YAI

It's Election Day! JT and Julio became registered voters this year. Read how voters with disabilties are making their voices heard in our latest More Than story - https://lnkd.in/eYAHkNE5.    #Election #RegisteredVoters #Election2024 #Voters #votersrights #inclusion

What an eventful week. So thankful for YAI and their investment in their employees. As someone who loves to learn, I thrive in work environments where I’m constantly learning and evolving. Not only as a social worker, but as a person. YAI has definitely been that place. My favorite part of this week was getting to connect with all the amazing START teams throughout California, and meeting the leadership team from our residential programs. I am so proud to be a part of this organization. We’re often in crisis mode, but for this week we we were able to be in community mode. I loved it. The Central Valley START team ended the week with our annual team building day at the Big Fresno Fair. What a wonderful way to end the week. If you are interested in joining the YAI CA START Central Valley team, we are currently #hiring. We have a START Coordinator position available and an administrative assistant position. Please feel free to connect with me if you’re interested in learning more about these roles.

As National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) concludes, we highlight Andre Williams, an employee at Hard Rock Cafe supported by YAI's employment services. He enjoys his job, stating, "It's fun here. I can be myself!" Andre started three months ago after working at Starbucks Roastery. His manager, Rex Mulder, noted, "Andre's got such great energy. He gets along with everybody." In 2023, about three-fourths of people with disabilities were not in the labor force, compared to nearly one-third of those without disabilities. Paid work fosters independence and social integration, making NDEAM recognition important. #NDEAM

Join YAI's Chief Quality, Compliance, and Ethics Officer, Kristen Elkins, at the Westchester NonProfit OpCon by NYN Media on Wednesday, October 30! Panel: Risk Management and Scenario Planning: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 What You'll Learn: 1. Proactive strategies for navigating uncertainty 2. Techniques to identify and manage risks 3. How to leverage risk for mission advancement Ideal for: Nonprofit leaders seeking to strengthen their risk management practices. There's still time to register at https://bit.ly/3YEaVDW. #WestchesterNonProfitOpCon #RiskManagement #NonProfitLeadership

Climate change impacts everyone, but for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the risks are even greater. In a recent article, Scott Karolidis, YAI's Director of Government Relations, highlights the unique challenges faced by this community in the face of extreme weather events and the urgent need for disability-inclusive policies. 🌎 From the devastating effects of hurricanes to barriers in accessing critical information, Scott emphasizes that our climate response must address the vulnerabilities of people with I/DD. Read more about how we can foster resilience, mental health support, and inclusive planning in the full article. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3Yn6goQ #ClimateChange #DisabilityInclusion #YAI #Advocacy #WeatherResponse #ClimateResilience #IDD

Join YAI's Chief Quality, Compliance, and Ethics Officer, Kristen Elkins, at the Westchester NonProfit OpCon on October 30! Panel: Risk Management and Scenario Planning: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 What You'll Learn: 1. Proactive strategies for navigating uncertainty 2. Techniques to identify and manage risks 3. How to leverage risk for mission advancement Ideal for: Nonprofit leaders seeking to strengthen their risk management practices. Register at https://lnkd.in/eRBhGRX3. #WestchesterNonProfitOpCon #RiskManagement #NonProfitLeadership

"Over the past 3 years, I've learned so much at the theater, from making ice cream cones to handling big movie releases. It’s exciting to see what’s next, especially with the upcoming 'Wicked' movie!" – Ashley, Showcase Cinemas employee and YAI Self Advocate. In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’re highlighting Ashley's story from our Fall 2024 Self Advocacy newsletter. Visit https://lnkd.in/dgERt-yq to read Ashley’s and other Self Advocates' stories! #NDEAM #YAI #InclusionMatters #DisabilityEmployment

YAI's affiliate schools, The International Academy of Hope (iHOPE) and Manhattan Star Academy marched in Sunday's Disability Pride Parade in NYC! Parents, students, staff and friends joined together to celebrate inclusion, raise awareness, and show pride in the abilities of people with disabilities. #disabilitypride #Inclusion

The TCS New York City Marathon is two weeks away and we're proud to introduce Towny, one of our runners, raising funds to support YAI’s mission of supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Towny’s journey is deeply personal—he’s running in memory of his sister, Emily, who was a resident at one of YAI's homes. Emily passed away in February 2023 after defying the odds for 37 years, living with a rare genetic disorder. To the world, Emily may have had a disability, but to her family, she was a loving daughter and a big sister who showed them the power of resilience, kindness, and joy. As Towny shared, “While disabled to the outside world, within our family, she was just my parents' oldest child and my big sister, Em." Towny and five other runners are running the marathon to honor Emily and also raise awareness for the critical work YAI does. “The marathon is a walk in the park compared to the struggles Emily faced, but it’s the perfect way to celebrate her life and support the life-changing services YAI provides.” Join us in supporting Towny and the YAI team! They're aiming to raise $85k to help more people live empowered, fulfilling lives and are $19k away from meeting the fundraising goal. Let’s make November 3rd a day to remember. 🎉 👉 Link in bio to donate to the Team YAI fundraising page. #NYCMarathon #CelebratingAllAbilities #IDDAwareness #YAICommunity #Running