newsletter.lincinc.orgLINC Inc Newsletter – Fall

2021LINC Inc Newsletter Fall 2021 Toggle mobile menu Toggle search field Search for: Home About LINC Donate Home About LINC Donate Message from our Director By: Lynn Hatfield Welcome to LINC’s Fall 2021 Newsletter! We have a busy fall ahead and in this newsletter you will find many activities coming up that you might want to be a part of: We have our Annual Meeting coming on September 23rd, which you are welcome to attend. Just call the office to register or go to www.lincinc.org and receive the link by text or email, as our meeting will be on Zoom again this year. Our Youth Program has some great parent trainings monthly on IEP and educational advocacy. Our support groups are meeting again in person! Our Home Service Team is growing so jump to page 3, and we’ll introduce you to our 2 newest staff members Migeon and Shakeeta! Do you need a Personal Assistant? They are the ones to call! And later this fall stay tuned for some exciting news about our new Executive Director as I will be retiring in October!! MORE BIG STAFF NEWS: LINC Board and Staff would like you to join us in wishing Lynn Jarman, our past Executive Director and Asst. Director, a very relaxing and happy retirement! Lynn retired in April of this year. I have to be honest, it was a bittersweet moment for us all. L.J., as she is known to those of us here at LINC, was and continues to be, passionate about serving. Not only did she assist consumers as they journeyed into greater independent living but she did the same for staff. L.J. left us as a better agency because of her leadership and guidance and we wish her the very best on her new adventure! The fun never stops here at LINC! There is always something new going on so stay in touch; continue to check out our Facebook page and our website for more information. Opening doors for individuals with disabilities through education, advocacy, and independent living resources. Inside This Issue Message from our Director Program Updates Transportation Staff Updates COVID-19 News Advocacy Efforts Living with Non-24” Independent Living Dates to Remember Support Groups Program Updates: Living Well with Vision Loss: LWVL program staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that the COVID pandemic did not interfere with programming, developing new ways to keep up with consumer needs. We would like to thank our consumers for their support as we navigated this unfamiliar path and are looking forward to continuing this momentum into the new year. In related news, LINC has recently obtained funding for a limited amount of consumers under the age of 55 in Monroe and Randolph counties. For any questions, contact jrieso@lincinc.org or dhawkins@lincinc.org Youth Services: Our Youth Advocacy program continues to grow. We are now offering a range of IEP advocacy services as well as several age-based peer groups addressing transition services and independent living skills. A parent support group and monthly IPA advocacy trainings are slated for this fall. Please contact asoukup@lincinc.org for more information. Ramp Program: LINC, Inc is excited to announce that we have recently received funding to purchase ramps for several consumers in Monroe and Randolph counties. For information, contact jdouglas@lincinc.org Personal Assistant Program: Are you interested in becoming a Personal Assistant? LINC offers the opportunity for PAs to be placed on the statewide PA registry. For additional information or to sign up for a training, email mwhales@lincinc.org or call our office. All trainings are located at the Swansea office, or virtual trainings can be arranged. Upcoming dates are: September 14th – 1 to 4 October 19th – 1 to 4 November 16th – 9 to 12 December 14th – 1 to 4 Community Reintegration: While COVID and the associated restrictions certainly threw a wrench into our normal way of doing things, CRP staff continue to transition consumer from the nursing home into the community. Expect to see us getting busier as more restrictions are released. For more information contact sjonespickens@lincinc.org Equipment Loan LINC offers the most commonly used Durable Medical Equipment (DME) on short term loan. The most popular items are wheelchairs, rollators, bedside commodes, and shower benches, but we do have many other items available. Please contact pparsons@lincinc.org Transportation Update: Did you know that Metro’s Guide to Accessibility and Independence is available online? More information can be found at metrostlouis.org/accessibility Staff Updates: Please join us in welcoming our newest staff members! Shakeeta Jones-Pickens is our Transition Coordinator for the Community Reintegration Program. Shakeeta has worked in the Social Service field for over 15 years. She is excited to be able to take her past experiences and apply them to the Independent Living field. Migeon Whales is our new Personal Assistant Coordinator. With over 18 years of experience as a Personal Assistant, Migeon brings a new and valuable perspective to the LINC team. She looks forward to the challenges before her. Please congratulate Kelsee Hill and Amy Engle, as they have both taken on new responsibilities! Kelsee Hill is now our Community Living Supervisor. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Kelsee gained experience in the Long Term Care field before coming to work as LINC’s Transition Coordinator in 2017. Her experience as Transition Coordinator makes her the perfect choice to lead the Home Services team. Amy Engle is our new Assistant Executive Director. Amy has been at LINC since 2016, starting in the Living Well with Vision Loss program and later leading the Home Services team. Amy holds a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling and has worked in the disability field for the majority of her career. Amy’s strengths in communication and program management will be an asset in this new position. LINC Staff Lynn Hatfield—Executive Director Amy Engle—Assistant Exec. Director Kelsee Hill—Community Living Supervisor Shakeeta Jones-Pickens—Transition Coordinator Migeon Whales—PA Coordinator Tyler Dierks—Home Services Assistant Libby Oxenham—Independent Living Advocate (Deaf) Jon Douglas—Independent Living Advocate Amanda Soukup—Youth Advocate Jane Rieso—Assessment/Training Specialist Daniel Hawkins—Independent Living Advocate (Deaf/Blind) Crystal Martin—Independent Living Advocate/Equipment Loan Paula Parsons—Office Manager Daniel Hamlin—Office Assistant Brian Heine—IT/Media Membership Information We are super excited about all that LINC is doing and you could be a part of it! Are you a member of LINC? If not, you are missing out on an opportunity to be an important part of the Independent Living Movement right here in Illinois!! A donation of just $20 gives you a basic membership to LINC, Inc. and helps support our programs for individuals with disabilities and their families right here in St. Clair, Monroe, and Randolph Counties. Go to lincinc.org for more information on our Donation page. COVID-19 News Recently, LINC, Inc joined IMPACT CIL in Deaf Day”, a push to coordinate COVID-19 vaccination shots for Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers. The event was a success, and we are thankful for the ability to partner with other agencies to spread awareness of the needs of the disabled population. If you have been impacted financially due to COVID-19 and have someone with a disability in your household, LINC may be able to help. Call 618-235-9988 for information. Advocacy Efforts Recently, Kelsee Hill, Community Living Supervisor, sat down with Gustavo Serafini of Enabled Disabled. Enabled Disabled is a podcast designed to spread awareness about disability related topics. Congratulations to Kelsee on making this important connection and helping to educate others. Listen to her podcast at https://www.enableddisabled.com/blog/kelsee-hill LINC staff member, Libby Oxenham, has been highly involved in the LEAD-K Campaign for the state of Illinois. LEAD-K (Language Equality and...