A Word of Encouragement from the AT Network

Martin Sweeney, Director of the AT Network in California reflected on the opportunity hidden in the current economic downturn. Can we imagine a world where the new presumption is inclusion and Universal Design?

In case you haven't already noticed, over the past several weeks there's been a building frenzy over the federal stimulus dollars that will soon be hitting the streets of California and the rest of the country. In the wake of the economic meltdown, nonprofits have been anxiously awaiting the full impact of what will surely include increased numbers of people in need facing a reduction in available resources.

The current recession is already impacting nonprofits and how they provide services and yet the federal government's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) represents an unprecedented opportunity. We already know the bad news but the good news is just winding its way to our doors.

The California Department of Rehabilitation will be receiving roughly 56 million dollars in federal stimulus funding that must be spent over a period of 18 months. In California alone, over one billion dollars will be spent for Broadband deployment and adoption. This is more than a lot of money and just about every nonprofit in the state is positioning itself in line. Applications for proposals are already underway.

So how will our community participate? How will disability-related organizations, agencies and schools be included in this unprecedented infusion of resources to help stimulate the economy while at the same time providing access to persons with disabilities and their families? Where does assistive technology fit into the picture? Will we seize this opportunity to educate and increase public awareness about Broadband access and how it will redefine so many quality of life indicators for people with disabilities. How will it redefine access to health care? Education? Employment? Shopping? Social networks? Recreation? The list goes on.

It's ironic that during a time of great economic uncertainty we find ourself with a rare opportunity to build infrastructure, create access, and make sure that our community is fully included and supported. Despite all the uncertainly, this is truly a time to think big.

Stay tuned.

Source:

http://www.atnet.org/index.php?page=volume3-issue6#news