Newsletter | February 2025
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Peer Group Events
Peer groups provide an organized environment for people to encourage, advocate and educate one another. Peer Group events are being held both in-person and virtually.
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New Year – New Home
For Elizabeth S., finding a place to call home was a great way to start 2025. “I’m so excited to finally have my own place, and I owe it all to Disability Network. The transition program was a big help. Brehanna took care of everything—she found me an apartment, set it up, and made sure I had everything I needed. She really made the whole process easy for me. I’d recommend this program to anyone,” said Elizabeth.
Our Community Transition Services (CTS) team helps individuals in nursing facilities do just that. If you or someone you know is interested in moving out of a nursing facility and back into community living, please get in touch with us at (989) 835-4041 or info@dnmm.org. Anyone can make a referral, and the benefits are life-changing!
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Welcoming Our New Board Member
John Ell is an Associate Research and Development Director for Dow Performance Silicones Product Development. John leads a team responsible for discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative intermediates & products across various industries, from Personal Care to Automotive.
John is passionate in his support of the neurodiverse community inside and outside of the workplace. He serves as a Site Implementation Leader in the Disability Employee Network at Dow, focusing on education and defining structural changes needed in the workplace to support all individuals with apparent and non-apparent disabilities.
Outside of work, he is passionate about playing adult league soccer, coaching, watching his two sons play travel soccer, and traveling with his family.
“I am so grateful to John for his willingness to join our Board of Directors to help us give a voice to those in the neurodiverse community,” said Kelly PeLong, Disability Network Mid-Michigan Executive Director. “With 33 million people in the U.S. identifying as having non-apparent disabilities, it’s important to remember that disability is all around us even if we can’t see it.”
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Low Vision Awareness Month
Millions of people in the United States are living with a visual impairment, which can make it hard to do everyday activities like getting around, reading, or cooking. And it can’t be fixed with glasses, contacts, or other standard treatments, like medicine or surgery.
The good news is that vision rehabilitation services can help people with a visual impairment make the most of the vision they have — and keep doing the things they love. Take some time this Low Vision Awareness Month to learn about vision rehabilitation and spread the word!
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Celebrating Black History Month
Black History Week was started in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson, to honor the vital contributions of African Americans. It was planned for the second week in February to align with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Fifty years later, Congress transformed it into National Black History Month during the country’s bicentennial celebrations, where President Gerald Ford encouraged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
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Recognizing a Pioneer in the Disability Movement
During this Black History Month, we salute Lois Curtis, a pioneer in the disability movement who truly paved the way for deinstitutionalization of people with disabilities and we are proud to continue her work through our Nursing Facility Transition Program.
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Leonard and Russ’ Journey to Independence
DNMM’s Community Transitions Program is dedicated to helping individuals living in nursing facilities regain their independence and transition back to community living. In 2024, we proudly supported 161 people in reclaiming their independence! Among these success stories is the unique journey of Russell and Leonard, two friends who met while living in nursing facilities since 2018. Despite their circumstances, they formed a strong bond over the years.
Russell had long dreamed of moving out but faced delays waiting for available housing. Meanwhile, Leonard no longer met the criteria for nursing facility care and was required to leave. With no housing options, Leonard found himself living in his van, deeply concerned about the harsh winter weather approaching. Then came a remarkable opportunity: a two-bedroom apartment became available. Thanks to DNMM's Nursing Facility Transition (NFT) program, Russell and Leonard were able to secure the apartment together, turning their friendship into a shared home and a new beginning.
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Post-Election –
What’s Your Vision for the Future?
Whether you make New Year’s resolutions, celebrate a meaningful anniversary to set personal or professional goals, or use events like elections or natural disasters to revisit your priorities, taking time to reflect and reimagine the future is vital for moving communities forward.
At Disability Network Mid-Michigan, our team recently came together to envision what we can achieve over the next five years to continue advancing the independent living movement.
We invite you to share your vision for the future by completing this brief survey.
Together, we can advocate for opportunities that empower everyone to live their best life.
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Statement of Inclusion
Inclusion is a universal human right for all people, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other discernible quality. To be inclusive is to promote a sense of belonging, respect, and value for who you are as a person. It is about equal access and opportunities for everyone. Inclusion is an integral part of our Independent Living philosophy and of our agency's vision of accessible and inclusive communities.
DNMM offices have been, and continue to be, places of solace, understanding, and information for all. We are committed to promoting and protecting diversity and inclusion, within our offices, among our community partners, and throughout the 15 Centers for Independent Living in Michigan.
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Accessibility Statement
DNMM advocates for the removal of barriers to independence and full inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the Mid-Michigan area. DNMM pledges to ensure accessibility. Each year, DNMM conducts a review of its own architectural, environmental, attitudinal, employment, communication, transportation, and other barriers that may exist that prohibit full access to our services.
If you have any issues of concern regarding the accessibility of DNMM services and facilities, we encourage you to share that information with us.
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