The League for People with Disabilities is committed to offering individuals the opportunity to gain independence, to increase self-sufficiency, and to improve the quality of life.

October Newsletter

My League Story: Employment Services, Paul S.

Paul (pictured right) with his supervisor Mike (pictured left) at Blind Industries & Services Maryland, a community partner with The League for People for Disabilities.

Observed annually in October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contributions of America's workers with disabilities past and present, and displays supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices. The League for People with Disabilities’ Employment Services Program has efficacious relationships with more than 15 local employment partners. Participants seeking career placement, job stability, and financial independence are trained, coached, and prepped for success to achieve their professional goals.

Introduced 12 years ago to Blind Industries & Services of Maryland (BISM) through The League’s Employment Services Program, Paul has since benefitted from meaningful relationships with his co-workers, a daily workout regimen in the employee on-site Fitness Center, and financial independence to pursue his passions outside of the workplace. Paul grew up in Baltimore loving The Ravens, The Orioles, and all types of seafood; his earned wages with BISM permit him the opportunities to attend games and dine out at local restaurants with his special lady friend on the weekends. As a working man, he understands the importance of fiscal responsibility and is enjoying a slow courtship with his female companion as they get to know each other better and share proper dates.

Paul has the support of his family, his friends, his co-workers, his League employment counselor, and his supervisor, Michael Peery. Mike has worked for BISM for 44 years in various positions but in his current role as Operations Manager, he helps achieve the organization’s ultimate goal of growth while managing several departments simultaneously. His average employee has a tenure of 25 years and can perform 12 different jobs; employees like Paul show up and work hard every day of the week, meeting the state’s needs for manufactured goods. The League is proud to partner with BISM, where individuals are given opportunities for independence, self-sufficiency, and quality life experiences regardless of their abilities.

Learn More About The League's Employment Services

SCALE Updates

The members at SCALE have been filling their days with art and advocacy as they work together to strengthen their community and thrive. There are 18 members submitting artwork and poetry for the National Aphasia Association’s Night of Aphasia Arts event in early November. Below is the submission of one of the members transcribed by a current student intern.

“David has been a member of SCALE Aphasia Program for five years. The art piece Sacred Geometry shows fire in the middle in the shape of a pyramid with a theory of Yin and Yang to create a perfect balance with the mental state. He wants you to know that people with aphasia can be great at problem-solving and they come together to create a tight-knit community and help out each other. In addition, he believes that the solidarity in the SCALE community is incredible and his art piece represents the perfect balance of the community.”

Members of the Speak Out group are working towards making SCALE a “Stroke Smart” aphasia center so that they can advocate for, and educate on, stroke safe measures. Our stroke survivors have been developing a scripted presentation detailing how to spot a stroke, how to stop a stroke, and how to save a life that will be shared with staff, volunteers, students, SCALE members and families, and external partners such as local businesses organizations, and universities. Stay tuned as the members finalize the presentation and infuse it with their personal stories and experiences for added impact.

Read SCALE’s Stroke Smart Proclamation

Adult Medical Day Week

During the third week of September, The League’s Adult Medical Day Team celebrated the staff and participants with a calendar of unique and fun activities specific to Adult Medical Day interests. A different theme surrounded each day from the outfits, to the meals, to the activities where everyone could get involved!

See What's Happening in October

Join the G.E.M. (Give Every Month) Club to support recreational programming that Adult Medical Day participants can engage in for maximum enjoyment. $15 a month will expand the budget for equipment and supplies for programming that brings out the best in the men and women with disabilities that we serve.

Join the G.E.M. Club

Employer of Choice: Employee Appreciation Week

From September 12^th-16^th, The League celebrated Direct Support Professionals and Employee Appreciation Week with the help of our Employee Activities Committee! We had breakfast, giveaways, lunch, massages and creative toolkits, doughnuts, and daily raffles throughout the week to thank the men and women that make our important work possible!

As an Employer of Choice, The League is committed to making our employees feel valued, respected, and appreciated so that our participants receive the highest quality of support and care. The League also values and celebrates the very important work of our Direct Support Professionals.

Discover Career Opportunities

The League Fund Year-End Campaign Kick-Off

On Friday, September 30^th, League staff members helped kick off The League Fund’s Year-End Campaign with sweet treats in the lobby where we officially began filling in the thermometer with contributions to The League Fund, supporting The League's greatest area of need. The campaign goal this year is $185,000!

Erica, Jimmy, and Curtis have been very busy preparing for the Fall festivities at The League. From learning new sewing techniques to rehearsing for a theater production to working for local humanitarian organizations, our friends are achieving their personal and professional goals thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

Erica sporting her League Fund pin and singing "I'm Every Woman" for staff visiting the front lobby.

Donate to The League Fund Today

Sponsorship & Table Host Opportunities:

Tastes, Toasts, & Triumphs!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 25, 2023 and plan to join us for Tastes, Toasts, & Triumphs, an Evening to Benefit The League! This reimagined #OMGFOOD event will be on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Enjoy unique cocktail tastings, curated culinary experiences, and stories of triumph from participants and supporters of The League with your friends and colleagues by sponsoring the event or purchasing a table!

Check Out Partnership Opportunities

If you are interested in partnership opportunities or learning more about the event, please contact Robyn Dammers, Director of Development, by email at rdammers@leagueforpeople.org or phone at 410-323-0500 x383.

A Concluding Note from Our President & CEO

Dear Friends of The League,

Things have been frightfully fantastic at The League! Our participants and staff members arrive in the morning bundled and ready for recreational programming and scheduled volunteerism in the community, shedding layers as the sun warms the autumn afternoons. Programs have been expanding and thriving as the season changes. The return of the Fiber Arts class has Medical Day participants unlocking new skills and levels of creativity while the establishment of relationships with new community partners has Meaningful Day participants helping their neighbors and taking steps to achieve their professional goals.

I am thrilled to see new faces in the building, from staff members, to participants, to volunteers! The League is extremely fortunate to have a dynamic network of supporters that want to see our participants succeed as evidenced by the exceptional men and women on the planning committee for our Tastes, Toasts, & Triumphs event on March 25, 2023! I would also like to extend my gratitude to the volunteers from the local universities, and past Camp Greentop staff that spent Saturday evening with us for Halloween CLUB1111!

We have so much planned this Fall as we advocate for individuals with disabilities and raise awareness around the challenges specific to the men, women, and children that we serve every day. Please stay tuned with us as we fill in our thermometer for The League Fund Year-End Campaign and keep Giving Tuesday marked on your calendar for November 29^th! Take care and have a Happy Spooky Season!

Sincerely,