February 2012
12 posts
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Ten Points for Veterans to Consider When Returning... →
This fact sheet highlights some of the things Veterans should keep in mind as they re-enter the workforce. It discusses if and when to tell an employer about your disability, requesting workplace accommodations and how work may affect disability payments.
Ten Points for Veterans to Consider… was created by Northeast ADA Center, Employment & Disability Institute, Cornell University...
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"What Can YOU Do?" Video Contest - Website of the... →
DEADLINE: March 30, 2012
Can YOU promote positive change and challenge misconceptions about disability employment? Enter the What can YOU do? Video Contest sponsored by the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE), a national collaborative effort funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.. The contest seeks compelling videos that reflect the diversity of...
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NATIONAL DISABILITY INSTITUTE JOINS DISABILITY...
ABLE Act will help the 1 in 3 individuals with disabilities living in poverty and their families take important steps toward economic self-sufficiency and independence
(Washington, D.C. – Feb. 16, 2012) – National Disability Institute joined Congressional leaders and other national disability organizations on Capitol Hill today to advocate for the passage of the Achieve a Better Life Experience...
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Delayed Web Gratification
You could say I live on a fixed income. I receive Social Security Disability and while I am a freelance writer, those checks aren’t regular enough to get me out the “fixed income” zone. As I’ve chronicled over the past few years on this blog, I’ve been working very hard to become better with my finances. But a few years ago, I had a real problem living within the...
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February Issue of Washington Insider Newsletter...
The National Disability Institute’s Washington Insider is a monthly newsletter highlighting key federal policy news related to key NDI priority areas. The Washington Insider will track legislative and policy initiatives in the areas of taxation, asset building, and economic development that specifically impact people with disabilities and are gaining momentum in Washington.
Check out this...
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AccessibleTech.org - Website of the Week →
AccessibleTech.org aims to promote full and unrestricted participation in business and society by persons with disabilities through the use of electronic information technology that is universally accessible.
The site includes information and resources on:
Accessible Technology — Accessible information technology is technology that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities and...
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Free Virtual Tax Prep Available in Clearwater,... →
This tax season, the ServiceSource Florida Regional Office is partnering with the National Disability Institute’s Real Economic Impact Tour and the United Way of Tampa Bay to be a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) virtual tax preparation site for people with disabilities and/or low incomes. Virtual VITA allows individuals to use the latest computer technology to connect with an IRS...
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Bureau of Internet Accessibility - Website of the... →
The Bureau of Internet Accessibility (BoIA.org) offers free Web site accessibility analysis using Section 508 standards, WCAG 2.0 standards and checks for broken links. As the landscape of internet technology changes, it’s important for companies, especially those who serve individuals with disabilities, to ensure that content is accessible and continue to work to improve accessibility.
...
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Upcoming Webinars for Serving Older Adults |...
Long-time National Disability Institute partners National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions are producing a new webinar series on financial security and aging, “Better Directions: Financial Security Has No Age Limits.”
“Better Directions” is a program of the Federation that works to bring enhanced economic security to the low-income aging in partnership...
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IRS provides assistance for people with...
Individuals who are blind or visually impaired can download hundreds of the most popular federal tax forms and publications from IRS.gov. These products range from accessible PDFs to e-Braille formats and are accessible using screen reading software and refreshable Braille displays. Visit the IRS Accessibility page to download these forms and publications. Also, view a video that highlights IRS...
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Beating the February Status Quo
It’s that time of winter when you might not be living up to your New Year’s resolutions. You remember: Eat fewer sweets. Exercise more at the gym. Are you stuck in what I call “February Status Quo?” My take? Replace your unfulfilled resolutions with some economic solutions. In my last blog, I wrote about giving up drive-thru eating. That saved me at least $15 a week. Other suggestions for saving...
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Assets & Opportunity Scorecard - Publication of... →
Yesterday, CFED released the 2012 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard, the leading source for data on household financial security and policy solutions to combat asset poverty nationwide. The interactive website displays assesses metrics for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia on how well residents are faring and what states can do to help residents build and protect assets.
Some...
January 2012
12 posts
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MyFreeTaxes.com - Website of the Week →
National Disability Institute’s Real Economic Impact Tour is proud to be a part of Walmart’s MyFreeTaxes collective, along with OneEconomy and United Way Worldwide. The MyFreeTaxes initiative was created to bring free tax prep to low-income taxpayers as well as education about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), along with WIC and SNAP eligibility.
If you earned less than $57,000...
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Spend Some, Save Some - Publication of the Week →
Spend Some, Save Some is a financial education guide published by CFED. The free, easy-to-read guide (available in English and Spanish) walks VITA clients through some important things to consider when they receive their refunds to help them make the most of the money they expect to receive. The guide and the included Savings Plan Worksheet can help taxpayers:
Recognize the value of using the tax...
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MyEmploymentOptions.com - Website of the Week →
Employment Options is a Certified Social Security Administration (SSA) Employment Network for the Ticket To Work program. Its primary goal is to help beneficiaries on disability insurance (SSDI) and supplemental insurance (SSI) find suitable jobs for either part-time or full-time positions. It also helps employers nationwide locate quality, pre-screened applicants to fill work at home jobs....
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GUEST POST: USF and Best Buddies Team Up for...
This guest blog post is contributed by Alexia Barnes, President of the University of South Florida Chapter of Best Buddies.
People with disabilities are too often seen as charity cases and time spent with them is logged as community service hours. But on the University of South Florida’s (USF) biggest day of service, nine students with intellectual and developmental disabilities gave back to the...
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January Issue of Washington Insider Published
The National Disability Institute’s Washington Insider is a monthly newsletter highlighting key federal policy news related to key NDI priority areas. The Washington Insider will track legislative and policy initiatives in the areas of taxation, asset building, and economic development that specifically impact people with disabilities and are gaining momentum in Washington.
Check out this...
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Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is
This year may be the year I resolve to put my grocery shopping money where my mouth is and stop frequenting Taco Bell drive-thru twice (or thrice) a week for their rice and bean burrito. Not to say that their burrito is evil per se (though it is tasty and addictive). It’s just not sensible financially when I could be spending about the same on bags of rice and beans and some flour tortillas at...
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The Road to Shared Prosperity - Website of the... →
The Road to Shared Prosperity is an interactive map that displays a collection of personal stories about programs that help build the American Dream. Half in Ten, a campaign to cut poverty in half in 10 years teamed up with the Coalition on Human Needs to collect the stories of Americans who’s lives have been positively affected by human-needs programs (like Medicaid, food stamps/SNAP)....
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HSC Foundation Seeking Applications for the... →
The purpose of the ADA Program is to award and encourage a young individual with a disability between the ages of 14 and 26, who has dedicated himself/herself to positively affecting the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families in the United States. The Program also supports an innovative project developed by this young person with a disability that serves and empowers individuals...
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Accessible Assets: Bringing Together the... →
This article, published by the Shriver Center in Clearinghouse Review in 2010, examines the barriers and reformative measures necessary to improve asset building for people with disabilities.
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EITC Central - Website of the Week →
EITC Central was created by the IRS to help IRS partners and tax preparers spread the word about the Earned Income Tax Credit to ensure that all who are eligible benefit from the credit. The IRS estimates that 1 in 5 taxpayers eligible for the EITC doesn’t claim it - EITC Central is packed with information and resources for two main audiences:
partners who may serve populations that are...
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The Comfort of Resolutions
That title may seem like an oxymoron, but there is comfort in carrying through on your new year’s promises to yourself. The web offers a myriad of ideas for starting fresh and here are some of them I’ve rounded up:
Financially, strive to put away a small amount of cash each month. Can you stuff a $50 bill a month in a jar? How about $20 or $10? Having spare cash relieves stress when...
December 2011
11 posts
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Improving High School Outcomes for All Youth:... →
This brief was informed by over a decade of work by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth). This brief calls attention to the need to implement policies and practices that will improve high school and post-school outcomes for all students, including those with diverse learning and support needs. Recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers...
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Knowledge Translation for Employment Research... →
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory’s (SEDL) Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (KTER) will synthesize and disseminate existing high-quality research on improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities; conduct original research to identify and test strategies that encourage the use of such research among businesses/employers, policymakers,...
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Get your money quickly and safely with Direct...
Enroll in direct deposit instead of cashing paper checks. You’ll get every cent of your pay with no check cashing fees!
Getting a paper check can sometimes feel great. You can see your money in your hand! But paper checks also require more time and effort to get cashed, they can be lost in the mail or stolen, and the check cashing fees can add up each month. By enrolling in direct...
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It’s Not a Godiva Economy
In years past, I sent my editors Godiva chocolates for the holidays to thank them for giving me work during the year. You know Godiva - the top of the line, deluxe, practically sinful chocolatier. With prices to match. Last year I cut back to using a Vermont chocolate company. But this year and with this tough economy, it’s strictly homemade from me:
oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in a pretty...
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Advancing Workplace Flexibility Policy and... →
This document is one of the outcomes of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Women’s Bureau (WB) (signed 8/9/2010) to encourage and assist employers to expand and promote the use of flexible workplace strategies, including those focused on flexibility around job tasks for people with complex employment...
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Center for Applied Special Technology - Website of... →
Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST has earned international recognition for its innovative contributions to educational products, classroom practices, and policies. Its staff includes specialists in education research and policy, neuropsychology, clinical/school psychology, technology, engineering, curriculum development, K-12 professional development, and...
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Skip the pricey coffee and make your own! Today's...
Try making your own coffee for a week and tallying up what you save. You may never go to that coffee shop again!
Last year, I tried an experiment where I gave up expensive Starbucks coffee and tried making my own every day. Talk about savings! I went from spending over $20 a week at Starbucks to spending $7.50 - and that was with Starbucks’ Instant Coffee - the savings would be even...
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2011 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium -... →
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) facilitates evidence-based decision making in many different service and policy arenas to benefit persons with disabilities, leading to improved social outcomes. The 2011 Compendium compiles and organizes the large quantities of survey and administrative data related to people with disabilities...
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Get crafty this holiday season and save - Today's...
Its gift giving time, make your own instead of buying!
Holiday gift lists can easily get out of control. We want to share with all of our family and friends, but we also want to remain smart about our finances. Getting creative and making gifts is great way to not only save money, but to give a gift straight from the heart.
Check out these resources with great ideas for low-cost, crafted...
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Saving Christmas
In my last blog “Saving Thanksgiving,” I discussed trying to come up with a few ways a friend on a tight budget could afford Thanksgiving and all the trimmings. This time I want to write about ways of saving the spirit of the holidays.
Let’s admit it, Black Friday has gotten out of hand. Last year a man in front of a store doors was trampled to death when they opened by the frenzied crowds....
November 2011
17 posts
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The Facts on Charter Schools and Students with... →
NICHCY, the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities provides information to the nation on:
disabilities in children and youth;
programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities;
IDEA, the nation’s special education law; and
research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities
NICHCY has created a short document that...
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ODEP Integrated Employment Toolkit - Website of... →
Office of Disability Employment (ODEP)’s Integrated Employment Toolkit is designed to provide valuable information as individuals, community employment agencies, policymakers and others pursue integrated employment as the desired employment goal for youth and adults with disabilities. The Toolkit includes practical and, in some cases, adaptable information and documents to facilitate the...
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Skip the fees - rent movies from your local...
Want to rent a movie? Go to your local library and borrow one for free instead of paying rental fees.
When we think of a library we almost always think of BOOKS. But most public libraries are great resources for all kinds of media: Books, magazines & newspapers, music and even movies. Check out your local library’s media section - you might be surprised at the selection. And with holiday...
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A Pathway to Accessible Workplace Technology -... →
The Assistive Technology Industry Association, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP), recently authored a report that provides action items and policy issues that should be considered to advance accessible workplace technology. ODEP’s Accessible Workplace Technology Initiative is designed to advance the development and adoption of...
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National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability... →
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is a source for information about employment and youth with disabilities. NCWD/Youth assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and other disconnected youth. It offers a range of technical assistance services to state and local workforce...
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Track your spending, find ways to save - Today’s...
Keep a spending diary for 30 days to evaluate where & what you spent money on. This helps you compare needs vs. wants.
I often find myself looking at my account balance wondering just where all of my money went. It’s sometimes hard to have a good grasp on where our money goes - it may seem like most of it is spent on necessities - rent, food and the like - but taking a closer look can...
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Saving Thanksgiving
I have a friend here in Vermont who is a parent of a son with a disability and she works full-time in a low-paying job. Caring for a child with disabilities can stretch your money thin any time of the year, but it’s much more difficult during the holidays. She mentioned that she doesn’t think she’ll be able to afford a turkey and the fixings for Thanksgiving. We have invited them...
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Beyond Barriers: Designing Attractive Savings... →
New America Foundation’s Asset Building Program recently authored working paper titled “Beyond Barriers: Designing Attractive Savings Accounts for Lower-Income Consumers.” The paper discusses the banking barriers lower-income consumers face such as high minimum-opening deposit, minimum balance, or direct deposit requirements, and highnotable programs aimed at addressing these...
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Medicaid Reference Desk - Website of the Week →
The Medicaid Reference Desk, a project of The Arc and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities is a tool to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) find out what Medicaid can offer them. The site has information on different Medicaid plans in each state and territory, including plans designed specifically to serve people with I/DD and other disabilities. It...
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Pay Yourself First! Today's MoneyMondays tip.
Pay yourself first. Learn more about paying yourself first at www.pyfchallenge.com
Paying yourself first is a strategy used to make saving easier. We tend to think of bills as the first place where our money should go. The PYF philosophy is that you should automatically setting aside a certain percentage of each paycheck to put into savings, before you do anything else with your money. If you...
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First Coast Woman Wins Americans with Disabilities... →
Moira Rossi, the winner of National Disability Institute’s 2nd Annual My American Dream Video Contest, was featured on Jacksonville’s First Coast News in the weekly “Hero Central” segment. First Coast News came out to the surprise announcement to cover the story, as well as interview Moria. Visit the First Coat News site to view Moria’s Hero Central segment.
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Bank On - Website of the Week
CFED, with support from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment, the National League of Cities and the New America Foundation, has launched a new-and-improved Bank On website at JoinBankOn.org.
This digital resource, redesigned based on intensive input from users across the country, is the new online home for the national...
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Stitch and Save - Today's MoneyMondays tip
Don’t throw out damaged clothing, repair it instead! Sew on a new button or re-stitch that split hem line.
This may seem like an easy enough tip, but I know first hand that something as small as a missing button or tiny tear can serve as a flimsy excuse to buy new things. I often have to say to myself “3 minutes or 30 dollars?” When I really stop to think about it, not only am I saving...
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November Issue of the Washington Insider Published
The National Disability Institute’s Washington Insider is a monthly newsletter highlighting key federal policy news related to key NDI priority areas. The Washington Insider will track legislative and policy initiatives in the areas of taxation, asset building, and economic development that specifically impact people with disabilities and are gaining momentum in Washington.
Check out this...
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The Great Weight Debate
Recently, I read an article in the September issue of MORE Magazine about dieting and whether, regardless of its wild popularity in the U.S., it was actually useful or not. The article was leading towards the not. Of course, I was interested as I’ve been struggling with my weight for the past twenty years.
My disability is a mental illness but the six medications I must take for it have...