MAKE ROOM IN YOUR OCTOBER SCHEDULE!

It’s hard to believe that October is already half over!  As you plan the rest of your month, make room on the calendar for these important events:

• Quality Trust’s “Envision Endless Opportunities” annual meeting, Thursday, October 26, 5-7pm in the UDC student ballroom at 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW.  QT’s annual meeting (it’s free! with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments) is always a great opportunity to catch up on the essential work QT has been doing over the course of the year on behalf of DC residents with disabilities – and also to meet up with friends in the community, in person not on Zoom!  Get your free ticket here: QT annual meeting 2023.

• DDS monthly forum, Friday, October 27 at noon, on Zoom.  These DDS forums began during the pandemic, and continue to occur on the fourth Friday of the month.  Covid has been back on the agenda recently, with presentations last month by DC Health about covid and other fall viruses and by DDS deputy director Winslow Woodland about a survey DDS conducted on the lingering effects of the pandemic.  You can find these presentations here: Sept 29 presentations.  On October 27^th DDS will be addressing, among other things, the shift away from companion care and back to other types of day supports as some of the federal pandemic-era programs wind down:  if you still are confused about the phaseout of companion care, you’ll want to tune in – contact Charlisa.Payne2@dc.gov to receive the link.

• Employment issues will also be highlighted on the 27^th, but even more so at the second annual Employment First Summit on October 31, being held again at the MLK library, from 9am-4pm.  You don’t need to attend for the entire day, but whenever you come, you’ll experience a lot of useful information and networking opportunities.  Register here: Employment First Summit.

You probably won’t be able to do all of it, but pick at least one of these and get it on your calendar!

Carol Grigsby (she/her/hers) is a dedicated advocate, blogging since 2014 on issues affecting people with developmental disabilities in Washington, DC. I am the immediate past chair of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council and the parent of a young man receiving supports from DC’s Department on Disability Services. I strongly support statehood for DC, where I have lived since 1978, since without it no DC resident, disabled or non-disabled, will ever be fully empowered. Opinions in this blog are my own.