November 2023

2023 People First November Training

We are excited to announce that November Training is coming soon. This is a great opportunity for the new officers who will start their roles in January to learn from the current ones and get ready for the upcoming year. After the training, we will have an advisory board meeting where we will discuss important matters for our organization. Some of the topics we will vote on are the conference theme for next year, the revised bylaws, and the keynote speakers for the 2024 conference. We hope you can join us in person or by Zoom.

Click Here for our Website

Click Here to Register for November Training

Fundraiser

People First of West Virginia will be holding two statewide fundraisers for the Holiday Season. During the November 2nd emergency advisory board meeting, the group approved. The chosen products are Rada Knives and Double Good Popcorn, which are both high-quality and popular. We are in the process of creating the campaign with each company and we will share the details soon on our People First Facebook page and via email. You can expect to receive a link for each product, a flyer for the fundraiser, and an information handout explaining the fundraiser. So keep a look out for that information by the end of next week. We are raising the money to help with our 2024 Conference. If you have any questions, please contact Alexis Ullmann at 304-422-3151 Ext 114 or alexis.ullmann@thearcmov.org.

Diabetes Awareness Month

Diabetes is a serious condition that affects your body’s ability to use glucose, the main source of energy for your cells. It can lead to many complications, such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and vision loss. The good news is that you can take steps to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, or manage your blood sugar if you already have diabetes.

One of the most important steps you can take is to get a simple blood test from your healthcare provider. This test can tell you if you have diabetes, or if you are at risk for developing it in the future. If you have prediabetes, which means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes, you can join the National Diabetes Prevention Program. This program will help you make lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier, being more physically active, and losing weight, to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Another key step is to follow a healthy eating plan that suits your needs and preferences. Physical activity is also essential for preventing or managing diabetes. You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.

If you have diabetes, you should also monitor your blood sugar regularly and take any medications prescribed by your healthcare provider. You should also check your feet for any cuts, blisters, or infections, and see your dentist and eye doctor regularly. These steps will help you prevent or treat any problems that may arise from diabetes.

About 1 in 6 people with disabilities (16.2%) in the United States in 2020 had been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 1 in 14 people without disabilities (7.5%). Differences are also observed across various states, races/ethnicities, and age groups. For example, diabetes is more common among people with disabilities who live in Mississippi (about 1 in 5 or 18.8%) compared to those who live in South Dakota (about 1 in 10 or 10.1%).

Click Here for more information on Diabetes and always talk to your doctor

SARTAC Fellowship

A SARTAC Fellowship is a one year self advocacy project. The project should help the fellow grow their own skills as a leader. The project might work on finding new ideas to help solve problems many people have. It must end with a report or products others can use after the project is over. The Fellows will work on their projects about 6 hours each week. SARTAC pays Fellows $5,000 to complete their projects. Six Fellows will be chosen this year.

The deadline to to apply is January 9th, 2024 at 9pm Eastern Standard Time.

Click Here to sign up

Fair Shake Network Survey

The Fair Shake Network is working on their Disability Agenda for the upcoming Legislative session starting January 2024. They would like input on what issues are important to people with disabilities. Please complete the survey by letting us know which top 5 issues mean the most. They need the survey turned in no later than November 30th.

Click Here for the Fair Shake Network Survey