Disability Awareness Month 2010

All People are people first and all have needs and rights. Everyone wants to enjoy life, feel productive and secure. Most people have disabilities of one kind or another. The differences lie mostly in degree and whether our disabilities are overt or hidden.

You can help remind others of these important facts during Disability Awareness Month 2010 this March. The Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities wants to assist you by providing suggested activities and free instructional materials. The Council also encourages you to partner with other organizations so more events can be planned and more information can be shared.

The theme for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month 2010 is Clean Up Your Language.  The Council is offering a limited number of posters, postcards and bookmarks to support local efforts.  Your local group may reprint any of these materials, however, credit should be given to the Missouri Planning Council and People First of Missouri on the materials.  You may contact the Council at 800-500-7878 to receive printing information.

Here are just a few suggestions for activities you can do during the month of March in recognition of Disability Awareness Month:

• The symbol for DD Awareness is a silver ribbon.  Please wear a Silver Ribbon Pin as a sign of support during March.  You can receive a silver ribbon lapel pin by calling the Missouri Planning Council (800-500-7878) or make your own using silver satin ribbon.
• Contact your local public and/or school libraries and offer them resources to support the theme of Developmental Disability Awareness Month.  The Council offers a variety of free posters as well as several other publications. A link to a suggested reading list is available below. Contact the Council at 800-500-7878 or www.mpcdd.com.
• For Children's Educational materials on the 20 days of awareness visit this link:  http://www.mosaicinfo.org/resources/Media/2008_Awareness.pdf 
• Ask your community leaders to sign a proclamation designating March as Disability Awareness Month (Link to sample proclamation below).
• Contact producers of local public affairs radio and television programs inviting them to devote a program to advocacy and supports for people with developmental disabilities.  Excellent contact sources are People First of Missouri (www.missouripeoplefirst.org) or the Missouri Planning Council (www.mpcdd.com).
• Attend the 9th Annual Disability Rights Legislative Day, March 23, 2010 from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the State Capitol in Jefferson City.
• Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper (Link to sample letter below).
• Contact community civic clubs and offer to provide them with a speaker for their March meetings. Self-advocates are some of the most effective communicators, and an excellent resource. For possible speakers contact People First of Missouri (800-558-8652) or the Missouri Planning Council (800-500-7878).
• Write a letter to your local media outlets (newspaper, radio and TV) and invite them to include a positive piece or human-interest article about someone with a disability who lives and works in your community. Submit materials on “Language Guidelines for Reporting and Writing about People with Disabilities” to local reporters.  Contact the Council www.mpcdd.com or the Research and Training Center on Independent Living www.rtcil.org to request a copy. Attach a friendly cover note explaining that March is Disabilities Awareness Month and that you’re supplying all local reporters with the guidelines as a public service.
• Inform the agencies and organizations with which you are associated about Disability Awareness Month.
• Declare a day in March as Disability Awareness Day.
• Organize a Disability Awareness month mini-conference to increase awareness and understanding of disability issues and invite disability advocacy groups to provide you with important information.
• Contact www.publicimagesnetwork.org  for a wide variety of disability awareness month posters and materials.

For more information, contact the Missouri Planning Council at (800) 500-7878 or visit our website at: www.mpcdd.com.  Other excellent resources are the Missouri Association of County Developmental Disability Services:  http://www.macdds.org or People First of Missouri www.missouripeoplefirst.org.

The Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center (MODDRC) is another great resource that provides three levels of support. Whether you want to become more informed, get connected, or find ways to volunteer, MODDRC offers a network of support options to get you started. You can contact them at www.moddrc.org or call 1-800-444-0821.

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