News & Information

Tash Announces Scholarship Opportunities To Help Self-Advocates and Families Attend Major Disability Rights Conferences in Pittsburgh This Fall

September 21, 2009

CONTACT:
Haley Kimmet
Phone: 202-540-9015
Email: hkimmet@tash.org

Washington, DC – TASH, the leader in advancing inclusion and human rights for people with significant disabilities, announces the availability of scholarships to help self-advocates, parents, and families from the Pittsburgh area attend disability rights conferences that are being held in Pittsburgh this November.

Attendance at disability rights conferences opens the door to learning opportunities about rights and resources and connects parents and families to youth and adults with disabilities who are leading full and productive lives. These conferences facilitate a positive outlook on disability and encourage higher hopes and expectations for the capabilities of people with disabilities. But, with an economy that has tightened the pockets of many, participation at disability rights conferences across the US has declined significantly. Many self-advocates and families simply do not have the means to cover the costs of conference attendance.

TASH has launched several initiatives and scholarship opportunities to ensure that all Pittsburgh self-advocates and families have access to disability rights conferences taking place right in their backyard.

TASH’s People of Color Initiative, which has already supported over 250 individuals and families of color at four other disability rights conferences, is proud to offer forty scholarships to local self-advocates and/or their families of color to attend The Arc of the United States Conference, taking place November 11-14, 2009, and the TASH conference, which takes place November 18-21, 2009. The People of Color Initiative, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is one of the first nationwide efforts to focus on increasing the representation and leadership of people of color in national disability rights organizations.

In partnership with the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), TASH has scholarships available for Pennsylvania parents with children age birth – 5 who receive early intervention services. These scholarships cover full conference registration at the 2009 TASH Conference and a one-year membership with TASH.

The FISA Foundation of Pittsburgh has generously donated funds to provide scholarships to the 2009 TASH Conference and a one-year membership with TASH for families and self-advocates within a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh.

To learn more about these scholarship opportunities and/or request an application,
contact TASH at 202-540-9015 or hkimmet@tash.org

TASH is an international grassroots leader in advancing inclusive communities through research, education, and advocacy. Founded in 1975, we are a volunteer-driven organization that advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with the most significant disabilities and support needs -- those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect, and institutionalization. The inclusive practices we promote and validate through research improve quality of life outcomes for all people.

Diane Perry
Family Inclusion Coordinator
1601 N. Broad Streets, USB 610
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-204-3031

Pennsylvania's Education for All Coalition, Inc. is a partnership of parents, educators, related professionals and others who believe that children of all backgrounds and abilities should be successfully educated together in their neighborhood schools within the general education curriculum. We work together to promote education that includes all children by providing individual technical assistance, advocacy and supports to families, assisting institutions of higher education better prepare teachers to effectively teach all children and influencing and supporting schools, policymakers, and the community to effectively implement inclusive practices and policies.

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