Live in the Cedar Valley

The principle of inclusive living occurs in the Cedar Valley where we live.

Every day, as never before, people with disabilities are making an effort to engage in productive, familiar activities. These include owning a home, working, raising families, attending a faith community of their choice, eating in their favorite restaurant and rooting for the “home” team.

Accessibility and self-determined supports promote lives in chosen neighborhood homes and facilitate a full inclusion in all aspects of community life by people with disabilities.

Together We Can provide a welcoming community to people with disabilities.  But the barriers such as steps, heavy doors, narrow aisles, high counters, print materials and communication issues that exclude people from full participation are real. Change will increase access to the Cedar Valley area local businesses. People with disabilities can’t spend money at your business if they can’t get in the door and they won’t make repeat customers if they can’t use the restroom!

Despite the overwhelming evidence that citizens with disabilities want to be a part of their community in every way possible, the latest Harris survey conducted by the National Organization on Disability, NOD, indicates that they feel otherwise. The NOD refers to this obvious imbalance between desire and efforts of people with disabilities to participate in their communities and the barriers they feel prevent them from doing so as a “community participation gap.”

Together We Can build a strong community in which full inclusion assures every persons gifts and talents can be fully realized and fully contributed, an outcome that benefits all and begins with living in the Cedar Valley!

 

The Inclusion Connection provides educational presentations and Inclusion Surveys on how Together We Can be more inclusive and can be customized to meet your organization or business needs.