Congrats to 2021 Rising Star Award Recipient, Montel Medley!
It is with great joy that we present this award in Deborah Jackson’s honor and memory to Montel Medley who carries on her commitment to an independent life.
Consumer Testimonial – Housing Journey
“Since I have met Ms. Harrod and been involved with the Independence Now Program I am no longer homeless.”
Barbara Lives With Multiple Sclerosis But Still Struts Her Stuff
Independence Now Consumer, Barbara, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2013. In recognition of World MS Day (May 30), she’s sharing her story to let the world know that while an MS diagnosis is life-changing, there’s life beyond MS.
Small Things Make A Big Impact | Melvin’s Story
Melvin recently moved into a room for rent and wouldn’t trade his space for the world, but he had one major concern. He has several roommates and did not want to put his medication in the communal refrigerator in the kitchen due to Covid concerns.
Consumer Story | Seeking Self-Advocacy Skills
[Independence Now] helped me learn how to build my own thoughts and opinions about how I would like to live independently, and also how to connect with people in the same program.
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[…]