Globant, Cascadience and Viability Launch AI-Powered Platform for Students with Disabilities
Globant, Cascadience and Viability Launch AI-Powered Platform for Students with Disabilities
Provider’s Council Highlights Viability’s Mission Driven Work
Providers’ Council Membership Monday: We’re thrilled to share that the Providers’ Council highlighted Viability in the latest Membership Monday feature! This recognition means the world to us—not just as an organization, but as validation of the incredible work our staff does every single day. Our Vision in Action At the heart of everything we do is a simple yet powerful belief: we can build a world where individuals with disabilities and other disadvantages experience true acceptance, inclusion, and access. This isn’t just our mission statement: it’s our daily commitment to the communities we serve. Our vision goes even deeper. We are part of a thriving communities where program participants, their families and staff work together, making inclusion and access a pathway for people, businesses, and entire communities to succeed side by side. Creating Connection Through Service Our comprehensive network of services reflects this commitment to accessibility, opportunity and success. From employment support and job training to skill-building programs, community living assistance and Clubhouses, we focus on connecting each individual’s unique choices, strengths, and goals with meaningful opportunities. The Ripple Effect When we invest in accessibility and opportunities of all, something beautiful happens. Individual lives are transformed, and the impact extends far beyond that. Businesses discover new perspectives and talents. Communities become more vibrant and welcoming. Everyone wins. Thank you to the Providers’ Council for recognizing our mission-driven work and for celebrating our dedicated staff. Features like Membership Monday remind us that we’re part of a larger network of organizations committed to making our communities stronger and more inclusive. See you all at the next Caring Force Rally! To read Viability’ full featured story, please click here!
Viability Celebrates Award-winning Staff Member Nicole Nelson
Springfield, MA – September 26, 2024 – Viability Inc. congratulates Nicole Nelson, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services Program Director, as recipient of the 2024 Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers’ (ADDP), Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Award (DEIB). “Nicole has consistently been instrumental in connections to resources for ASL interpreters and educating our staff and communities to increase access for deaf individuals. Across the full spectrum of diversity, Nicole challenges anyone and everyone to recognize and remove barriers with an unshakeable commitment to valuing DEIB” said Colleen Holmes, Viability’s President and CEO. “I am deeply honored receiving this award and thank Viability leadership and colleagues as well as ADDP for this recognition. It demonstrates the power of inclusion, understanding and respect and inspires me to continue advocating for equality amongst marginalized individuals and fostering environments where everyone can thrive.” said Nelson. Some of the Nicole’s work that garnered this award includes her tireless efforts to recruit staff from across the country who were deaf or hard of hearing and fluent in ASL, so that deaf individuals could be well-served, staging a simulation exercise where participants had to conduct routine activities without being able to speak verbally, and helping to draft Viability’s DEIB Leadership Statement. About ViabilityViability Inc. is a human services agency headquartered in Springfield, MA, which provides employment, job training and placement, vocational, life skill-building, and other community-based services to nearly 4300 individuals with disabilities or disadvantages annually. With a staff of 430+, Viability ensures individuals in our service areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island have opportunities to Thrive Beyond Limits. Our program models include community-based day and day habilitation services; supported living options; psycho-social clubhouses; transportation services; and a variety of pre-employment, vocational, internship and employment programs. Viability is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and Clubhouse International and certified by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and the Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance. About ADDP As a prominent statewide association, the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP) represents 134 human service organizations that provide a wide range of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism, and to individuals who have brain injuries. ADDP’s mission is to promote and ensure the strength of its community-based providers so they can be successful in improving access, quality, and the value of services in the community. For more information, visit www.addp.org.
Viability Welcomes Danielle Letourneau as Chief of Staff
Viability Welcomes Danielle Letourneau as Chief of Staff Springfield, MA – September 8, 2024 – Viability Inc., a human services organization dedicated to building a world in which individuals with disabilities and other disadvantages realize acceptance, inclusion, and access, is pleased to announce the appointment of Danielle Letourneau as Viability’s Chief of Staff. “Ms. Letourneau brings her value of mission-driven work, a roll-up-her sleeves energy, and a range of experience complementary to our exceptionally dedicated leadership team. Viability is excited to have her join us. ” said Colleen Holmes, Viability’s President and CEO. Danielle Letourneau possesses a wealth of experience in operations, strategic project management, and service to and with people, complemented by a comprehensive understanding of nonprofit organizations and public sector entities. “I am deeply honored to join Viability’s leadership team as the new Chief of Staff,” Ms. Letourneau stated. “My work in the public sector and nonprofit organizations will contribute significantly to my role at this leading human services organization. I look forward to helping advance Viability’s mission and impact.” Ms. Letourneau holds a BA degree in Psychology from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. About Viability Viability Inc. is a human services agency headquartered in Springfield, MA, which provides employment, job training and placement, vocational, life skill-building, and other community-based services to nearly 4300 individuals with disabilities or disadvantages annually. With a staff of 430+, Viability ensures individuals in our service areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island have opportunities to Thrive Beyond Limits. Our program models include community-based day and day habilitation services; supported living options; psycho-social clubhouses; transportation services; and a variety of pre-employment, vocational, internship and employment programs. Viability is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and Clubhouse International, and certified by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and the Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance.
A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month, 2023
A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month, 2023 In June 1969, a courageous group of Americans rose up to protest the violence and marginalization they faced in what became known as the Stonewall Uprising. Police had raided the Stonewall Inn — a gay bar located in New York City — and for the next six days they clashed with LGBTQI+ protestors, who bravely stood their ground. Their courage sparked a civil rights movement for the liberation of the LGBTQI+ community and changed our Nation forever. During Pride Month, we honor a movement that has grown stronger, more vibrant, and more inclusive with every passing year. Pride is a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people, who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically. And it is a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, protection, and freedom. Today, our Nation faces another inflection point. In 2023 alone, State and local legislatures have already introduced over 600 hateful laws targeting the LGBTQI+ community. Books about LGBTQI+ people are being banned from libraries. Transgender youth in over a dozen States have had their medically necessary health care banned. Homophobic and transphobic vitriol spewed online has spilled over into real life, as armed hate groups intimidate people at Pride marches and drag performances, and threaten doctors’ offices and children’s hospitals that offer care to the LGBTQI+ community. Our hearts are heavy with grief for the loved ones we have lost to anti-LGBTQI+ violence. Despite these attacks, the LGBTQI+ community remains resilient. LGBTQI+ Americans are defiantly and unapologetically proud. Youth leaders are organizing walkouts at high schools and colleges across the country to protest discriminatory laws. LGBTQI+ young people and their parents are demonstrating unimaginable courage by testifying in State capitols in defense of their basic rights. They are not alone: My entire Administration stands proudly with the LGBTQI+ community in the enduring struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. And we are making strides. On my first day in office, I signed a historic Executive Order charging the entire Federal Government with protecting LGBTQI+ people from discrimination — from health care to housing, education, employment, banking, and the criminal justice system. Last December, surrounded by dozens of couples who have fought for marriage equality in the courts for decades, I had the great honor of signing into law the landmark Respect for Marriage Act. This bipartisan law protects the rights of same-sex and interracial couples — like caring for one’s sick partner and receiving spousal benefits. Deciding who to marry is one of life’s most profound decisions, so we etched a simple truth into law: Love is love. Meanwhile, I have taken unprecedented steps to support LGBTQI+ youth. During Pride Month last year, I signed an Executive Order charging Federal agencies with combating the dangerous and discredited practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” I also directed agencies to help end the crisis of homelessness among LGBTQI+ youth and adults and to address discrimination that LGBTQI+ kids face in foster care. The Department of Justice is combating laws that target transgender children, and the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have proposed new rules to protect LGBTQI+ Americans from discrimination in health care, at school, and in sports. I also established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse to develop concrete actions to prevent and respond to online harassment and abuse, which disproportionately target LGBTQI+ people. Additionally, my Administration made it easier for LGBTQI+ youth to access vital mental health support. Now, by calling the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and dialing the number 3, LGBTQI+ youth can speak to counselors who have been specifically trained to support them. This country is stronger and more just when America’s leaders reflect the full diversity of our Nation, so I have appointed a historic number of highly qualified openly LGBTQI+ judges and public servants at all levels of the Federal Government. Our Armed Forces are most capable when all patriots can serve their country, so I protected the right of transgender people to once again serve openly in the military. But there is more to do, like passing the bipartisan Equality Act, which would strengthen civil rights protections for LGBTQI+ people and families across America. We must also address the disproportionate levels of homelessness, poverty, and unemployment in the LGBTQI+ community and end the crisis of violence against transgender women and girls of color. We must support LGBTQI+ activists around the globe who are standing up for basic human rights and LGBTQI+ survivors of gender-based violence. And we must end the HIV/AIDS epidemic once and for all. Our collective freedoms are inextricably linked: when one group’s dignity and equality are threatened, we all suffer. This month and every month, let us celebrate the pride that powers the movement for LGBTQI+ rights and commit to doing our part to help realize the promise of America, for all Americans. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2023 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the achievements of the LGBTQI+ community, to celebrate the great diversity of the American people, and to wave their flags of pride high. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh. JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. Read Original Whitehouse Post Previous Post
Mental Illness in America
Mental Illness in the US Here’s what you should know about the importance of Mental Health Awareness Month and how you can get involved. Article via Psychology Today Magazine People consistently rank health as one of the most important things in life. Sadly, however, optimal mental health is often not included. Mental health is many times the proverbial “elephant in the room”—we know that it is there, but it makes us uncomfortable to address it. MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE US Previous Post
The World Needs All Kinds of Minds Ted Talk
The World Needs All Kinds of Minds Through groundbreaking research and the lens of her own autism, Temple Grandin brings startling insight into two worlds. Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works — sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids. VIEW THE WORLD NEEDS ALL KINDS OF MINDS TED TALK Previous Post
How to participate in the National Racial Healing
How to participate in the National Racial Healing Originally posted by The National Day of Racial Healing, which is part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation efforts. Image taken from 2023 National Day of Racial Healing Action Kit Banner. View original post here. Racial healing restores individuals and communities to wholeness. Racial healing repairs the damage caused by racism. It facilitates trust, builds authentic relationships and bridges divides. Racial healing is at the heart of racial equity – the people work that leads to community, organizational and systems transformation. How to Participate TUNE IN TO MSNBC AND NOTICIAS TELEMUNDO On Jan. 17, tune in at 10 p.m. EST for a live MSNBC townhall from New Orleans. Noticias Telemundo will stream a Spanish-language townhall at 7 p.m. EST. HOST AN EVENT OR CONVERSATION Host an event that brings people together, cultivates trust, builds relationships or tells true stories about your community or organization’s racial past. Invite your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues from different backgrounds ENGAGING CHILDREN Bring racial healing to schools, libraries, parks and recreation centers, and faith communities – or use these ideas as inspiration for your brainstorming. ENGAGING IN PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS Use these ideas and resources to bring racial healing to your company or local business sector, foundations & nonprofits and healthcare settings. Plus – tips for how artists & media-makers can honor the day. ENGAGING POLICYMAKERS Policymakers and decisionmakers play a critical role in building fair and just communities. Find ideas for using your voice as a leader, inviting community input for racially equitable policy planning and much more! WATCH CHANGING THE NARRATIVE A 14-part digital series, Changing The Narrative, explores the subject of advancing racial equity through the experience of racial healing, produced by NBCUniversal News Group, and sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. View all initiatives and ways to get involved Previous Post
Read Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in its entirety
Monday marks the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Below is a transcript of his celebrated “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Viability in Springfield Debuts New Brand
The Springfield-based human service non-profit agency Viability held a re-branding event Friday. Mayor Domenic Sarno showed his support for Viability’s goal of providing a variety of services for people with disabilities needing jobs and job training.
