Website
Donate
Events

Newsletter | April 2024

Download a text-only version of this newsletter

Peer Group Events

Peer groups provide an organized environment for people to encourage, advocate and educate one another. Peer Group events are being held both in-person and virtually.

Peer Group Calendar

Support DNMM During Give Local Midland


Give Local Midland is a 24-hour online giving campaign for local nonprofit endowment funds. The Midland Area Community Foundation is raising money and awareness for over 50 Midland nonprofits that do incredible and inspiring work in our community. Join us on May 7th and give where you live during Give Local Midland.


DNMM has provided independent living support services to people with disabilities throughout the mid-Michigan area for over 30 years. As we look to the next 30 years and beyond, we see an ever-increasing demand for services with an ever-tightening grip on state and federal funding. We need to ensure DNMM will always be there to help people with disabilities achieve and maintain their independence. With your support, we can continue creating accessible and inclusive communities.


How can you help?

  1. Mark Give Local Midland on your calendar for May 7th and share this donation page link with your friends, family, and co-workers!
  2. Please donate to support us on Tuesday, May 7th. Gifts given that day will receive a portion of bonus funds – making your dollar go further!
  3. Help us spread the word! Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Instagram. Follow the hashtag #GiveLocalMidland to see the buzz. We can't wait to celebrate the difference your generosity will make for our community!


Give Local Midland is Tuesday, May 7th.

The event lasts for 24 hours – from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM.

Great Lakes Loon Season is in Full Swing 


Baseball season is finally here! Disability Network Mid-Michigan is proud to once again be the official sponsor of Accessible Services at Dow Diamond.


Since Dow Diamond's groundbreaking in 2006, the Great Lakes Loons and Michigan Baseball Foundation have partnered with DNMM to create a stadium that is accessible to all fans, helping the Loons meet and exceed stadium requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. We applaud the Loons organization and the facility staff for working to make Dow Diamond an accessible place where everyone can Dive In!


Proud Sponsor of Accessible Services

Let Us Host an Information Session For Your Group


Disability Network Mid-Michigan can host an information session for your group, tailoring the information to your audience and answering questions you might have.


Topics include:

  • Accessibility
  • Assistive Technology
  • ADA for Employers
  • Americans with Disabilities Act Overview
  • Disability Awareness
  • Supported Decision Making/Alternatives to Guardianship
  • Service Animals
  • Person-Centered Thinking
  • Overview of SSDI/SSI
  • Work Incentives
  • Medicare Savings Plan
  • Part D – Prescription Drug Plans
  • Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help)
  • Preventative Health Services
  • Medicaid Redetermination


Session lengths and costs vary.


Call 989-835-4041 or visit dnmm.org for more information

Schedule a Session

Autism Acceptance Month


Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. The Autism experience is different for everyone. It is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is often referred to as a “spectrum condition” that affects people differently and to varying degrees. While there is currently no known single cause of Autism, early diagnosis helps a person receive resources that can support the choices and opportunities needed to live fully.

Steven Packard Portrait

“Autism awareness is important so I don’t feel like I’m the only one. Others could find different ways of coping with it.” Steven suggests, “Get outside in the community like I do!”


Steven Packard – Saginaw neighbor with Autism

National Healthcare Decisions Day – April 16


Letting your wishes be known is an important part of self-advocacy. Disability Network Mid-Michigan is part of a national campaign to help you with advance care planning.


NHDD is a series of independent events held across the country, supported by a national media and public education campaign. In all respects, NHDD is inclusive and brings a variety of players in the larger healthcare, legal, and religious community together to work on a common project, to the benefit of patients, families, and providers.


A key goal of NHDD is to demystify healthcare decision-making and make the topic of advance care planning inescapable. Among other things, NHDD helps people understand that advance healthcare decision-making includes much more than living wills; it is a process that should focus first on conversation and choosing an agent. We believe this serves as an advocacy tool so you can get the care you want when you can't speak for yourself. It's so important, we include it as a part of our emergency preparedness training! 


If you or a loved one would like to get the process started, we can help Call us at 989-835-4041 or email info@dnmm.org.

Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month


Did you know that over 5.6 million Americans are living with limb loss and limb difference? This month is meant to spotlight the vital need to support efforts that advance equitable medical access, care, and coverage for people living with limb loss and limb difference, and to celebrate the small and big wins within the community. By approaching each day of life with the fundamental willpower to thrive, our community members champion human strength by persisting.


The obstacles that people on their limb loss journey must overcome are no easy feat. As they adapt to a new way of living, amputees experience victories daily in simple areas of life. During April, we want to demonstrate how our community thrives and how you can participate.


The month is dedicated to sharing and telling the stories of those vast people! Visit our Facebook page to share your story of strength, resilience, or a challenge you’ve experienced in a comment. Show your support and let’s celebrate Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.

Parkinson’s Awareness Month


This special month-long campaign focuses on an important part of PD awareness —educating everyone on the many symptoms that impact daily life and how to address them. It’s also about helping people recognize the early signs that can lead to an earlier diagnosis and an overall better quality of life.


Read this article that highlights seven things every newly diagnosed person should know.



If you or your loved one needs help with in-home services, information or referrals or independent living support, contact us at (989) 835-4041 or info@dnmm.org.

Do you need food?

Find Resources Near You

Statement of Inclusion


Inclusion is a universal human right for all people, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other discernible quality. To be inclusive is to promote a sense of belonging, respect, and value for who you are as a person. It is about equal access and opportunities for everyone. Inclusion is an integral part of our Independent Living philosophy and of our agency's vision of accessible and inclusive communities.


DNMM offices have been, and continue to be, places of solace, understanding, and information for all. We are committed to promoting and protecting diversity and inclusion, within our offices, among our community partners, and throughout the 15 Centers for Independent Living in Michigan.

people of various ethnicities and abilities

Accessibility Statement


DNMM advocates for the removal of barriers to independence and full inclusion of people with disabilities throughout the Mid-Michigan area. DNMM pledges to ensure accessibility. Each year, DNMM conducts a review of its own architectural, environmental, attitudinal, employment, communication, transportation, and other barriers that may exist that prohibit full access to our services.


If you have any issues of concern regarding the accessibility of DNMM services and facilities, we encourage you to share that information with us.

Contact Us

Disability Network Mid-Michigan

989-835-4041 | dnmm.org

Facebook      Instagram      LinkedIn      YouTube