Steve was reunited, to great fanfare, with former co-workers and friends. Donnie went to the bank for the first time in his adult life. Although not on board at first, Lindsay discovered a new store that she liked very much and vowed to return.
To some, these may seem to be mundane experiences. Things that all of us do throughout the days, months, and years of life. But imagine a world where these experiences never happened. You never had the opportunity to be reunited with friends. Never experienced new things. Tasted new foods. But for many people with disabilities around the world – this is their reality. No matter the reason why, whether it be simple lack of understanding or deliberate segregation, people with disabilities have been excluded from many of the activities and emotional connections that most of us take for granted.
VPI has an answer to this problem. The Community Inclusion Initiative is a program that creates, nurtures, and sets the stage for life’s most important experiences. Participants discover all aspects of the community ranging from social opportunities to career prospects. This is done through tours of local businesses, social outings, and talks from subject matter experts in their field of expertise. The program not only improves the lives of the participants but also improves the lives of everyone else by creating a community where people of all abilities are welcome. At VPI, we believe that the Fox Valley can be a national leader in welcoming, supporting and including people of all abilities in our community, but it’s going to take each one of us.
Contact us today if you have ideas for outings, would like to give a tour of your business, want to come talk, sing, or dance for the group, or if you just want to help in whatever way you can.
We need you, and you may not know it yet, but you also need us. Together we can make the community whole by including everyone.
Keep up with our Inclusion Journey by following us on Facebook or visiting our photo gallery!
