As I prepare to do a last minute fundraising push for Boulder ADAPT and the September 13th - 18th action in Washington DC, I am doing some self-reflection as to why I want to go next month, and why our family should go.
I hate fundraising! This is a rather recent discovery LOL since returning to Boulder ADAPT. In Utah, it was covered by ADAPT Utah's parent organization, DRAC. In Montana, I only had to raise enough for one room, and one flight, and living in a smaller community, it was easier to get small businesses to chip in. I had more time. I had more energy. I was an ADAPT newbie, the Purple Pistol, a frontliner. ROOOAAAR!!! My ADAPT birth took place right here in Boulder Colorado ten years ago. At the time, Boulder ADAPT had the financial support of it's then parent organization, CPWD. Boy, those were my wild days! Now we are our own 501(c)3, I'm the treasurer and seem to lead the fundraising efforts. I hate fundraising! ;-)
I have ~15 friends that I routinely hit up. The rest of you either are fundraising for ADAPT yourselves, or poorer than dirt like us or even moreso! I'm a mom, most of my social life is virtual nowadays. There's not much new blood to suck! So, we set up tables in front of grocery stores for two hours at a time, and a good day we make $125. Or we do mass mailings and get $500 profit. Our biggest fundraiser is a national ADAPT calendar, which someone else in our group so graciously produces. When we, 7/10 or so of Boulder ADAPT, go to national actions we need 2 rooms ($1000/room), and seven roundtrip tickets. You do the math! I hate fundraising! ;-)
But Dustin and I are passionate about the cause - that freedom is a right for those not convicted of a crime. That community choice (as opposed to nursing homes) should be an option everywhere in this country, to all the people of the land. That America needs accessible, affordable, integrated housing. Yah, yah, you've all heard this before LOL!!!
Our family may not be able to go this time -I haven't had the time or energy to invest, and we all will live. But it'll be like missing a family reunion, but better because we all choose freedom, and to fight for our rights!
Our last minute fundraising push is a fun run tomorrow morning. If I didn't hit you up for it this week and you want me to, please let me know! Small flat donation ($5, $10) are great - they add up!!
--------------------------------------
What/Who is Boulder ADAPT?
Boulder ADAPT is committed to the complete integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of community life. A monetary contribution to Boulder ADAPT is not charity; it goes exclusively to further education efforts to see systematic changes in our society for people with disabilities.
For nearly a decade, Boulder ADAPT has worked to change the institutional bias of Medicaid. Our federal long-term care policy requires institutions, while support for people with disabilities in our own homes is a Medicaid optional service. We have made much headway in changing the system, but the bias still remains in the federal program.
Reasonable housing options are also necessary to accomplish our goal of community integration. Obviously, to get people with disabilities out of nursing homes and institutions they need to have accessible, affordable places to live. In this, the need to end the institutional bias, and the need for accessible, affordable, integrated housing go hand-in-hand.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990, and today people with disabilities are still being excluded from businesses, employment and programs due to lack of access. Much of Boulder ADAPT’s local work is concentrated on accessibility; Access is a Civil Right!
Active in our Community
In 2007 and 2008, Boulder ADAPT members . . .
Worked with Boulder Parks & Recreation to understand the need for Accessible Playgrounds, and embrace their responsibility for providing recreation for all families.
Demanded and received physical access into Parenting Place.
Requested the removal of the outdated and unnecessary “handicapped” descriptor in reference to people with disabilities.
Presented a workshop on Disability Rights as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Conducted an accessibility survey for Gunbarrel/ Twin Lakes area and presented our findings to Boulder County Commissioners.
Testified before the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care.
Supported a mother with a disability during a custody hearing in Boulder.
Spoke before Boulder City Council regarding the lack of snow removal and the barriers this presents to citizens wishing to participate in our community.
Boulder ADAPT demonstrated once in Chicago and three separate times in Washington DC.
I hate fundraising! This is a rather recent discovery LOL since returning to Boulder ADAPT. In Utah, it was covered by ADAPT Utah's parent organization, DRAC. In Montana, I only had to raise enough for one room, and one flight, and living in a smaller community, it was easier to get small businesses to chip in. I had more time. I had more energy. I was an ADAPT newbie, the Purple Pistol, a frontliner. ROOOAAAR!!! My ADAPT birth took place right here in Boulder Colorado ten years ago. At the time, Boulder ADAPT had the financial support of it's then parent organization, CPWD. Boy, those were my wild days! Now we are our own 501(c)3, I'm the treasurer and seem to lead the fundraising efforts. I hate fundraising! ;-)
I have ~15 friends that I routinely hit up. The rest of you either are fundraising for ADAPT yourselves, or poorer than dirt like us or even moreso! I'm a mom, most of my social life is virtual nowadays. There's not much new blood to suck! So, we set up tables in front of grocery stores for two hours at a time, and a good day we make $125. Or we do mass mailings and get $500 profit. Our biggest fundraiser is a national ADAPT calendar, which someone else in our group so graciously produces. When we, 7/10 or so of Boulder ADAPT, go to national actions we need 2 rooms ($1000/room), and seven roundtrip tickets. You do the math! I hate fundraising! ;-)
But Dustin and I are passionate about the cause - that freedom is a right for those not convicted of a crime. That community choice (as opposed to nursing homes) should be an option everywhere in this country, to all the people of the land. That America needs accessible, affordable, integrated housing. Yah, yah, you've all heard this before LOL!!!
Our family may not be able to go this time -I haven't had the time or energy to invest, and we all will live. But it'll be like missing a family reunion, but better because we all choose freedom, and to fight for our rights!
Our last minute fundraising push is a fun run tomorrow morning. If I didn't hit you up for it this week and you want me to, please let me know! Small flat donation ($5, $10) are great - they add up!!
--------------------------------------
What/Who is Boulder ADAPT?
Boulder ADAPT is committed to the complete integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of community life. A monetary contribution to Boulder ADAPT is not charity; it goes exclusively to further education efforts to see systematic changes in our society for people with disabilities.
For nearly a decade, Boulder ADAPT has worked to change the institutional bias of Medicaid. Our federal long-term care policy requires institutions, while support for people with disabilities in our own homes is a Medicaid optional service. We have made much headway in changing the system, but the bias still remains in the federal program.
Reasonable housing options are also necessary to accomplish our goal of community integration. Obviously, to get people with disabilities out of nursing homes and institutions they need to have accessible, affordable places to live. In this, the need to end the institutional bias, and the need for accessible, affordable, integrated housing go hand-in-hand.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990, and today people with disabilities are still being excluded from businesses, employment and programs due to lack of access. Much of Boulder ADAPT’s local work is concentrated on accessibility; Access is a Civil Right!
Active in our Community
In 2007 and 2008, Boulder ADAPT members . . .
Worked with Boulder Parks & Recreation to understand the need for Accessible Playgrounds, and embrace their responsibility for providing recreation for all families.
Demanded and received physical access into Parenting Place.
Requested the removal of the outdated and unnecessary “handicapped” descriptor in reference to people with disabilities.
Presented a workshop on Disability Rights as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Conducted an accessibility survey for Gunbarrel/ Twin Lakes area and presented our findings to Boulder County Commissioners.
Testified before the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care.
Supported a mother with a disability during a custody hearing in Boulder.
Spoke before Boulder City Council regarding the lack of snow removal and the barriers this presents to citizens wishing to participate in our community.
Boulder ADAPT demonstrated once in Chicago and three separate times in Washington DC.
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