CLI Incorporated

P.O. Box 508

Norwalk, Ohio 44857

CLIsupports.com

419-706-5137

Week of

March 6th, 2023

CLI's Back to the Future Class took advantage of the mild weather last week to do some camera work in the field


This coming week the highlights from the National Day Calendar site (nationaldaycalendar.com) are:

  • Monday- Dresses, Oreos, White Chocolate Cheesecake, Frozen Foods & Dentists
  • Tuesday- Flapjacks, Crown of Pork Roast, Cereal & Be Heard
  • Wednesday- Oregon, International Women, Dietitians, Proofreading & Peanut Clusters
  • Thursday- Slam the Scam, Kidneys, Get Over It, Meatballs, Crabmeat & Barbie
  • Friday- Bagpipe, Women/Girls HIV Awareness, Pack Your Lunch, Blueberry Popovers & Mario
  • Saturday- 311, World Plumbing, Funeral Directors, Promposal, Oatmeal Nut Waffles, Tools & Johnny Appleseed
  • Sunday- I Am, Working Moms, Anti-Cyber Censorship, Girl Scouts, Daylight Savings Time, Baked Scallops & Plant a Flower

John's usual--


March is DD Awareness Month. It's an important time to recognize both the individual successes that people with DD have achieved and also how far Ohio's developmental disabilities field has come. Ohio has been a leader supporting people with developmental disabilities--enacting the 169 Legislation in the late 1960s that created/funded local County Boards of Developmental Disabilities through local property tax levies. This provided money to build services for people with disabilities where they lived with their families-- without having to be removed from that family home. Prior to this, services to people with DD were a "take it or leave it," "all or nothing" proposition.


There are 88 Counties in Ohio and today, the collective amount of money raised through property taxes is significant. There's an old old quote attributed to former Senator Everett Dirksen about federal government spending, “a million here, a million there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money." Ohio leverages these local dollars to pull down federal Medicaid dollars and today Ohio spends more than $5 billion dollars to support roughly 100,000 people with DD. Also, significant is that Ohio is a state where the State Director of DD services has a seat on the Governor's cabinet. This money and this positioning is important because Ohio needs to figure out how to reallocate some of the money that we already control to support direct services for people with DD-- especially for the generation of young people graduating from high school. If we don't figure out a robust, comprehensive way of supporting people in the communities that they live in-- we're just going to perpetuate a world in which people with disabilities are limited to institutions and/or isolated group homes.


As we recognize DD Awareness month, it's important to recognize that it's more than just celebrating diversity, inclusion, and individual achievements. It's also a lot about what was built by previous generations-- parents of kids with DD in the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's worked for decades to both provide 100% of the supports that their kids needed (since they didn't want to give those kids to the state institutions to raise) AND did all the political heavy lifting to create Ohio's system of County Boards of DD from nothing. It must have been frustrating and exhausting. But they did it. Our generation too can do hard things, but we have to step up to build the next level. The good news is that we already have the tools-- including money and public support. The bad news is that it's going to take some reconstruction, some reallocation, some hard choices. Nothing changes until something changes.


Off my soapbox, we're looking for another great week at CLI. The mild temperatures will mostly stick around for at least one more week and then we're half way to April and another Ohio winter will be in the books. Hang in there!


That's all I have Have a great week!

John

Another action shot of the elbow grease required if you want to work with animals. It's definitely not all feel good. Working with animals is rewarding, but it can also be stinky and labor-intensive!

The group is glad to be back at the Willard Enrichment Center, but was sorry last week to have to say goodbye to a long-time friend.


Good luck Judy!

CLI's latest addition-- Carole Johnson has jumped right in. She assists the CLI Interoffice Mail Courier every morning and then instructs knitting, crocheting, and other string arts at the workshop a few afternoons each week!

Firelands Local LLC

Our annual Big Free Community Shred day is in March!


This year it will be on Friday March 31st from 10-5. 

The first 500 pounds are free!

This is for drop off only and only on that day.

James Johnson james@firelandslocal.com 419-921-6400

CLI is still running our virtual Bingo--

We're doing it on Thursday afternoons and it is open to anyone, whether at home or another day service provider location. It's a lot of fun and a good way to connect with people that you might not otherwise get to see.

Click here to have the Bingo link emailed to you!

CLI's Good Works Cafe offers a free community lunch every Friday afternoon at the Norwalk Reservoir Clubhouse.


Thanks to the generous donations (money & food), CLI is able to take care of our neighbors and also get some real life restaurant and customer service job training.


If you'd like to learn more or would like to donate to this cause--


please contact Rhonda White by phone at 419-706-5136 or by email at Rhonda@CLIsupports.com

Question of the week


Q: When is CLI going to stop making people wear masks when riding in vehicles?


A: Not yet. Staff doesn't like masks either, but vans and cars are crowded places where we can't help but share breaths. We appreciate your patience.


Video(s) of the week:

CLI's three-part mission

  • increase the earnings, status & quality of life of people with developmental disabilities
  • increase the earnings, status & quality of life of people who support people with developmental disabilities
  • actively work to improve the communities in which we all live
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