Fw: Arc Action Alert on Cuts

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Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

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Arc Action Alert on Cuts

The Arc of Illinois

March 16, 2011

Leaders in The Arc:

Last week, your telephone blitz to the Governor on budget cuts to services in

this fiscal year was a great success. We stopped those cuts!

Thank you for your advocacy.

Now we have to step it up.

Those very same cuts and more are going to be made unless we speak out. I am

talking about eliminating Family Assistance, all Respite Services, Epilepsy

Grants, the UIC Family Clinic and a 6% across the board cut to Home-Based

Services and all other community based services including CILA, Day Services,

etc

Next week presents us with an opportunity for advocacy in our communities. House

and Senate members are taking next week off. They will be in their local offices

March 21st to 25th. They need to hear from you!

Here is what I need you to do.

Next week, schedule a meeting with your Senator and your House Representative.

Invite a small group of other advocates to come with you. Include self-advocates

and family members in your meetings.

Your message, End the Cuts to Disability Services but lets not stop there, It Is

Time to Rebalance Our System. Close the State Institutions Now! Support the

21,000 Children and Adults on the Waiting List!

I will be supplying you with more specific talking points but for now make your

appointments by calling your legislators local offices.

If you do not know how to contact your legislators, here is a link to locate

them. All you need is your home address:

http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress\

..aspx

Next, I know everyone cannot meet with their legislators but all of you can call

them. Lets have a Call Your Legislator Day to End The Cuts on Wednesday, March

20th. We need to rock their offices with so many calls, they cant ignore us!

Your message is, End the Cuts to Disability Services. It Is Time to Rebalance

Our System. Close the State Institutions Now! Support the 21,000 Children and

Adults on the Waiting List!

Monday, March 21st, 10:00 a.m., the House Appropriations Human Services

Committee will hold a hearing on Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health,

Substance Abuse and Health at the Bilandic Building, 160 North LaSalle, Room

C-600, 6th Floor, Chicago. This hearing presents another opportunity to show our

advocacy for disability services.

If you have any questions or comments on any of the above, just send me an

email. I will get back to you.

Stay tuned, I will supply you with further talking points and fact sheets as I

meet with media firms this week. Today, Im off to Rockford for interviews on our

media campaign. Phil and Susy are covering the Capitol.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

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