.boe@comcast.net for details on how you can help PPDB raise more money!