25th Anniversary of ADA Celebration Held at FREE
August 20, 2015 | News
Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) hosted a 25th Anniversary Celebration of The American’s With Disabilities Act (ADA) in FREE’s multipurpose room. Attendees were treated to a performance by the FREE Players Drum Corps and listened to presentations by Stephanie Baldwin, Advocacy and Legal Review Coordinator at FREE and Claire Miller, Advocacy and LGBT Services Coordinator at FREE. Participants were invited to share what the ADA meant to them, and had opportunity to take a pledge to support the ADA.
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As part of their mission to help individuals realize their full potential FREE has many self-advocacy groups:
FREE Your Mind Speakers Bureau, established to empower the individuals at FREE by teaching them advocacy skills and to encourage the individuals to write and share their inspirational stories to educate others and to increase awareness of disabilities.
The FREE Thinkers consists of individuals from FREE’s Day Programs. They work closely with the Self Advocacy Association of NYS (SANYS) and are active in legislative action. They have traveled to Albany and NYSACRA for events to advocate for more funds and programs to help individuals and staff in the Human Service field.
FREE To BE is a community of men and women dedicated to socialization, advocacy, and education. They are a support network that provides a safe environment to grow together. FREE To BE provides an engaging space for GLBTQ individuals and friends, and all who are interested are encouraged to come and join the group.