NEWBURGH- “Without the resources offered to me through the years, Independent Living, Inc. being one of the most prolific resources, I would not be standing here before you,” said Rachel, a consumer of
services at Independent Living, Inc. while writing her story to share at the Friends of Independence Breakfast on May 10, 2023, at The Powelton Club in Newburgh. “They wanted to put me away, but look at me now.”
Rachel is one of many who will share her experience of having a disability and her journey toward independence at the first Friends of Independence fundraiser breakfast in four years. Independent Living consumers will share stories of their experiences with disabilities as they relate to stigma, accessibility, societal barriers and human experiences, educating the audience, revealing intricacies and heartfelt connections that, if you do not attend the breakfast, you will never know existed.
The aim of this charitable event is to raise money to fill funding gaps, supporting the growth of programs and services and ensuring the ability to serve more people with disabilities in the Hudson Valley. Educating or connecting to just one person can mean a life saved. Independent Living is excited to reinvigorate its annual fundraiser breakfast after a four-year hiatus due to COVID.
According to the Center for Disease Control, one in four adults in the United States have some type of disability. This year’s event theme is “Disability: Part of the Human Experience.”
Human experience is a term used to describe the intangible aspects of being human, revealing our inter-connectivity. It is essential for us as humans to remember, though our stories are all different, the person we are passing by – at the grocery store, at the bank or at the red light, has a life and a story that is just as deep and complex as our own.
Independent Living, Inc. thanks Rhinebeck Bank for their Ambassador Sponsorship this year.
More information about the breakfast, including information about sponsorship opportunities can be found HERE.
