October 2020 Wisconsin Newsletter
Welcome to Fall: Stay Energized and Keep Advocating! 
2020 sure has been an interesting year so far, but The Arc Wisconsin is here to bring you new resources and information to keep you energized and up-to-date on issues impacting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families!
Decisions About Funding Are Happening Now 
Fall is a good time to connect with elected officials and candidates and let them know what’s important to you. Wisconsin is heading into a state biennial budget year, which means our state legislature and governor will be deciding how much money to spend on programs that support people with IDD. Resources will be scarce in this budget…so every voice counts! Here are questions you can ask your policymakers about disability issues.

Know who your policymakers are by going to this website, then shoot off a quick hello message and tell them what programs matter to you!
Some Good News: The Governor’s Task Force on Caregiving Report Is Out!
The Task Force on Caregiving's final recommendations hit the Governor's desk on September 30. Members have been working for the last year to improve conditions for direct care workers and family caregivers.

What can you do to support family caregivers and direct care workers?

  • Share the Governor’s Task Force on Caregiving report on social media.
  • Make sure your elected officials and candidates get a link to the report FROM YOU personally.
  • Share your own caregiving story with everyone, but especially policymakers who represent you.
  • Celebrate Family Caregiver Awareness Month this November by showcasing caregivers' stories on social media and elsewhere.
Family Caregiver Awareness Month Is Your Chance to Thank and Recognize Caregivers
The Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (The Arc Wisconsin is a co-chair) is sponsoring a contest throughout November to celebrate Family Caregiver Awareness Month.

Follow The Arc Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Family Caregiver Support Programs Facebook pages for a chance to win Amazon gift card prizes from our friends at the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin!
Announcing The Arc Wisconsin Academy: Launching THIS Month!
This October, self-advocates with IDD from across Wisconsin will be testing a new virtual leadership opportunity called The Arc Wisconsin Academy (a project funded in part, by BPDD). With seven unique lessons based upon the evidence of what builds self-determination and ultimately makes people happier and safer, this first class of students will graduate in March.

Although registration for our fall Self-Advocacy Leadership in Action class is now closed, you can register for our second course focused on health and fitness launching this April.

Sign up now and check if the course fee can be included in your Family Care or IRIS plan. Watch a video describing what the course is all about!
Something to Get Excited About: Josh Talks Leadership; Barbara Talks Voting!
Don't forget to listen to our FREE podcast twice a month! In our latest episodes:

Make Sure to Vote! Election Day Is November 3rd
Remember to vote on November 3. Make your Plan to VOTE! Find your polling place, your elected officials, and more at My Vote Wisconsin. For help with disability related voting questions, call the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline (1-844-DIS-VOTE) or email [email protected].
Thank You to Our 2020 Sponsors
As we are thinking of thanks, The Arc Wisconsin would like to thank our generous sponsors. The folks listed on the banner at the bottom of our messages, newsletters, and emails help us to do our day-to-day work: advocating with state agencies, the legislature, on committees, and sharing good information and resources with all of you. We could not do our work without them.