The Vision of Access Independence is a barrier-free community for all individuals to achieve their greatest potential.
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We live our values; We are people with disabilities empowering people with disabilities; We believe in being ethical and having integrity; We believe in treating people with respect and dignity; We believe in the principles of equal rights, access, and opportunities for all.
Mission: Access Independence’s mission is to promote independent living by providing services that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities living in Virginia’s Northern Shenandoah Valley.
See how Inova Loudoun Hospital made their ER more friendly for patients with special sensory needs
LANSDOWNE, Va. (WDVM) — Inova Loudoun Hospital has been awarded for its efforts to make its children’s emergency room sensory-friendly for patients with special needs. The emergency room was …
Wow, driverless cars for people with disabilities
One group of people that could really stand to benefit from this autonomous revolution are those with disabilities, but that hasn’t been studied much yet.
Netflix has a documentary coming about the beginnings of the Paralympics
On Wednesday 26 August ‘Rising Phoenix’, a ground-breaking movie about the Paralympic Movement, will premiere in over 190 countries worldwide on
Want to read a story about some good young men !!
Players from James Logan High School are making their community proud, and not just on the field. The team made an unforgettable memory while out on a weekend hike.
More pictures of Disney's adaptive Halloween costumes
Last year Target made headlines because they offered costumes for wheelchairs making their line more inclusive. This year Disney is doing the same with two options by Disguise. The first option features Cinderella’s Carriage for $49.99 Here’s the write-up: “They’ll feel like true royalty whe...
Check out this Off-Road Wheelchair
Wouldn't this be a great (fun) vehicle for #wheelchair users?🤔😃
Follow ➡️ All WheelChair Stuff for more #wheelchair #fun #pictures, video's and information 👍 And don't forget to check out our webshop: WWW.ALLWHEELCHAIRSTUFF.COM
Wheelchair Golf
The 2009 graduate was injured in a boating accident in September 2016, but he’s found his way back to being a dad, and maybe a role model for others
Be Safe, Avoid the Three Cs
Avoid the 3️⃣ Cs.
There are certain places where COVID-19 spreads more easily:
1️⃣ Crowded places
2️⃣ Close-contact settings
3️⃣ Confined and enclosed spaces
What a lost school year means for children with disabilities
*image of a mother and son*
The prospect of a lost school year is daunting for all parents, but it is especially wrenching for families of children with special needs. For them, the loss of an in-person education also means they could lose access to therapies and other resources that only schools can provide.
Help Support BRIGHTfutures
Looking to help a student? Share this information and support Bright Futures-Frederick/Winchester Stuff the Bus!
Federal money coming to help people with disabilities pay their rent
*image of a window with a For Rent sign*
Federal officials are sending millions of dollars in rental assistance to help people with disabilities in a dozen states.
Goggle updated their APP for the visually impaired
*image of a screenshot of the Lookout app*
Google launched its Lookout app in 2019 for people who are blind or have low-vision to navigate the world with their phones, but it was only available on Pixel phones with languages set to English. The first of the new modes is Food Label, which helps users identify packaged foods by pointing their....
In case you haven't noticed Facebook is more accessible now
*image of Facebook's new home page*
The social network adds a handful of new features to its site to make it easier for people with disabilities to navigate.
Beautiful example of accessible stairs !!
Disney introduces adaptive costumes for Halloween
*image of an Incredibles costume*
The line includes wheelchair wraps designed to look like Cinderella's coach and the Incredimobile.
The story of the First Wheelchair Basketball team, from 1947 !!
*image of several men in wheelchairs in a row*
As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the ADA, it's important to remember all of the players that brought this revolutionary legislation to life. David Davis' new book, Wheels of Courage, highlights the WWII paralyzed vets that invented wheelchair basketball and began the fight for disability ri...
"Nothing about us, without us"
16 moments in the fight for disability rights
The disability civil rights movement has many distinct narratives, but the prevailing themes are of community, justice and equity.
United Spinal Association is offering 5 FREE cloth masks per person while supplies last. Click below and fill out the form about the masks provided by the Department of Health & Human Services.
Congratulations to the members of this year’s ProjectSEARCH !!
Some bright news for your Friday:
The members of this year’s ProjectSEARCH class had their graduation today! Despite the pandemic, this amazing and hardworking group of young adults pushed through their internships at Winchester Medical Center. We couldn’t be prouder of them. Please join us in congratulating these young men and women as they join the workforce powering our region.
As always, we’re grateful for the support from our partners that make this program possible. Congrats as well to the members of Winchester City Public Schools, Frederick County Public Schools, ValleyHealth, and the Dept. of Aging and Rehabilitative Services who helped these students move forward into the next exciting chapter of their lives.
New Documentary coming to Netflix "Deaf U"
*image of Nyle DiMarco*
The unscripted series showcases a variety of deaf experiences with multi-cultural backgrounds
Wow, Toyota donated funds to create an accessible skate park in Rome, watch this incredible video !!
*image of a skate park with the words Start your Impossible*
Please don't call Disability Sad
*image of a young woman in a wheelchair*
Becca explains why having a disability isn't sad and why it's harmful to consider disability a tragedy.
Anybody with a disability be nervous about riding in a driverless car ??
The University of Pittsburgh will spearhead a national study about the accessibility of autonomous transportation for people with disabilities after receiving...
Stuck @ Home with nothing to do, take a virtual museum tour !!
Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world..
LEGO is making Braille bricks, Pretty cool !!
*image of a young man playing with legos*
A truly inspired idea.
Accessibility for all starts with our local candidates
*image of an accessible ramp*
Realistically, it’s up to disabled voters, and our families, friends, and coworkers to push accessibility into the conversation. We have to ask our local candidates about these things.
Good information on who to follow in case of an emergency, Please Share !!
STAY INFORMED: Make sure your household members with social media, phone and email accounts are signed up for alerts and warnings. 📱
Also follow:
🚗 Virginia Department of Transportation
🚨 Virginia State Police
☑️ FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
⛈ Your local U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) office:
⛈ US National Weather Service Wakefield VA
⛈ US National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington
⛈ US National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
⛈ US National Weather Service Charleston WV
⛈ US National Weather Service Morristown Tennessee
More info: VAemergency.gov/hurricanes
Disabled AND Nurses !!
As Covid-19 surged in America, hospitals across the country pleaded for more nurses and medical professionals; many nurses with disabilities, often discounted and discriminated against, finally got their chance to shine.
#WeAreEssential: Tell Congress to Include the Paralysis Community in COVID-19 Relief Bills
#WeAreEssential: Tell Congress to Include the Paralysis Community in COVID-19 Relief Bills
Wheelchair traveler, Curb Free with Cory Lee visited Skyline Drive and Luray Caverns, Check out the awesome pictures on his page
Sure, Shenandoah National Park has some amazing trails, but one of its best features is Skyline Drive. 🏞 Skyline Drive is a 105-mile road and there are nearly 70 overlooks, where you can pull over and take in the view. 🚗 Many of the overlooks even have a wheelchair accessible parking spot, so I was able to get out of the vehicle and really take it all in. With views like this, I could stay here all day.
Wow, make your manual wheelchair into an off-road vehicle
*image of a wheelchair on the beach*
And what do you think of this motorized platform that transforms a manual #wheelchair into an off-road vehicle that can traverse sand, snow, gravel and mud....?🤔
Follow ➡️ All WheelChair Stuff for more #wheelchair #fun #pictures, video's and information 👍 And don't forget to check out our webshop: WWW.ALLWHEELCHAIRSTUFF.COM
Wow, a mouthpiece joystick, to help people with disabilities play AND work
*image of a mouthpiece with an implant*
The mouth-based “joystick” could be a real advancement.
Did you know most schools are still not accessible for all children
*image of children lined up outside school*
Thirty years after the ADA became law, most of the nation's public school districts remain inaccessible to students with disabilities, government investigators say.
Being able to use ASL is a big advantage during a healthcare crisis
*image of the sign for Maryland School for the Deaf *
FREDERICK, Md. (WDVM)– In a world full of face coverings and online meetings, the deaf community could be facing abnormal struggles during the coronavirus pandemic. However, Maryland School f…
324 Hope Dr
Winchester, VA
22601
Access Independence Inc. (AI) is a Center for Independent Living (CIL) serving the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah and the city of Winchester. We are a consumer controlled, community based, cross disability, non-residential, private, non-profit organization that is designed and operated within our local region by individuals with disabilities.
| Monday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Thursday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
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Check out this video of Donna Day explaining "Roll your Own"
Obstacle Course
Beginning of the Obstacle Course
Get ready get set GO
We are people with disabilities empowering people with disabilities; We believe in being ethical and having integrity; We believe in treating people with respect and dignity; We believe in the principles of equal rights, access, and opportunities for all.
