TAKE FIVE!

March 09, 2021

Jenny Sanchez:
Hello, I’m Jenny Sanchez. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents Take Five!. Our guest today is Deborah Worden from Action Toward Independence. Deborah, thank you for joining me.

Deborah Worden:
Thank you so much for having me.

Jenny Sanchez:
It’s our pleasure. Can you please introduce yourself with your title and tell us a little bit about your organization?

Deborah Worden:
Sure. I’d be happy to. So I’m the executive director of Action Toward Independence, and we usually go by ATI. A lot of people know us by that, and we are what’s called an independent living center. And what that is, it’s an agency funded predominantly by federal and state funding sources that provides services to any individual who has a disability and we’re all over the country. So thankfully in Sullivan County, you have ATI as well as other independent living centers.

Jenny Sanchez:
That’s great. And what kind of programs and services do you offer?

Deborah Worden:
Well, we actually have services from anyone from birth to end of life, even. Our services are for not only people who have a disability, but also their caregivers and family members as well, because usually a person with a disability has caregivers to help them. So we provide various services. We offer classes such as financial literacy, parenting classes, anger management. We also have programs for computer skills, job readiness, especially for people with disabilities, trying to get back into the workforce. Sometimes a disability occurs because of an accident and you have to completely change your vocation, and you’re just not sure what to do or what you want to do or what you’re able to do. So we help people navigate that as well. We supply core services through our directives there about advocacy, peer counseling, systems advocacy, which is helping, it could be helping an employer provide reasonable accommodations or having to change policies and procedures. And we help people do that as well. So basically we’re really able to help across a wide spectrum of people of various ages and disabilities.

Jenny Sanchez:
That’s great. And what about disability awareness? Would you like the community to know?

Deborah Worden:
I think one of the biggest myths that we encounter is someone says, well, I don’t have a disability. I’m not collecting disability. Or, you know, I’m not on a SSI or assist DEI, that type of thing, but that’s not what we do or necessarily all that we do. We have a firm belief that anyone who has any type of disability that has an impact on your quality of life has the ability get services from us. So if you yourself have, say for example, chronic condition, I say high blood pressure, or you have Lyme disease, or you’re undergoing cancer treatment. Some disabilities are short term and some are long-term. So we’re able to really help everyone. And our second biggest priority is also bringing more awareness for mental health because that too can be a disability. I don’t know a single person right now through all this last year of dealing with COVID-19, that hasn’t had some impact on their mental health, whether it was because of social isolation or anxiety over the world around us right now. So we’re really able thankfully to be able to help everyone. And we don’t really look at it as a disability, but rather a different ability because you never know what you can do. And that’s what we want to do is show people that we can still all be contributing members of society just in a different way.

Jenny Sanchez:
Thank you. And what can Sullivan County residents do to help ATI?

Deborah Worden:
Well, that’s a great question. We’re always looking for support and services that people can provide. For example, ATI is a peer run organization. And what that means is we’re actually governed by an executive order that requires over 51% of our staff, as well as over 51% of our board to have a disability. So you have that pure approach. So we ask community members if they want to become part of that, if they want to volunteer for ATI, or if there’s an interest in being on the board and giving their perspective from having a disability and bringing that to a really tangible way of helping others because that’s really what it’s about is that we’re here to help each other. And so, on top of that anytime I have many people that say I can’t get out, or I have anxiety about COVID, I’m not sure how much I can do, but instead then they might be able to make a monetary contribution, which we’re always looking for donations to support our programs.

Jenny Sanchez:
Okay. And how can people stay in touch with your organization?

Deborah Worden:
Well, we’re a phone call away. I always say to people they can always get in touch with us, which is at area code (845) 794-4228. Plus, we also have offices in Orange County, which people can call there as well. That’s 343- 4284. And I really think that if people follow us on Facebook, you would learn a lot about all of the different programs that we’re doing on a regular basis. For example, we have a veteran program that provides service dogs to veterans who have PTSD. So you might have a veteran that wasn’t aware of that program. And then they also get into other programs of other that we provide. So check out our Facebook page, which is Action Toward Independence, or our website is ATItoday.org. And we also, for those people who aren’t really as connected cyber wise that we still do a printed newsletter. So anyone can always call up and be on our mailing list to receive that.

Jenny Sanchez:
Okay, thank you. Is there anything else you’d like to share today?

Deborah Worden:
Just that we are here to help we have programs for everyone. And even if it’s just to ask a question where can they find something or that information and referral, I think is one of the biggest services that we provide. We are always getting phone calls because, perhaps some other office isn’t open or they don’t have people working on site and people working remotely. We’ve been open every day since COVID-19 started. And we have been really trying to be that calm in the storm for people and be the helpers that I think people really need right now. So just give us a call. We’re more than happy to help you, or we will find someone who can help you.

Jenny Sanchez:
That’s wonderful. Deborah, thank you so much for being here and for sharing all the great work that your organization is doing with us.

Deborah Worden:
Thank you so much for having me, Jenny. It was such a pleasure.