CALL FOR ENTRIES
2007 ACCESSIBLE AMERICA COMPETITION:
MOST DISABILITY FRIENDLY
TOWNS OR CITIES TO WIN $25,000, NATIONAL RECOGNITION
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 10, 2007-The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is calling on America’s mayors and chief elected officials to enter their communities in the seventh annual Accessible America awards competition, open to all U.S. cities and towns. The purpose of the competition is to highlight and inspire replication of best practices ideas in disability programs, services and initiatives as part of a yearlong celebration of NOD’s 25th anniversary.
Thanks to sponsors AARP and UPS, communities will compete for a $25,000 cash prize and the distinction of being one of the best places in the US for people with disabilities to live, learn, work and play. Entrants will showcase how their citizens with disabilities are participating in and contributing to local community life. Berkeley, CA and Chicago, IL were the 2006 winners, surpassing dozens of outstanding entries from diverse communities nationwide.
The winning cities or towns designated in NOD’s Accessible America 2007 competition will be places where citizens with disabilities have opportunities for full and equal participation in the life of their community, including access to education, transportation, housing, religious worship, voting and a full range of social, recreational, cultural, and sports activities. NOD is giving special focus to best practices ideas in the areas of employment opportunities and emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.
To enter the competition, communities will submit an official Accessible America 2007 application signed by their mayor or chief elected official describing how their city or town (or county representing unincorporated communities within its borders) provides opportunities for citizens with disabilities to participate fully in community life. Entries must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2007.
“People who have disabilities are part of every community, and deserve to feel not only welcomed but also safe in our cities and towns,” said NOD president Michael R. Deland. “As the American dream becomes realistic for everyone, including those of us with disabilities, the country as a whole will benefit,” he continued.
“Accessible America communities recognize the economic, social and cultural advantage to casting their nets wider in order to attract people with disabilities who want to participate and contribute just like everyone else,” said Nancy Starnes, NOD Vice President. “Best practices ideas from Accessible America winners are the result of a clear message sent by local leaders that people with disabilities are influential members of their city or town,” she added. Ms. Starnes is a wheelchair user and former mayor of Sparta, NJ.
The2004 NOD/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities identified ten key gap areas where people with disabilities were documented to be at a significant disadvantage in comparison to other Americans. One of the gap areas is community involvement, and others include employment, education, access to housing and transportation, and involvement in religious and political life. The Accessible America 2007 competition highlights communities who have been motivated to address these participation gaps so that people with disabilities can receive the welcome and support they need. The $25.000 cash award should be used to further the community’s efforts in closing those participation gaps.
To learn more about the Accessible America 2007 competition and read entries submitted by previous finalists- as well as read about the numerous benefits NOD’s Community Partnership Program offers to member communities - visit NOD’s web site, www.nod.org, or call Mr. Rik Opstelten at 202/293-5960. Membership in the Community Partnership Program is not a prerequisite for entering the Accessible America competition.
The National Organization on Disability promotes the full and equal participation and contribution of America’s 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. For more information about NOD’s programs, visit www.nod.org.
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