Friday Update: September 27, 2024

Common Ground's Spooky Social Oct. 8

Lucas DD's Common Ground and Friend Network is for people 18+ to gather together and build lasting, sustainable friendships and connections. The next meeting is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 at our Larc Lane Training Center and is a Spooky Social - costumes are encouraged! Questions? Contact your Service and Support Specialist or click here to email Deborah Tyree.

Lucas DD Trunk or Treat on Oct. 15

Get your costume ready for Lucas DD's Trunk or Treat! This is a free community event; all abilities are welcome! No registration required. We will see you on our campus at 5:30 p.m. on October 15!

Cops & Conversation Oct. 16

Please join SALUTE (Lucas DD's self-advocacy group) for an opportunity for law enforcement and people with developmental disabilities to get to know one another and ask questions. This is a hybrid session on October 16 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Contact Deetra Kelly with any questions.

Wealth & Wisdom Oct. 16

You can attend this session on October 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in person or virtually. Free meal offered if you register to attend in-person. 5:30 is the meal, followed by the session starting at approximately 6. October's topic is Money Mapping: A New Way to Budget. The session will include identifying needs v. wants, understanding income v. expenses, understanding negative and positive cash flow, and creating a personal Money Map. Special guests from 5/3 Bank will be presenting along with County Board staff.

Family Ties Oct. 17

Lucas DD has a new Parent Connection Group in 2024 called Family Ties! The mission of this group is to help families make connections build a network that they can lean on for support. The next meeting is 6:30-7:30 p.m. on October 17. Light snacks will be served. We hope to see you there! Please email familyties@lucasdd.org with any questions.

Halloween Rec Jam!

Mark your calendars to dance the night away from 7- 9 p.m. on October 24. Costumes encouraged! No registration necessary. Click headline for full details.

Board Meeting Recap

At its September meeting, the Board of Directors of the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities recognized the family of an individual served by our Children's Department and a Community Connections Trainer in our Community Inclusion Department. Click here to read all about it!

Next Best Buddies Meetup Scheduled

The first Best Buddies meeting last week was a huge success! A large number of University of Toledo students attended, so registration has been extended if more individuals would like to join. Click here to register (ages 18+) so you can attend the next meetup from 4 - 6 p.m. on October 18, when they'll have the opportunity to participate in go-carting! Email Deetra Kelly if you have any questions.

Social & Recreational Program Accepting Applications

Bittersweet Farms’ Social & Recreational Program is accepting applications for “Adventures in Skills,” a 6-week, community-based social skills series for adolescents with autism (ages 13-22) led by a team of BCBAs! The series begins on October 15 and will take place weekly on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Every week, they’ll meet at a different location in NW Ohio for person-centered skill-building and fun activities. The all-inclusive cost of the series is $400— click here for more information. Individuals not currently served by Bittersweet must complete an Application for Services and the Adventures in Skills Series Application by Friday, October 4 to be considered. For questions, contact Katie Kuntz-Wineland at kkuntz-wineland@bittersweetfarms.org

2nd Annual Snowy Social Registration is Open

Lucas DD's Early Intervention department is having their second annual Snowy Social, a celebration of all things snowy and hands-on! This inclusive, family-friendly event is geared towards children 6 and under. It is free and open to the community! All abilities are welcome. Due to the amount of interest and the space available, this year there will be TWO sessions on December 10, from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. Register for this event to reserve your spot and have a chance to win a Kroger gift card! (Participants can attend one or the other, not both.)

12th Annual Autism Walk Registration is Open

The Autism Walk is the premier autism awareness event in Northwest Ohio and the primary fundraiser for the Autism Society of Northwest Ohio. The walk features family-friendly activities for children and access to local autism and other service-based organizations.

Every dollar raised at the event stays right here in the community to help the Autism Society of Northwest Ohio provide support, education, and advocacy to individuals, families, and professionals that work tirelessly to support individuals with autism. Their service area includes Lucas, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Williams, and Wood counties. Day of registration and family-friendly activities begin at 9 a.m. The walk will begin promptly at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27.

TOPSoccer on Oct. 6

US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational sports program for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities offered only through local U.S. Youth Soccer-affiliated soccer clubs. The next free session is 2-3 p.m. on October 6. TOPSoccer provides people with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive. They have a new registration program. Click headline for details.

Inclusive Haunted Trail Oct. 11-12

S.O.A.R. Christ United Methodist Church of Oregon along with The Friends of Maumee Bay State Park are working together on an inclusive Haunted Trail fundraiser at Maumee Bay State Park to bring the community together to support individuals with disabilities and have a lot of fun. Various events take place on October 11-12. Questions about the fundraiser or volunteering to help with the Haunted Trail? Call Jean Blachowski 419-461-7366.

Sunshine's Spooky Boardwalk Oct. 13

Free event for friends and family of Sunshine! Over 50 vendors and community partners will be handing out candy from 2 - 4 p.m. on October 13.

AccessTOL Airport Experience on Oct. 14

The AccessTOL Airport Experience Event provides individuals with an experience of traveling through an airport to identify potential challenges they may be encountered.

The next AccessTOL Airport Experience Event is on Monday, October 14 at 2:30 p.m. Deadline to register is October 7, 2024.

Disability Connect on Oct. 16

Disability Connect is a gathering for DODD leaders to hear directly from the people they support about issues affecting their lives. It is also a chance to learn more about different projects at DODD and across Ohio government while also sharing accessible resources and making connections to help everyone live their good life. Disability Connect meets regularly throughout the year and is open to everyone. Meetings are held virtually using Zoom. The next one begins at 1 p.m. on October 16.

Fall 2024 Grants List

Looking for grants to help out with some costs? Click on the headline to find an extensive list of various opportunities to apply for grants. Reach out to Lucas DD's Tammy Eisenreich if you would like assistance with applications.

Grants Available for Lucas County Businesses!

Lucas DD is offering grants of up to $20,000 to help local businesses create more inclusive restrooms! Adult Changing Table Grants were established to award Lucas County businesses/agencies the opportunity to develop inclusive spaces with the ability to install or modify changing tables in restrooms for all individuals. Application deadline is Oct. 31. Click the link above to learn more and apply! 

Adult Day Grants Application Deadline is Oct. 31

The third and final cycle of the 2024 Lucas DD Adult Day Grant application is underway! The goal of the grants, of up to $10,000, is to help fund technologies or programs that expand or enhance Adult Day or Employment services, promote community integration and community employment, and/or helps people achieve their goals related to Adult Day/Employment services & supports. 

Polling Place Accessibility Audit Toolkits Available

Despite federal laws that require polling places to be accessible; voters with disabilities continue to experience barriers on election day. In 2016, the Government Accountability Office found that 60 percent of polling places had at least one problem that made them inaccessible.

One way to improve election accessibility is to conduct accessibility audits of polling places in your community on election day. Accessibility audits can be a huge undertaking, which is why the National Polling Access Audit Coalition has created a toolkit to support your work.

Telepsychiatry and Second Opinion Services Available

Ohio's Telepsychiatry Project and Second Opinion Psychiatric Assessment programs are still accepting referrals for youth and adults with Medicaid across all 88 counties. Telepsychiatry offers medication management for adults or youth with co-occurring mental illness/developmental disabilities. Second Opinion Psychiatric Assessment provides consultation for teams working with youth and adults with complex behavioral health needs. Questions? Email Miranda Coffee at miranda.coffee@accessoh.net.

Lucas DD is looking for some trunks with treats!

Sign up to decorate your trunk and hand out treats to all the Trunk & Treaters on Oct. 15! Email Lori Balogh to sign up.

Inclusive Haunted Trail Needs Volunteers

S.O.A.R., the Christ United Methodist Church of Oregon, and Friends of Maumee Bay State Park are working together on an Inclusive Haunted Trail fundraiser at Maumee Bay State Park. The event, 5:30-10 p.m. on Oct 11, and again on Oct.12, is aimed at bringing the community together to support individuals with disabilities and have a lot of fun. There will be a sensory-friendly trail from 6-7 p.m. on both days. The group is looking for clubs or organizations to adopt a section of the trail that they'd like to decorate as a scary scene. Prizes will be awarded for the top vote getters. Click on the link above for more info, or email jeanb@soarllc.org or call/text 419-461-7366.

Ohio Family Resource Network Survey

This survey will help the Ohio Family Resource Network better understand the experience of families and community partners as they connect with the Ohio Family Network organizations. Family Networks help connect families who have family members with disabilities, so they feel less isolated and better supported. They encourage families to have high expectations for their family members with disabilities and envision bright futures where they are active community members. They also work within local communities to help community resources better welcome and support all families.

Help Lucas County Commissioners Develop a Strategic Plan

The Board of Lucas County Commissioners is developing a strategic plan to help guide how they provide services to Lucas County residents. Let your voice be heard! Help them map out the future of public service by completing a confidential survey that will shape priorities, investments, and projects. This is your chance to help lay out an inclusive Lucas County that works for you and your family. Take the survey today!

Cerebral Palsy Family Network Seeks Heroes of the Day

Want to see YOUR Cerebral Palsy Hero in one of their feature social media posts? Every day people are inspired by the strength, determination, and love of CP heroes. Share their special story with the CPFN community! Send a photo, short bio, and why they're your #CPHero, and they could be featured as the Hero of the Day! Send info to families@cpfamilynetwork.org. They do not sell, trade, or share your information with any third party.

Participants Needed for OSU Remote Support Survey

When someone uses technology to support a person from a distance, we call that remote support. Are you using Remote Support Services and have you used it for at least 1 year? If so, you may qualify to participate in a study and be compensated for it. Click the link above for more information and help Ohio State researchers better understand the impact of remote support services.