Then 16-year-old Matthew Walzer, who has Cerebral Palsy, wrote to Nike in 2012 saying he was disappointed no athletic brand had thought to create sneakers adapted for people with disabilities like him.

Nike brought the teen visionary on to create a hinged sneaker that closes upon pressing one’s heel down and is therefore hands-free. The brand also worked with Kizik who had already developed a hands-free shoe. The first completely hands-free ‘Nike FlyEase’ designed by Nike’s Toby Hatfield was unveiled February 2, 2021, with a limited edition available February 15, 2021 then released widely after. Continue reading story here.

For years, Monica struggled to find a way to pay for the disposable underwear her son needed. As a result of his being born with cerebral palsy, he will need them for the rest of his life. “I had no insurance, my job paid very little, and Guillermo wasn’t allowed to go to school unless I could send them with him.” Happily, Monica and Guillermo’s lives are better today and insurance now pays for these needs. Knowing that others were facing the same problems she once did, Monica delivered them to The Advocacy Network’s door with instructions to “make sure someone who really needs these, gets them”.

“Have these been promised to anyone yet?”, Inclusion Support Coordinator Maggie Rivera excitedly asked upon seeing the boxes lined up in the hallway when she came by the office a few days later. “I have a family who needs them – ALL of them!”. Within a day, Maggie had delivered a package to her family to make sure the size was right (it was!), and made arrangements for delivery to their home.

Thank you, Monica, for paying it forward.

In an effort to expand coronavirus testing for children, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the University of Miami Health System have teamed up to offer free tests in schools across the county.

The partnership started Friday at Coral Reef Senior High School, the first on a month-long tour for the health system’s Pediatric Mobile Unit.

Parents can take their children, ages 4 to 18, to selected schools through January to get tested from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m… Read More Here.

Mario Arevalo remembers when his son, Harold, was diagnosed as autistic 23 years ago.

“It wasn’t easy to accept,” he recalls. “We didn’t know about autism, but little by little we started learning more so that we could find help. But we were still happy. He’s an angel to us.”

The Arevalo family has struggled to make it through the pandemic. Mario lost his construction job, his daughter Monica was laid off as a cashier at Bloomingdale’s, and his wife, Olimpia, has had to continue working through the pandemic cleaning homes twice a week. Meanwhile, Harold, 25, has been stuck at home and unable to attend classes or do his beloved design work on his computer. Continue Reading Here.

We are so excited to share that The Advocacy Network on Disabilities is now participating in the Giving Tag Program, which is designed to make it easy to give back to our local community.

Now, more than ever, we need your support in helping families with funding for housing, food, and emotional support and counseling. Each time a reusable Community Bag with a Giving Tag is purchased at any Fresco y Más, or Winn-Dixie, at any point of the year, we will receive a $1 donation. 

How Does it Work? 
Once you have purchased your Community Bag with the Giving Tag at any Fresco y Más, or Winn-Dixie, follow the steps listed below to make your donation.

1. Visit MySEGCause.com within 7 days of your purchase.

2. Remove the scratch-off layer on the Giving Tag to reveal the unique identifier.

3. Submit the identifier and select us you would like to receive a $1 donation.

Together, we can help make sure that our individuals and families receive the essential support and services they need.  

The Time for Inclusion is Now!
This week is Inclusive Schools Week December 7-11, 2020. Inclusive Schools Week celebrates the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who are marginalized due to disability, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, language preference, and other factors. This week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students, and parents to discuss what else needs to be done to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children.

To learn more about some celebration activities that you can complete with you class, CLICK HERE.

Project Connect is available by calling 888-847-3209.
by Shaun Heasley | December 3, 2020 | Disability Scoop

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, a new 24-hour support line is working to help individuals with developmental disabilities and those who care for them cope during this tough time.

Known as Project Connect, the telehealth line is free and available anytime for people with disabilities, their families, caregivers and other members of their support teams across the nation. READ MORE.

Make a difference this holiday season! Help the Advocacy Network on Disabilities continue to provide supports and services to children and adults with disabilities. Every time you shop for gifts with AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization—no fees, no extra cost.

All you need to do is visit the AmazonSmile website, if you have an Amazon account you may sign-in and proceed with your shopping. If you do not have an Amazon account you may shop as a guest. Once you are ready to check-out make sure to select The Advocacy Network on Disabilities as your charity of choice!

Choose The Advocacy Network on Disabilities as your charity of choice! Shop with AmazonSmile today.

Give Miami Day 2020 is on Tuesday, November 19, 2020! We know that there are thousands of organizations participating in Give Miami Day 2020. But we hope that this year you choose The Advocacy Network on Disabilities as one of your charities of choice. Now, more than ever, we need your support in helping families with funding for housing, food, and emotional support and counseling.

Make sure you mark the occasion on your calendars and join us on #GiveMiamiDay2020 in continuing to provide services and supports for children and adults with disabilities and their families who are facing hardships both medically and financially. We count on your support!

CLICK HERE TO PLEDGE TODAY.

SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, November 19, 2020, is Give Miami Day 2020!

Now more than ever, we need your support in helping families with funding for housing, food, and providing extensive emotional support and counseling.

Make sure you mark the occasion on your calendars and join us on #GiveMiamiDay2020 in continuing to provide services and supports for adults with disabilities and families of children with disabilities who are facing hardships both medically and financially. Early giving will begin November 16-18, 2020. View our Give Miami Day 2020 HERE.

Make sure to follow us on social media @advocacymiami for live updates.