ODDC - Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Awards $29,000 for Minority Outreach

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 1, 2004

Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Awards $29,000 for Minority Outreach

Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC)
8 E. Long St., Suite 1200, Columbus, OH 43215

Contact: Ken Latham
(614) 466-5205, (800) 766-7426

In an effort to increase community outreach to the unserved/underserved populations, the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council recently awarded three mini-grants that will reach minority communities with projects that advocate for people with developmental disabilities. The purpose of these grants is to create opportunities for people with disabilities in ethnic and cultural groups that typically do not receive services and supports. The following recipients received awards:

Wright-Choice Internship Inc., Columbus, $7,000. Tykiah Wright will create programs to increase employment opportunities in the field of mental retardation and developmental disabilities for students with disabilities at the high school and college level.
Triple Jeopardy II-African American Women with Disabilities, Columbus, $12,000. Cassandra Archie will direct this grant to expand on previous outreach efforts related to African American women with disabilities and building relationships for outreach with Ohio's Urban Leagues.
Centro Esperanza Latina, Columbus, $10,000. Project Director Nora Montalvo-Crumbly will assist families of children with developmental disabilities in the Hispanic community receive qualified care from community agencies.

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is one of a national network of state councils committed to self-determination and community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities. ODDC receives federal funding to help carry out its mission of developing new and better ways of advocating, increasing capacities to assist people, and making needed changes in the system.

ODDC consists of members appointed by the Governor. Members are people with developmental disabilities, parents and guardians of people with developmental disabilities, representatives from concerned state agencies, and non-profit organizations and agencies that provide services to people with developmental disabilities.