FINDING A JOB MADSS SEGMENT

MYTHS ABOUT HIRING PEOPLE WITH DS

WHAT IS MADSS?

Support Parents Beth and Kevin

Happy Giving Tuesday! Today is the day we give back to our communities. To show you the impact that your generosity has on families, we'd like to introduce you to Beth and Kevin. 

"When we received our diagnosis, we were so scared, so worried, and we didn't know where to initially go for answers. Heck, we didn't even know what questions to ask. It didn't help that both the preliminary and confirmed diagnosis of Down syndrome were delivered in an entirely negative way."

Because of their experience, Beth and Kevin decided to become Support Parents through our Parent's First Call program and partnership with Parent to Parent of Wisconsin. Knowing what it's like to feel scared and alone, they wanted to be there for families who didn't know where to go. They wanted to provide other parents "that freedom to cry, to laugh, to vent, to be scared, but without any judgement." After a one day training, Beth and Kevin were ready to be matched with parents looking for resources and support. They are thankful they "get to pay it forward" and "feel it is an absolute honor to be able to be Support Parents."

The Parent's First Call Support Parent program not only benefits new parents, but it has a huge impact on the Support Parents too. At the training, Beth and Kevin learned that "grief will come in waves, at different points in both our and the child's life. We need to give ourselves permission for these feelings. Going through this training and learning this, it was only then that I was able to finally forgive myself for feeling so angry, so sad.. and to give myself permission when those feelings come up at different points now."

After their training, Beth and Kevin were matched with Stacey and Chad. They first "met" over the phone, but when they met for the first time in person at a DSAW Parent's Night Out, Beth and Kevin "really felt like we were seeing people we'd known our entire lives." Beth remembers seeing them come in and running to give Stacey a hug. They became fast friends, and now Beth and Kevin "can't imagine our lives without Chad, Stacey, Timothy and Anthony in it!" They share stories of their experiences and their struggles, and both couples know that they can count on each other for support.

When you support DSAW, you are supporting lifelong friendships created through our Parent's First Call program. You are giving scared and uncertain parents the opportunity to connect with people who have walked in their shoes. 

Today is Giving Tuesday. By donating today, you can give others the gift of comfort and community that Beth, Kevin, Stacey, and Chad found in DSAW.

Warmly,

Dawn Nuoffer
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

PS - DSAW relies on your generosity to provide support, programs, and services for our friends with Down syndrome and their families! Make a difference today by donating to DSAW.

Down Syndrome & Alzheimer's

Would you take a few minutes to read about Dan and DSAW's new programming for people with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's? National organizations have referred to our Down syndrome and Alzheimer's initiative as "pioneering" and as a "model for other Down syndrome groups around the country," and we need your help to sustain it!

By the time they are 60, almost 80% of people with Down syndrome will develop dementia. As Dan, now age 56, grew older, he started to develop signs of Alzheimer's disease. His parents face new challenges every day as his primary caregivers, and Dan's diagnosis has added a whole new dimension to their lives. 

Dan's family attended DSAW's first Memory Cafe in Milwaukee this summer. His mom Eileen was thrilled to see that DSAW was offering programs for the aging population. Many organizations don't focus on this demographic, and Eileen "appreciates any help we can get. DSAW's attempt to form Memory Cafes provided for us a very welcome resource."

Eileen and her family feel passionately about sharing their experiences with others who can learn from Dan's dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's. She encourages others to be open and honest about their loved ones with Down syndrome who are showing signs of Alzheimer's. Eileen, Dan, and their family hope to meet you at an upcoming Memory Cafe! 

Until then, we have compiled a wealth of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's resources for you now. Visit our resources page, watch our recent webinars, sign up for our Down syndrome & Alzheimer's newsletter, and join our Facebook support group to get more information and connect with others. If you're in the Milwaukee area, join us for a Memory Cafe on Thursday, December 6. Thank you to Bader Philanthropies for helping us launch this initiative. We intend to roll out these programs across the state in 2019 and beyond, so stay tuned for events in your area!

When you support DSAW, you are supporting needed services for older adults. You are advancing model Down syndrome and Alzheimer's programs and bringing fraternal support to people who can't find it elsewhere. 

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. Will you give to DSAW?

Warmly,
Dawn Nuoffer
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

PS - Getting good deals on Cyber Monday? Donate those savings to DSAW tomorrow to celebrate Giving Tuesday!

Medical College of Wisconsin Partnership

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day to celebrate all of the people and things that we appreciate. What are you thankful for this week? Does DSAW play a role in any of those things?

Kristen, a student at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Co-President of the group Friends for Special Needs, is thankful for her partnership with DSAW: "DSAW has created an environment where medical students can have extremely positive experiences with those with disabilities. I personally am so thankful that I can help facilitate this knowledge and experience with my peers to help them become better physicians in the future."

MCW students have been volunteering with DSAW for more than three years, supporting young adults with Down syndrome and other special needs at DSAW's recurring programs and special events. The experience has been life-changing for both groups! MCW students have made lasting friendships with many of our self advocates, shaping the future for the next generation of medical leaders.

MCW is the 4th largest private medical school in the nation, and its students deploy to practice medicine across the globe. DSAW works with MCW not only to provide volunteer opportunities for its students, but to educate them about what Down syndrome is, what it isn't, and how they can better serve their patients with special needs. DSAW and its partners have also done trainings on how to deliver a compassionate diagnosis. Think about the impact this experience will have when these students become medical professionals!

Our partnership with MCW will affect the future of health care for people with special needs. Kristin has realized that "those with disabilities have so much to offer to this world. If they aren't feeling 100%, they will receive my full attention to their needs. I have been able to recognize better that they know their body and their mind better than their caregivers, and we, as professionals, need to make sure we give credit to what they can offer to their history and presenting symptoms."

On November 8th, self advocates in Young Leaders Academy took a trip to MCW for a Learning and Skills night. The self advocates told the medical students what they like to see in health care professionals, and the med students taught the self advocates how to conduct a medical exam. Kristin's goal of this session "was to help the self advocates have more power over their healthcare and be more informed on what is happening with their health!"

When you support DSAW, you are supporting the future of health care for people with Down syndrome. You are supporting objective diagnoses for new and expectant parents around the world. We need you to help us educate others about Down syndrome. Will you consider making a gift to DSAW next Tuesday?

Warmly,

Dawn Nuoffer
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

PS - As you save big on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consider donating your savings on Giving Tuesday! It's an easy way to give back!

URGENT Advocacy Alert!

Tell your senators to vote NO to the tax-cut bill, which will negatively affect your loved one with Down syndrome.

Wisconsin Senators:
Ron Johnson: (202) 224-5323
Tammy Baldwin: (202) 224-5653

**Please note, Ron Johnson is considering voting NO! We need to inundate his office with calls!** 

Read how the bill hurts people with special needs 

Live somewhere else? Click here to find your Senators

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Action Steps:

• Call, email, tweet our Senators, especially Ron Johnson! Include a photo of you and your loved one with an explanation of how the tax-bill will hurt your family. 
   
• Go to your Senator's local offices this week! Meet with staff. Print out your story and leave it with them.
   
• Call your relatives and friends in other states and ask them to take action on your behalf. Main target states are Tennessee (Bob Corker), Arizona (Jeff Flake), Oklahoma (James Lankford), Kansas (Jerry Moran), Maine (Susan Collins), and Montana (Steve Daines). However, ALL Republican Senators should be blanketed with calls!
   
• One call or contact is not enough. Call them every day, multiple times a day, until the vote!

The bill is expected to go to a vote as early as tomorrow or Friday. Please call, tweet, email, and advocate every day until then! 

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Sample Phone Script:

Phone calls are proven to have the largest impact in swaying decisions (as opposed to letters, tweets, etc). It's very easy -- you just call the number and leave a message! Here is a sample script:

"Hi Senator ________:
My name is ________ and I live in CITY, Wisconsin, zip-code _______. I'm calling to ask you to vote NO to the tax bill. This bill is harmful for people with special needs, and will hurt the future of my loved one with Down syndrome, and my family. This bill cuts tax incentives to hire individuals with disabilities, raises taxes on people facing high medical bills, and eliminates the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, among many other things. 
Please vote no. Thank you!"

We Need Your Help!

Last year, Americans spent an average of $124 on Cyber Monday. However, will you take a break from shopping to read this email? The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin changes lives across the state, and we need your help.

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to giving back to the community in the midst of a week of spending.

In honor of tomorrow, we'd like to share the story of Michelle and Brian.

In 2007, Michelle and Brian were expecting twin baby girls and were heartbroken when one of their daughters was stillborn. It was only after they were born that they learned both girls had Down syndrome.

In the hospital, Michelle and Brian received a packet of information, including a few books - most of which they promptly threw away. The first book they opened immediately mentioned institutions. 

"When I was holding my new daughter, I wanted to know what the future looked like - not in medical terms or statistics, but what would our family be like, how would she fit in with us?"

DSAW parents around the state were noticing this same trend: outdated resources, filled with doom and gloom messages about individuals with Down syndrome, were the first materials parents read after a diagnosis.

Now, through the Parent's First Call Program, DSAW provides medical professionals and parents with accurate, unbiased, up-to-date resources about Down syndrome. We want to ensure that everyone understands how amazing our loved ones with Down syndrome are.

Michelle and Brian have loved raising a daughter with Down syndrome so much that they made the decision to adopt a second daughter with Down syndrome, too.

"I can't even guess how many people used to say 'I'm so sorry!' when we would say our daughter has Down syndrome  -- and I used to say, 'Don't be sorry, she's awesome!'  I don't know how much they believed me before we adopted Lilya. If voluntarily adding another child to our family who has Down syndrome doesn't tell you we're fine with Down syndrome, I don't know what will!"

By supporting DSAW on Giving Tuesday, you make it possible to support families around the state from the moments following a diagnosis until transition and beyond. We even support families in adopting a child with Down syndrome, just like Michelle and Brian did.

Tomorrow's the day. Will you donate to DSAW on Giving Tuesday?

Warmly,
Dawn Nuoffer
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

PS - As you scoop up big deals today, consider donating your savings tomorrow on Giving Tuesday. It's an easy way to give back!

Happy New Year from DSAW!

Dear Friend,

Happy New Year! As we celebrate the beginnings of 2017, I also celebrate the amazing year that is ending. You helped DSAW climb to new heights during the past year, and I’m thrilled to share our success.

In 2016, we served 4,500 individuals with Down syndrome and their families throughout Wisconsin, and countless others through our resources, webinars, and other virtual support. We continued our core programming of training medical professions on delivering a fair and compassionate Down syndrome diagnosis, helping individuals overcome obstacles through “Roadmap Sessions,” training children on what it means to be a good friend to someone with Down syndrome, and more.

But more than just continuing our core programs and services, 2016 was a year of growth and exciting changes for DSAW. We officially launched the Parent’s First Call Program, which connects new and expectant parents to resources and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our 7 Down Syndrome Awareness Walks throughout the State increased their fundraising by 23% in 2016… WOW! I’m so excited for you to see the impact this additional funding will have in your community. 

We also focused efforts on reaching families throughout the state, no matter where they live. We launched a new series of statewide webinars on important topics for families and medical professionals. We also launched a new, organized, and easy-to-use website (click around after you finish reading this post!). Finally, we moved the DSAW state headquarters to a new location in West Allis, WI. This office serves the entire state while piloting replicable programs and services in the Greater Milwaukee Area.

2016 could not have been so successful without our incredible community partners. In the Greater Milwaukee Area, we’re thankful for Bader Philanthropies, Cardinal Capital Management, the Home Depot, Dries Painting, the Racine Community Foundation, the Stackner Family Foundation, Nonprofit Management Fund, Professional Construction Inc, Trawicki Electric, Sid Grinker Restoration, Ben’s Cycles, and many other foundations and businesses. Thank you for supporting our programs and services. A special thank you to Potawatomi Bingo & Casino’s Heart of Canal Street Program for giving DSAW more than $35,000 in December! 

Thank you to the Otto Bremer Trust in La Crosse; the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin in Wausau; the Gordon Flesch Company, Green Bay Packers Foundation, LaForce Employee Giving, and Cornerstone Foundation in Green Bay; and the Lyssa and Andrew Schmidt Charitable Fund in the Fox Cities. We LOVE you all, and are so grateful for your support. Click here for a full list of our partners and sponsors around the state.

I’d also like to thank the individuals and families around the state who make our work possible. Thank you to the DSAW State Board, the Chapter Advisory Boards, all of our top fundraising teams at the walks, and our 800+ statewide volunteers. As a member and volunteer-driven organization, you are the backbone that supports everything we do. Thank you!!

2016 was an amazing year for DSAW, and I’m confident that 2017 will build upon this past success. At the end of 2016, we finalized DSAW’s new 5-Year Strategic Plan, which will guide DSAW through its planned growth and change over the next 5 years. We have reorganized the way we talk about our programs and services, and the way we approach our fraternal support. More than anything, we want to be known as an organization that supports the entire state of Wisconsin. No matter where you live, DSAW is here to help you and your family. No programs or services nearby? Get in touch with us to start a Parent/Grandparent Support Group, Coffee Club, Monthly Playdate, Mom’s Night Out, or other activity near you. Read more about our 5 Year Strategic Plan here.

Looking ahead, I am filled with hope. Individuals with Down syndrome and their families are more prepared than ever before in history to lead rich and rewarding, meaningful lives… but an agency like DSAW must be at the forefront of cutting-edge programming, individually designed to help them excel at school, at home, in the community, and to prepare them for an independent life with housing, supports, and income. Because of your support, Wisconsin is on its way to becoming the best-supported state for individuals with Down syndrome. We have big things ahead of us in 2017. With your support, I know that anything is possible.

Thank you for investing your time, talent, and treasure in DSAW’s future!

Warmly,

Dawn Nuoffer
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

Parent's First Call Program Partnership

DSAW is excited to announce that it will be partnering with Parent to Parent of Wisconsin to implement our statewide Parent's First Call Program. 

Parent to Parent of Wisconsin provides parent support to parents of children with special needs through a one-to-one connection with another parent who has similar experience and who knows firsthand about the feelings and realities that come with having a child with special needs. When Robin, the P2P director, approached DSAW about joining forces for the Parent's First Call Program, we knew this was a perfect fit.

New and expectant parents of children with Down syndrome will contact DSAW for initial support, resources, and to receive their Welcome Basket / Expectant Parent Pack. Parent to Parent will support DSAW's Parent's First Call program by using their statewide infrastructure to help train and match DSAW parent mentors with newly diagnosed families across the state who are looking to connect with someone who has walked in their shoes.

Thank you Parent to Parent of Wisconsin for partnering with us in this life-changing work! As we move forward, we are looking for parents throughout the state who would like to serve as "support parents," providing resources, support, and friendship to new and expectant parents. Stay tuned for a list of upcoming trainings!