In This Issue:


Letter from our Executive Director


Important Upcoming Dates


Sherry's

Interview with Traffic

Jam Jimmy


Harford MagaScene's Harford Center Feature


Golf

Tournament Updates


Help Wanted


End of Year

Fun Facts


And More!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! As we end this year, I want to look back and reflect on all the blessings and good fortune that we have had. This month concludes our 60th year Anniversary celebration! I couldn’t think of a better year in the history of the Harford Center. Many of you are probably saying, what is she talking about? Good year? How? Well, any year that we get to provide meaning in people’s lives, especially during these challenging and uncertain times, is the best year ever. This year we provided services to over 100 people. We spent time in our community, we helped connect people with their friends, we helped people reenter the workforce, and most importantly we survived. Sometimes survival is the blessing. In the past, we defined success with lofty goals. After almost two years of a pandemic, we define success much differently. This year’s success was that we kept people safe, happy, and connected to one another. Success was our ability to raise wages for our Direct Support Professionals. Success was receiving multiple grants, donations, and supports from our community. Success was being able to keep our doors open, our staff employed, and help our families get back to some sense of their day-to-day. We are blessed here at the Harford Center, and we are thankful for all of the support, kindness, and generosity that we have received this year. So yes, this was our best year ever. Happy Anniversary to the Harford Center and thank you to all of you who support our mission and share in our successes.


We will be closing at 12:00 noon on December 14th and 15th.


We will be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

December 23 – Christmas Eve (Observed)

December 24 – Christmas Day (Observed)

December 31 – New Year’s Day (Observed)

January 17 – Martin Luther King Day


Please take a moment to review our inclement weather policy.


Sherry Talks to Traffic Jam Jimmy

The Harford Center on Harford MagaScene

Looking for A Perfect Gift for the Golfer in Your Life? Registration for our spring tournament is now open! Early Bird Registration is just $125 per person!

Sponsorships available. If you have questions about sponsorships or if you are interested in donating a basket or raffle item, please contact Dinah.

The Harford Center is hiring Direct Support Professionals. $14.50-$15.25 per hour + sign on bonus. Watch the video below to learn about working here. Click here for a full job description or to apply online.

The Harford Center is also looking for board members. If interested, please click here for more information.

If you're looking to make a charitable donation before the end of the year, please consider donating to our $60 for 60 campaign. The money we raise through this campaign helps us provide employment training, transportation, and recreational activities to the people we support.

Thank you so much to Julie Chmura and the whole team at Elegant Restoration, Inc. for donating $500 to The Harford Center as part of their 12 Days of Giving! This team is so good at what they do, and they give so much back to the community! We're so grateful for their support!

Assistive Technology


Tobii Dynavox has launched an accessory for Apple Ipads called the TD Pilot, which allows users to control the devices using nothing but their eyes.


The DOT is a new smart watch that allows users to receive notifications in braille. It is compatible with Apple and Android devices.

Policy


The House has approved

the Build Back Better Act, which now goes to the Senate. If the bill becomes law, it will bring roughly

$150 billion to Home and Community Based Services, reducing wait lists, ending subminimum wage, and providing rental assistance to people with disabilities.

White House Goals


Click here to read

The White House's

Fact Sheet:

Advancing Disability Inclusive Democracy

in the United States

and Globally

The Disability Community Mourns the Loss of Senator Bob Dole


Former Senator Bob Dole passed away last week at the age of 98. While he will be remembered for many things, disability rights activists will never forget his role in helping to get the Americans with Disabilities Act passed. When the ADA was first introduced, it was a partisan bill that had few Republican supporters. Bob Dole, who had lost the use of his arm due to a combat injury, helped to bring his colleagues on board by explaining that accommodations would bring more people into the workforce and be good for the economy. It's hard to imagine not having the ADA today. Without Senator Dole's efforts, we might never have made the progress we have made.