Meet Cheyenne Blakeman

Cheyenne was looking at an uncertain future. Blind since birth, she was close to graduating from high school, but lacked the confidence and training she needed to live independently. She was assisted by aids in the public school she attended but her access to the learning materials was marginal. Add to that a lack of training in the skills of blindness, and Cheyenne was very dependent on help from others.

Her counselor with the Michigan Commission for the Blind suggested that Cheyenne might be able to get some experience as a volunteer at Disability Advocates of Kent County. On her first visits, Cheyenne had to be assisted in and out of the building, and helped with every task. As she worked with DAKC’s volunteer coordinator and other staff, Cheyenne came to know the layout of the DAKC offices, and was able to perform tasks with less and less assistance. She became a valuable asset to DAKC with her proficiency in Braille as she was able to create Braille for the signs throughout the building as well as business cards and other documents. The day came when Cheyenne’s aids from school no longer accompanied her to the DAKC office. She was able to travel independently by Go!Bus and find her way in, out, and around the DAKC offices by herself.

“Coming to Disability Advocates helped me with my self confidence” said Cheyenne. “I am now much more independent, and I’m able to travel to new places on my own”.

Cheyenne’s story reflects DAKC’s mission in action to help persons with disabilities to live full independent lives. She now has much bigger ambitions and goals for her future, and continues to volunteer for Disability Advocates.

WANTED: Good Public Transit Becoming Better

As oil reaches unprecedented costs per barrel and gasoline inches ominously toward $4.00 per gallon, more county residents are utilizing public transit. Citizens are discovering that we have a good system in the Rapid’s service area of East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, Walker and Wyoming. Unfortunately, too many experience the severe limitations in service outside that area. What people are calling for, more and more, is a truly great and comprehensive public transportation system throughout the entire county.

To continue this dialogue on future plans and address concerns of state support for public transit in Kent County, more than 120 transit advocates faced State Senator Bill Hardiman and Representatives Tom Pearce and Dave Hildenbrand at the annual transit legislative luncheon on March 10th to ask questions and hear the legislators’ plans to support public transit issues. Representatives from the offices of Congressman Vern Ehlers and Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow attended as well.

The luncheon kicked off with a presentation by Rae Bower of Concerned Citizens for Improved Transportation (CCIT) updating attendees on the progress made on the Getting There Together priorities set at the Transit Summit in 2005. Next up was Andy Guy of the Michigan Land Use Institute who laid out the vital role public transit plays in West Michigan’s economy, environment, development and job creation.

Some of the questions posed to the legislators included:

1) Recently the Rapid’s Bus Rapid Transit project that will run down South Division project was approved for federal funding provided they secure state match and have a financial plan for the operating portion received. The match requirement is 20% of the total cost or approximately $8 million. Traditionally the Michigan Department of Transportation has paid the full, non-federal share. Do you support the State of Michigan funding the full match? And, if so, what are you willing to do in order to secure the needed $8 million in capitol dollars?

In the past decade, about $85 million dollars have been diverted from the Comprehensive Transportation Fund (CTF) to the state’s General Fund for non-transportation and non-transit projects. In addition, dedicated dollars that many argue should be put into the CTF are not. Both of these result in an under-funded CTF and less and less operating support from the state as a percentage of local transit authorities’ budgets. Will you promise to work to stop the practice of shifting money away from the CTF? Second, will you make a commitment to insure the CTF receives the maximum amount of funds dedicated to it?

3) Accessible transportation requires good sidewalks, viable bus shelters, and quality safety devices. What are you willing to do to insure that these amenities are installed?

4) Some have said the easiest way to reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce pollution without having to create any new regulations or laws is to build better public transportation that people can easily use. Do you agree or disagree with that thought? Why or why not?

The three legislators responded positively to these questions and professed their support for improving Michigan’s public transit and stated they would work toward that end. Rep. Pearce was on a special transit subcommittee and has been working with Rep. Marie Donigan of Royal Oak on a plan to get Michigan’s transit systems moving at a much quicker pace. Sen. Hardiman has a key role to play as chair of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee and he pledged to work to secure the needed capital match for the Rapid’s projects. Finally, Rep. Hildenbrand spoke of the great economic value in matching the bus rapid transit project’s $32 million federal funding commitment with only $8 million form the state and he also pledged to get these dollars for our area.

The luncheon was supported by a grant from AARP of Michigan and sponsored by CCIT, Faith In Motion, The Emergency Needs Task Force Transportation Subcommittee and Disability Advocates of Kent County.

For more information about advocating for improved public transit, contact Frank Lynn at DAKC at (616) 949-1100 ext 238 or frank.l@dakc.us.

NEXT STEP?

The Rapid has agreed to contribute $100,000 toward a $200,000 study of the unmet public transportation needs throughout Kent County. It is time to get the surrounding townships more involved so residents living within and without of the township and village borders can travel anywhere within Kent County on public transit. Much work remains to be done in order to secure the needed funds to match the Rapid’s piece.

Contact Frank to get involved! We especially need residents of Kent County who live outside the Rapid’s service area to be involved in addition to people whose lives are hampered by buses stopping at the Rapid’s service area limits.

DAKC: New Look for Web, New Things on the Horizon

Spring is officially here! Can you feel it? As renewal and new growth occurs in the natural world, so too is DAKC following suit with new growth in the tech world. In May DAKC will unveil the newly reconstructed and redesigned www.dakc.us site. A fresh new look, easier navigation and the ability to donate to DAKC and register for events online are just a few updated features of the site.
In the realm of housing advocacy, a Center of Housing Expertise, under the direction of Frank Lynn, is in the works. This project works to increase housing choice for people with developmental and other disabilities. The project will ultimately create a housing database and allow people to search for available housing in Kent County. The updated version of the database will be unveiled at the time of DAKC’s reconstructed site.

Do you want a one-stop shop to check out all the latest info regarding public transit in the area? www.kenttransit.org will be THE place to go.

Low Interest Loans Available To People with Disabilities. Call 616 949-1100 Ext. 236 or renee.t@dakc.us

Walk & Roll Celebrating 10th Anniversary

It is hard to believe that 10 years ago supporters of Disability Advocates gathered for the first Walk & Roll. Since then, the event has soared to new heights in attendance and participation, not to mention in dollars raised. $31,000 was raised this year! A special thank you to our major sponsor Mary Free Bed who has given us so much support over the years. Thank you also to all of the sponsors, donors and volunteers who truly make this event successful. Dollars raised from this event support our Business Services program and every $1 donated turns into $4 of support which is possible through a cash match grant with the state.

The top three relay team finishers were:
1. Kremer’s Motley Krew
2. The Fighting Irish
3. J. W. Messner.

The top three fundraising teams were:
1. The Dough Nuts
2. Kremer’s Motley Krew
3. Team Watrous

Grand Rapids Christian High takes home the Jim Gardiner Trophy!

The Jim Gardiner Trophy Competition saw a new champion this year, Grand Rapids Christian High. After West Catholic claiming victory two years in a row, Grand Rapids Christian High thwarted West Catholic’s three-peat pursuit of the Jim Gardiner Trophy. Jim was a star athlete at Catholic Central who became a quadriplegic from a diving accident in college. He returned to Catholic Central to coach cross country and pole vaulting. He was the best pole vaulting coach around. Unfortunately Jim has passed away, but this competition is a way to remember him and the way he lived his life with his disability. It is also an opportunity for the students to get involved, challenge themselves and give to an organization that shows the community what is possible despite having a disability.

We’ll be back again for more competition for Walk & Roll 2009.

Thanks to our Major Sponsors

Mary Free Bed and Rehabilitation Hospital
Comerica
Grand Valley State University
Miller Johnson
JW Messner, Inc.
Image Builders Marketing, Inc.

Thanks to Andy Rent from 100.5 The River, Griff. Congratulations to Grand Rapids Christian High School for being the top competitive winners and taking home the Jim Gardiner Trophy from West Catholic, last year’s winners.

2006-2007 Annual Report

Total FY Support & Revenue- $1,403,586
State-$115,709
Federal $ Admin by State-$$263,054
Fee for Service-$341,556
Federal-$211,478
Local foundations-$195,000
Local governments-$28,649
Contributions-$244.558
Miscellaneous-$3,582

Total FY Expenses-$1,411,854
Independent Living Services-$626,832
Disability rights and advocacy-$267,587
Information & Referral-$119,536
Peer Support-$49,596
Management/general-$219,088
Fund raising-$129,215

Community Service Hours combined 22,280
Individuals served- 3,152

Gender-53% female, 47% male
Ethnicity-54% Unknown, White-29%, Black-17%
Disability-Unkniown-41%, Physical-27%, Multiple-16%, Mental-7%, Other-3%, Cognitive-3%,Vision-2%, Hearing-1%.

Services Category Hours

Accessibility-335
Assistive Technology-1749
Education-2834
Employment-3755
Healthcare-1321
Housing-4961
Community Supports-2504
Transportation-1509
Other-3312

Sandy Koppleburger

Sandy Koppleburger says she is grateful that Disability Advocates of Kent County is here and what we stand for. Twice, advocacy and assistance from DAKC has made a major difference in her quality of life at her home.

The first time was some years ago when Sandy was living in a local apartment complex. Sandy’s disability made it extremely difficult for her to get to the centrally located mailboxes to retrieve her mail. The post office agreed to let her have a mailbox at her apartment, but management did not want to allow that. Staff from Disability Advocates stepped in and Sandy was able to get her mailbox, plus a designated parking space near her apartment.

More recently Sandy moved into a mobile home park. Unfortunately, the lack of a curb cut made it impossible for Sandy to get from her van parked in front to her home using her scooter without traveling down the block where broken concrete enabled her to get up on the sidewalk, and return down the block to her home. Again, staff from Disability Advocates stepped in. The mobile home park agreed to provide the concrete, and Disability Advocates found a volunteer to actually install the curb cut.

“These might seem like small things” said Sandy, “but they made a major difference in my life. I am grateful to Disability Advocates and will support them in any way I can!”