ABIL In the News

Below are news stories or press releases related to Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL).  Each story has a brief portion of the article followed by a link to either a Word or a PDF version (or both) of the full story.

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Arizona Bridge to Independent Living Receives $75,000 Grant From the BHHS Legacy Foundation for the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center
 

ABIL President, Phil Pangrazio accepts a $75,000 grant from the BHHS Legacy Foundation.  The check, presented by Gerald L. Wissink, CEO and Mary T. Thomson, MSW Vice President of Program Development - PhoenixRegion, is in support of the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities.

May.25.2011– ABIL, Arizona’s largest center for independent living serving people with disabilities, is proud to announce that it has received a $75,000 grant from the BHHS Legacy Foundation. The Legacy grant is part of ABIL’s $12.5 million capital campaign for the building of the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center.

PDF Version

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living Announces Amber Blanchard as Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities Manager

Amber Blanchard

May.18.2011– ABIL is pleased to announce that Amber Blanchard has joined the organization as manager at the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities. 

Word Version                 PDF Version

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living Receives $25,000 Grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for The Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center

 
ABIL is proud to announce that it has received a $25,000 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.  The award is one of 74 grants totaling almost $500,000 awarded by the Reeve Foundation to nonprofit organizations nationwide that aid in providing more opportunities, access, and daily quality of life for individuals with a disability, their families, and caregivers.

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Center Houses Several Non-profits, Sets Example for Accessible Design

Buchnolz, Jan. (2009). Center houses several non-profits, sets example for accessible design. Phoenix Business Journal, 12.

The Disability Empower Center of Arizona opened Feb. 19 in Phoenix.  The center, commissioned by Arizona Bridge to Independent Living, will be used as a national model for accessible design.

PDF Version

Travel Tips: An Enjoyable Summer by Air

Houston, Lynn. (2008). An enjoyable summer by air. PN, 62(7), 6-7.

For the 50 million of us living with disabilities, it is very easy to let the lack of accessibility stop us from getting out of the house, let alone out of the state or country.  However, a disability should not deter our willingness to take to the skies and travel.  

Since passage of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), many barries to accessible traveling have been  removed or vastly improved.

PDF Version

Back behind the wheel

Nicole McGregor, 12 News Today, Jan. 21, 2008

56 year old Carolan Quenneville has rheuamtoid arthritis. When she was 11 she started showing signs and she's lived with it ever since. The disease has restricted the use of her arms and legs so driving is more difficult. In fact, it's impossible to do in a normal car. She needs a special ride. That's where Driving to Independence and Jenny Nordine comes in.

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 Training. Encouragement. Assistance. 
Programs help those with disabilities return to workforce

Censky, Annalyn. (2007). Training. encouragement. assistance. . The Arizona Republic.

The most important challenge a person with a disability can have in finding a job is not in overcoming a potential employer's reluctance .  It may be overcoming the person's own misconceptions and lack of confidence.

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Paralyzed at the pump

Gary Harper, 3 On Your Side, November 27, 2007

http://www.azfamily.com/news/3oys/stories/KTVK3OYS20071127_disabled-gas-stations.45d091b6.html#

A federal law is supposed to help disabled people, but does it?  Well, if you're disabled, or know someone who is, gas stations are supposed to assist you in putting gas into your car.  The requirement falls under the Americans With Disabilities Act, which of course is supposed to help people who can't help themselves.  But are Valley gas stations complying with the law?

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We need legislation that protects from morons, not guns

http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0614montini0614.html

E.J. Montini, Republic columnist, Jun. 14, 2007

The course of David Carey's life was determined by the crippling mix of guns and stupidity, so when a politician makes what Carey politely refers to as an uninformed remark linking firearms and disabilities, it gets his attention.

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