The ladies at our County Road F home were honored to have Mayor Dan Louismet and City Administrator Lindy Crawford from White Bear Lake visit their home.

They were excited to show off their house, rooms, and gardens. Sharing the many things they enjoy about living in White Bear Lake including the parks, Marketfest, the Farmers Market, the beach, and so much more was fun for the ladies. There was also an opportunity to self-advocate about issues important to them. 

In mid-October, over 240 people from across the country attended the ANCOR Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

Hammer & NER had a presence there with CEO John Estrem, Director of Advocacy Mary Gaasch, Program Managers Jomarie Williams and Sedinu Nagbe, and Program Director Megan Pierce.

The group attended a number of meetings and met with legislative staff who listened to their stories, experiences, and concerns.

Last month, the Star Tribune featured a great article on the grave marker installation ceremony we held for our founder, Alvina Hammer. Click this link to read the story.

We were also thrilled to have our Cooks in the Kitchen program highlighted in the Lake Minnetonka Magazine. Click here to check it out.

Don't forget to vote! On Tuesday, November 7, Minnesotans will vote in local elections. Depending on your district, you may be electing city council and school board members, voting on school funding, and other important issues. 

Two great nonpartisan resources:

https://www.vote411.org/plan-your-vote provides nonpartisan information about who is on your ballot and where to vote. Candidates for local elections fill out questionnaires which can help you learn more about them.

https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting is Minnesota's resource for voting. Here you can learn how to register to vote, where to vote, and see a sample ballot.

And don't forget our advocacy resources! Mary Gaasch is happy to answer questions about voting. Text or call 651-307-7459 or email at maryg@hammer.org

Together, we are Opening Doors for people with developmental disabilities for Minnesota's statewide day of giving!

We’ve got two special events planned on November 16 and invite you to join us!

• West metro office (1909 Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata) for lunch from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Join us for an open house lunch.

•East metro office (2539 County Rd E East, White Bear Lake) Join us from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony where we’ll be unveiling a new Ralph statue and welcoming him to White Bear Lake!

Join the Match Team and donate now to inspire others. Please contact Angela Bernhardt at abernhardt@hammer.org or call her at 952-345-8519.

Hammer & NER Program Coordinator Brian Kelly recently spoke to a class at the Bethel University Build Program.

The BUILD program provides a supportive and comprehensive educational experience for students with intellectual disabilities.

Brian spoke along with two BUILD graduates who are currently supported by Hammer & NER, Justin and Addie. Brian says the program is a great feeder program for our apartment programs.

If you're looking for something to read that's informative and inspiring, then check out all the new articles on the Hammer & NER blog!

While you're at it, be sure to check out our 'Legacies' magazine online too!

Each month in Happenings we feature some of our favorite photos of the people we support "Out & About" having fun in their communities.

The photo on the bottom left shows the Rollingview home taking part in some fall activities including a visit to Aamodt's Apple Farm. On the right is the Gardner home at the Minnesota Zoo.

Reminder to IRA owners age 70½ or over: Qualified charitable distributions are great options for making a tax-free gift to Hammer & NER. 

To learn more, check out this article from the IRS or call Angela at 952-345-8519. Like a typical donation, you may designate your gift to a specific fund, and even a specific home if it's for Home Improvements or Home Activities. This is a great way to easily give to Hammer & NER and make your impact before the end of the year.