Tag: IDD

December 18, 2024

You’re an important piece in the puzzle. How Can You Help Foster Connections?

Modified from January 2019 Connection is such an important piece of our lives. I think of all the people I have in my life. My support system has helped me in many invaluable ways in my lifetime. But, what if they weren’t there? Where would I be right now? Through my years of working at the HCQU, this theme has...

Categories Community/Everyday Life

December 11, 2024

Sensational Socks and Stories that Sweep the Nation

I’ve known about John’s Crazy Socks for some years now. Every time we (HCQU team) opened an order to add socks to a conference raffle basket or a Direct Support Professional appreciation bundle, it felt like Christmas. The large variety of cute, funny, quirky socks to tickle your toes has impressed me. With thousands of designs, John’s Crazy Socks is...

Categories General

November 27, 2024

Keeping The Holidays Bright for Everyone: Support Through the Season

As the holiday season quickly approaches, we may feel excited, nostalgic, and ready to celebrate. As you prepare to gather with family and friends, put up your Christmas decorations, light your menorah, or celebrate a holiday that is meaningful to you, it is important remember that the holidays can also bring challenges and stress to some of the individuals that...

Categories General

November 20, 2024

Change: Inclusive Cafe Has So Much to Give in Accessibility

Accessibility and inclusion. These two words are major hot button topics. On one hand we talk about it all day everyday that it seems like as a field and culture that we must have made great strides towards accessibility and inclusion. We have enjoyed some major wins over the last few decades. Think about parking spaces, larger bathrooms, more places...

Categories Employment/General

November 13, 2024

Cooking Together with Thyme in Your Kitchen

Cooking can be such a cherished art that brings people together. Thyme In Your Kitchen cooking class did exactly that! Thyme in Your Kitchen is located in the beautiful Sharon, PA area and offers a variety of cooking classes. Chef Garron hosts the events and makes sure everyone feels right at home. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure...

Categories General

November 6, 2024

More than a Story: Turning to the Next Chapter

Are you an avid reader like me? Do you know someone who loves stories and sharing what they just read? Still, others out there I bet love tales of heroes and adventures, even if they can’t read. I think literature is such a gift. That’s why I’m excited to share about this world-wide book club. Aptly named Next Chapter Book...

Categories Everyday Life/Resources

November 1, 2024

That Time of Year! Holiday Shopping Guide is Here!

Milestone HCQU West is excited to present our second annual Holiday Shopping Guide. This digital publication features small businesses owned and operated and products created by people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and Autism. We haven’t found them all but we happily share what we found across the map. Notice that the companies listed link to their respective websites. You can click...

Categories General

October 30, 2024

Face it. We All Need Friends.

“A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.” Maya Angelou What gives your life meaning? While that may be a very existential question, the answer can have a lot of different themes. I would bet that for most of us it has a lot to do with connections. We have many different relationships in our lives. We have our...

Categories Community/Resources

October 23, 2024

The Importance of Cybersecurity for Nonprofit Organizations

Why Cybersecurity is a Priority It seems like every time I scroll through my news feed, there are multiple articles about cybersecurity. But when you consider that data breaches exposed 7 billion records in the first half of 2024 (source: IT Governance), it’s understandable that cybersecurity is such a hot topic right now. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems,...

Categories General/Resources/Technology

October 16, 2024

Do Good and Positively Impact Your Bottom Line!

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month Employment offers many benefits beyond financial compensation. It keeps us busy, challenges us, and adds value and structure to our lives. It gives us a sense of pride, purpose, and personal achievement. This is equally important for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) and/or autism. We have witnessed the positive impact of employment on many...

Categories Community/Employment/Everyday Life/General