News  Meeting the Moment, A Community Conversation and Resource Fair

Northampton Senior Center 67 Conz Street, Northampton, MA 01060 and on Zoom — Join us for the third in our series of community conversations, hosted in partnership with MassAbility, to listen and learn from individuals with disabilities, families, caregivers, service providers, and advocates.

This gathering will focus on key issues including housing; employment; transportation; and long-term services and supports and health equity.

Community members are encouraged to participate by sharing their experiences, challenges, and ideas related to these topics either in person or virtually via Zoom. Individuals interested in speaking during the community conversation should register and submit written comments by July 9 to cspwdinfo@mass.gov. 

The event will also provide an opportunity to connect with local organizations, state agencies, and disability commissions through an in-person resource fair.

Organizations participating include:

• All Out Adventures
• Berkshire County Arc
• Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR)
• Massachusetts Blue Envelope Program
• Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts
• Disability Law Center (DLC)
• Hear You Rise Foundation, Inc.
• Stavros Center for Independent Living
• Smith College Autism and Neurodevelopment Lab
• Federation for Children with Special Needs
• Fields Center Supporting Neurodiversity in Community
• Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
• Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
• Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
• Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
• Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)
• Lyme Disease Resource Center, Inc
• Star Light Clubhouse
• Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE)
• ServiceNet
• My Ombudsman
• G & N Transport
• MAIPSE at Westfield State
• Housing Navigator Massachusetts
• Department of Elder Affairs, Springfield, MA
• Holyoke Community College
• Riverside Empowering People
• Viability
• Polus Center

Presentations:

Commission's and MassAbility Presentation

Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Presentation

Massachusetts Rural Health Transformation Program at the Executive Office of Health Presentation

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• 1pm-1:30pm: An overview of the work of the Commission and MassAbility
• 1:30-2:30pm: A community conversation opportunity for community members to share their experiences, needs, and priorities (hybrid format, in-person and virtually on Zoom)
• 2:30pm-3pm: Break
• 3pm-4pm: A resource fair (in-person attendance only for the resource fair portion)

Lyme Disease Resource Center

Lyme Disease Resource Center, Inc. (LDRC) is an all-volunteer, community-based, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2013. Their mission is to be a peer guided, supportive and safe place for those living with Lyme Disease, and their care partners, sharing strategies and resources to living well. The LDRC currently offers virtual services and limited in-person services in the Pioneer Valley. All services are free.

Please email any accommodation requests, including ASL interpretation or CART requests, to imene.bouzianesaidi@mass.gov no later than July 1st.
 

To stay informed of our work and our next Meeting the Moment event, please fill out our Meeting the Moment Interest Form. 

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Commission's Executive Director Imene Bouziane Saidi at imene.bouzianesaidi@mass.gov