Disability Resource Center

CAL Events

Art Show l Disability Mentoring Day l Volunteer Appreciation l Deaf Events l CAL Social Corner l Employment Day

Community Involvement

Independent living is not just about an individual having the opportunity and responsibility to make decisions as well as to exercise their right to control their own lives; nor is it solely about finding a job, receiving equal services, being able to ride an accessible bus or get into a public building. It's also about having a social life, being a complete member of the community. The Center is committed to community involvement for individuals with disabilities. Annually, the center is involved with many events that promote the diversity and talent of individuals with disabilities in our community.

Art Show

"Celebrating the Beauty of the Human Spirit"
Center for Accessible Living Seventh Annual Juried Art Show

2007 horses painting 2007 old Louisville Painting

Volunteer Appreciation Reception

Thanks to Everyone who came out and supported us!

Many thanks to the O'Shea's family and staff for a great and fun day.

Special thanks to: Bob Fowler at AmRamps for donating the t-shirts and Tom Cunningham at Allegra Print & Imaging on Preston Hwy for donating printing for the event.

O'Shea's Event Pictures:

What Is Disability Mentoring Day?

National Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. With leadership, coordination and resource materials from the AAPD, local communities around the country organize their own activities that bring students and employers together for informational sessions about career opportunities and one-on-one mentoring with volunteers at public and private places of employment.

DMD allows students, job-seekers and mentors to share their experiences and broaden their horizons. The Center has been told by participants, both the job-seekers and mentors, that they have come away from their encounter feeling energized and empowered.

DMD is an event coordinated nationally by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the Center is the official Louisville Metro Area coordinator for city wide events.

Louisville's 2010 DMD Celebration

The Center for Accessible Living is looking for people interested in a unique on-the-job training experience.

We are already making plans, so please contact the Center for Accessible Living if you are interested in this opportunity, (502) 589-6620.

Once again the Center for Accessible Living is the Louisville Metro coordinator for Disability Mentoring Day 2010… and it is approaching fast. We will be coordinating half day, one-on-one shadowing on the morning of October 20, 2010. This is absolutely FREE to all who participate and ideal for Individuals with disabilities of all ages that are just out of high school or college, in college, or changing careers who want to shadow someone in a professional field. Experience a great opportunity to gain first hand insight into your career of interest.

On October 20. The Center for Accessible Living will be matching students and job seekers who have a disability (18 and older) with mentors for a morning of one-on-one shadowing in the mentors’ workplaces throughout the Metro Louisville area.

Benefits of Participation for Students/Mentees

Learn about internships and job opportunities
Develop lasting mentor relationships
Target career skills for improvement
Explore possible career paths
Experience the workplace firsthand
Demonstrate skills to potential employers
Gain greater confidence in your own employability

What People Are Saying

“This experience was uplifting and empowering… she was really cool, I feel like I made a new friend and we laughed a lot together.” – Annie Henning, Mentee

”My mentor made me feel welcome. I enjoyed answering the phones - it was a great experience. I want to say ’Thank you’ to ResCare for letting me do this.” – Kevin Davis, Mentee

What Happens on Disability Mentoring Day?

Disability Mentoring Day is officially commemorated on the third Wednesday of every October, but it is then implemented in locations around the country and internationally throughout the year. This is just one of many events during the month of October, which marks Disability Employment Awareness month. It is designed to benefit from local creativity, with each community planning activities to best suit the interests and abilities of its students, job-seekers and local employers. Although the core experience is one-on-one job shadowing, event planners may choose to open with a meeting for a group of students and job-seekers featuring several presentations and/or close with a reception where students, job-seekers and mentors can share their experiences. The type of mentoring experience depends in large part on the participants’ interests, education level, and work experience. Job-seekers can focus on specific career advice and discuss potential internships and job openings.

Highlights from Past Disability Mentoring Days

For five (5) years the Center for Accessible Living has matched students and job seekers who have a disability with mentors for a morning of one-on-one shadowing in the mentors’ workplaces throughout the Metro Louisville area.

Community partners have included Norton Hospital, Jefferson County Public Schools, ResCare, Citi Cards, Metro United Way, Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Home Depot, Louisville Metro Recycling plant, professional wheelchair basketball team "Hill on Wheels", WHAS Radio personality Joe Elliott, Former UofL Basketball Player Wiley Brown, Oldham County Public School, Kentucky Office for the Blind, Options Unlimited, National Patient Account Services, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville Business Leadership Network, Ahrens Vocational School, Dreams with Wings, University of Phoenix Louisville Campus, Louisville Metro Police, Superior Van, Wal-mart and the Veteran's Administration.

Former Mentee Annie Henning with her 2008 mentee.

Citi’s First Disability Mentoring Day, A Great Success!

Lillian Fawbush, Citi Cards, Louisville KY
7/09/2007

“Its here!” proclaimed the email sent to the management staff on October 18, 2006. The first Disability Mentoring Day for Citi, Louisville, was finally here, and we were expecting four students, from the local public schools, to visit our site. We made arrangements for the students to shadow associates in our security and cafeteria areas. In anticipation of the event, I am not sure if I or the students were more excited.

At 9:00 am sharp, four very eager students arrived, ready to get a glimpse of a real work place. They were advised of their assigned areas, introduced to the persons they would shadow, and then went right to work. The students that shadowed our security officers helped record times and sign-in visitors, went on safety checks around the building, made picture identification cards and performed many other classified activities. One of the students had a special interest in the culinary arts, so, he was a perfect match to shadow in the cafeteria. In the cafeteria the students assisted our gourmet chefs, shadowed the cashier, and stocked the many food and beverage items sold in the cafeteria. In both areas they interacted with our entire staff coming and going from the building and the cafeteria. After a satisfying morning of hard work, they all enjoyed lunch in the Citi Café.

At the conclusion of the event our participants left with a new vision and a spring in their step. As the students departed they were given a big thank you and memento of their visit. One of the students turned to me and said, “Working here today has given me an idea of different jobs that I can do. I think I can get a job as a stocker in a grocery store.” I returned to my office thinking how fortunate we were to participate in such a rewarding program.

As a follow up, that young man did get a job as a stocker and is still employed. Citi is looking forward to participating in this event again this year.

DMD Quotes:

”I really liked it… I felt like they weren’t just trying to pass the time, they treated me as if I was actually there shadowing for my first day on the job.” – Eric Frey

“I learned a lot, I really enjoyed this experience” – Megan Thurman

“This experience was uplifting and empowering… she was really cool, I feel like I made a new friend and we laughed a lot together.” – Annie Henning

”My mentor made me feel welcome. I enjoyed answering the phones - it was a great experience. I want to say ’Thank you’ to ResCare for letting me do this.” – Kevin Davis

Top of Page.

Employment Day Events

Fun & Informational. FREE AND OPEN TO ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY.

Employment Day is a half day event designed to make the job seeker with a disability more job ready. Regular events include a Resume workshop, mock interviewing with volunteer HR professionals, and seminar topics related to gaining and maintaining employment. The event is followed by a mini job fair with disability friendly employers and information from service providers.

Past topics have included:
Job Readiness, How to Dress, the ADA, FMLA, Effective Networking, Your rights as an applicant, Effective Job Search Tips, and more.

Employment Day crowd 1 Participants