Fw: Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities - Next Steps!

[Guest guest]

FYI

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities - Next Steps!

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . ..

Many of you have heard me say, “We can grumble and groan. We can shake our

fists at the priorities of the State of Illinois. But, if we don’t take time

to tell our stories, who do we have to blame? Only ourselves!

We Have Power… We Must Use it…. Take Action!

The State of Illinois is considering historic budget cuts that will translate

into devastating reductions in disability services that allow people with

disabilities to Live with Independence Fairness & Equality.

Here are four simple steps to stay informed and to make sure our voices are

heard…

1. Record your story in two to three minutes and share it with us…

We’ll post it on our Facebook page:

LIFE-Fund-Critical-Services-for-People-with-Disabilities. Let us know how state

funded disability services impact your life. Each video should show what “A

Day in My Life†is like and how disability services are your lifeline to work,

friends, family and other activities. Each video should explain:

· The programs you or your family member participate in

· How these programs allow you to continue Living with Independence

Fairness & Equality

· What your life would be like if these programs were not funded or…

· What your life is without services.

Contact the Family Support Network at fsn@.... We’ll work

out how to share it with us. Count on us to edit your video down to about a

minute before we post it. THANKS!!

2. Call your State Representative and Senator and request an in person

meeting in their district offices the week of April 18, 2011. Don’t know who

they are? Use the State Board of Elections website at

http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx\

.. Just type in your address. It’s a miracle. If you know who your legislator

is, a great website is www.ilga.gov.

3. Join our online petition drive. Our goal is to get 10,000 signatures

delivered to Governor Quinn and members of the General Assembly. More

information coming soon.

4. Share the word with other advocates in your communities and

organizations.

· Forward our e-mails

· Like us on Facebook:

LIFE-Fund-Critical-Services-for-People-with-Disabilities.

· Become a “Key Communicatorâ€, fancy language for a phone tree captain.

We’ll provide you with contact info for others (usually about a dozen) in your

community, asking you to make sure they are receiving up to date information and

have made those critical phone calls to your legislators.

5. Write a letter to your local newspaper editor. Need someone to help you

jump start the letter? We can provide templates…

Visit www.thearcofil.org or www.familysupportnetwork.org for campaign materials

and more information.

Thank you, thank you, thank you…. Charlotte

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As always, let us know if you don’t want to be included in future

informational Family Support Network e-mails. We’ll be glad to take you off

our lists. Just reply to this e-mail with REMOVE in the subject line.

On the other hand, if you appreciate the work of the Family Support Network and

The Arc of Illinois in these difficult times, please become a member! Here’s a

link to our membership brochure. We NEED you!

http://www.familysupportnetwork.org/miscellaneous%20pdfs/2009%20Membership%20Bro\

chure.pdf