Focus on Transition Services
Montel went from Maryland Youth Leadership Forum Delegate to College Graduate! He says he’s made a lot of friends along the way.
Q & A with Michelle Lindsay
Michelle Lindsay, Independence Now’s 2020 Deborah Jackson Rising Star award recipient, shared with us how she got started with Independence Now and what she’d say to others seeking resources and support to live independently.
How Ms. Annette is Staying Connected During COVID
With some of the CARES Act funding, Independence Now was able to purchase a laptop for Ms. Annette and, because Annette is blind, the computer was loaded with JAWS software so that it would be more accessible for her to use.
Keith Kelly was seeking a place to live on his own…
Keith Kelly was seeking a place to live on his own and heard about Independence Now (IN) from some friends. He worked with a team at IN including Shannon Minnick, Director of Independent Living Services; Abiola Heyliger, Montgomery County Independent Living Specialist; and Debra Potts, Independent Living Housing Specialist. Keith says he has become more[…]
Isaiah’s Journey to Independence
At the start of services, Isaiah was a living in a nursing facility in Prince Georges County and was in the process of transiting to a Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) group home. Isaiah was only 23 at the time. He acquired his disability at age 14 from a traumatic brain injury that caused him to[…]
There’s Something for Everyone in our Independent Living Skills Program Offerings!
The core service of Centers for Independent Living that we are featuring this month is Independent Living Skills Training. As a reminder, Independent Living skills are skills that increase the independence of a person with a disability because they handle more daily activities on their own without the support of others. At Independence Now, we[…]
How Independence Now Helps Connect Our Consumers
For this week’s consumer story, one of our consumers who wishes to remain anonymous shared with us her experience working with Independence Now. This consumer was referred to us from DORS and was seeking support resources to learn how to self-advocate. After working with Shannon and Independence Now, she says, “I’ve learned how to build[…]
Expressing Gratitude in the New Year
Independence Now was so very pleased to work with Musa, a consumer who reached out to us for support to live independently. Musa sent us this message to kick off 2021 and we’d like to express our gratitude right back for allowing us to work with him. “I would like to start off the New[…]
The Human Puzzle
The following poem was written by an Independence Now community member and was “Inspired by those with such good hearts and souls they bring out the best in you.” To be patient and kind is a gift rare received. To reach deep inside and find deeper meaning. To look beyond the surface of what your[…]
Destin Crosby Didn’t Let Anything Stop Him From Starting His Own Business
“This is Destin Crosby and I would like to thank Independent Living [sic] for introducing me to DORS to help me start my dog grooming business. They are going to help me get a laptop and help me register for school! I would like to thank Abiola & Independence [Now] for helping me out. Thank[…]