Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
When a person comes to us for assistance finding a job, there are many areas where Easterseals Crossroads can help. From career assessment tests to resume writing and interview skills, our job coaches are preparing people every step of the way to meaningful employment.
Certain jobs often require a uniform or dress code that may or may not include items a person already owns. When you do not have a job, purchasing the required clothing may seem near impossible. Thanks to Worth New York, our job coaches now have several women’s clothing options that are on-the-job and interview appropriate.
Worth New York sent three boxes packed with high quality button-down shirts, jackets, dresses and skirts in a variety of sizes to our office. Our employment team has everything hanging up in a closet, available for browsing at any time.
“The Employment Services department of Easterseals Crossroads is so fortunate to have received this generous donation from Worth Collection. Having the opportunity to pick out a brand new outfit of high quality clothing for interviewing or working, not only enhances the physical appearance of our job seekers, it also truly enhances their self-esteem and confidence,” says Marjorie Mansfield, Manager of Employment Services at Easterseals Crossroads.

Today’s post was written by Troy Frisz
What benefits are there for employers to hire persons with disabilities? Several industry surveys show that employees with disabilities have low turnover rates, low absenteeism, and high productivity. Furthermore, employers may receive tax credits and incentives from state and federal governments. When utilized, employees with disabilities have a strong support system that can provide additional training, accommodations, and/or employer advocacy.
The Great Recession hit the disability population harder than other demographics. The recovery has shown little change in the displaced disabled workforce. In order to stay profitable during the recession employers consolidated job descriptions in order to reduce their workforce. In today’s recovery, job opportunities have increased, but those jobs now require the ability to perform several skills in order to successfully complete all assigned tasks. The days of job carving are long gone.
Over the last 10 years eligible candidates have increased for Vocational Rehabilitation services. The increase is related to veterans, an older generation staying in the workforce, and the redefining definition of disabilities. Currently, few programs address older workers and the new challenges that they face. Veteran programs are often determined on a year to year basis thus doing little to address any on-going services. When a disability is redefined, it is seen as the trendy cause of the moment, often pulling funds from existing programs and rarely encouraging any new funding.
Peter at Butler University smiling at cameraDr. Christopher T. King looks at how the existing system can improve under the WIA. Dr. King is the former director of the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources at the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. His study is called “Improving Service for Persons with Disabilities under the Workforce Investment Act and Related Programs: Challenges, Opportunities, and a Way Forward.” This study’s focus is on the difficulties of employment services post recession.
“This paper concludes that employment support programs will benefit substantially from using performance standard adjustments and service incentives. These instruments will lessen unintended disincentives for service providers that the WIA system generates. In addition, data collection is often limited to self-reporting of disabilities, making it difficult to clarify the mix of services that should be provided… Lastly, there should be a concentrated effort to build a collaborative network of partners that involve not only state VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) programs, but other organizations that are tasked with serving individuals with disabilities as well.” (D, King. P 5.)
Tools that are now becoming more readily available are internships and work trials. Internships often provide interns to employers at no cost or commitment. Interns are given a chance to prove their capabilities within a reasonable time frame. Depending on the internship’s funding, interns can be paid a small stipend that will help cover transportation, clothing and food. Work trials are on the job assessments. Often the candidate is followed by their support system to evaluate their capabilities so that an accurate placement can be pursued. At this time these are the most commonly used tools that would be in line with Dr King’s recommendations.
The Connect to Work internship focuses on building job skills and experiences for candidates that have little to no work experience or large gaps in their work history. Through a private grant, Easter Seals Crossroads offers a weekly stipend to their internship candidates at no cost to host companies. Candidates are required to work 15-20 hours weekly for 8 weeks. Host sites are never asked for a commitment of employment at any time during the internship.
Host companies receive the benefit of visible assessing quality applicants. Each candidate goes through a pre-admittance assessment that provides the best qualified intern for each position. Once placed, Easterseals Crossroads provides worksite training for each intern which is designed to meet the host company’s specifications. Throughout the internship the candidate is assigned both a Project Coordinator and an Employment Specialist that follows the candidate’s progression to ensure the best results to both the host company and the intern.
The Connect to Work internship is yet another way that Easterseals Crossroads is leading the way in Vocational Rehabilitation Service.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
Last week, several Easterseals Crossroads staff members attended the Crossroads Guild’s 60th Anniversary Luncheon. Organized in 1955, the goal of the Guild is to help the children of Easterseals Crossroads reach their full potential, and to enrich and make a difference in their lives with compassion and respect for differences in abilities through volunteer service, staff support, promotion of Crossroads’ values and services, the education and socialization of Guild members, and fundraising.
President Linda Knoderer reflects on her the past, present and future of the Crossroads Guild:
“After six decades, Crossroads Guild continues to make a difference in the lives of children. All members have the same ideas and goals in mind when they join the Guild, and that is to support the children’s programs of Easterseals Crossroads by volunteering and fundraising. Of course, with membership comes added benefits, such as developing lasting Guild friendships, and working with dedicated and caring staff members at Crossroads.
2014 Crossroads Guild Check PresentationOur Guild fundraising goals for the upcoming 2015-2016 Guild season will include the same events as always with the possibility of adding a few new ones. To quote the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” pretty much sums up the Guild’s thinking about fundraising. We will continue with our longstanding letter writing campaign, host a Christmas in July craft fair and bake sale at Easterseals Crossroads, and exhibit our crafty wares at the annual Gift and Hobby Show in November. We are also discussing the addition of another artistry venue in October to promote and sell our handmade items. However, as we continue with our ongoing established fundraisers we are always on the lookout for new and innovative money makers. Our fundraisers this past fall were very successful, and we were able to donate $10,000 to the center for Wish List items and $2100 for therapists’ stipends. Fundraising is an important goal, but Guild gals also take pride in volunteering their time to help out when needed at Easter Seals. It’s not unusual to see Guild members lending helping hands at Easter Seals Crossroads sponsored events.
As I complete my tenure as president, I feel extremely blessed and grateful that our supportive group of women continue to make a difference with dedicated commitment to Guild and Easterseals Crossroads. I am only a five year Guild member, so my presidency has been a jump right in learning experience about Guild and Easter Seals Crossroads. It has been a fun, busy, rewarding, and wonderful time, and I am proud to be a Crossroads Guild member and Easterseals Crossroads volunteer!”
Volunteer Support: During their 2014-2015 fiscal year, Crossroads Guild volunteers contributed 4,443 hours of service, an increase of 1,403 hours over last year. Tessa Barnard, Volunteer Coordinator at Easterseals Crossroads, presented certificates to Guild volunteers and thanked everyone for understanding how important volunteers are to the success of our organization.
 
Financial Support: Their fundraising efforts through their Blue Boy Campaign, Christmas in July Event, Gift and Hobby Show, Cash for Kids, and general donations have raised $10,751. Over the last ten years, the Crossroads Guild’s fundraising efforts have totaled $115,700.
The generosity of the Crossroads Guild members and friends allowed them to support the 2014 Annual Family Fun Day, the Autism Family Resource Center Halloween Celebration, the Cookies and More Party for Easter Seals Crossroads staff members, gifts for the Children’s Respite Holiday Party, Autism Awareness Month Seminar Meetings, therapist spending stipends, and the 2015 Easter Seals Crossroads Wish List.
Linda Knoderer, President of the Crossroads Guild, presented President and CEO Patrick Sandy, Vice President Scott Fogo and Manager of Clinical Services Sherry Floyd a check for $10,000. These funds will be used to purchase wish list items for the Children’s Medical Rehabilitation program.
 
EastersSeals Crossroads is thankful for such a longstanding partnership with the Crossroads Guild.

This past April at our Ability Lunch, we recognized the abilities of Josiah, a five-year-old boy who began receiving early intervention services from us at 8 months of age. Josiah was diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome which has created a set of challenges for him and his family, but through the work of speech and occupational therapists at Easterseals Crossroads, he is meeting important developmental milestones. You can watch, listen or read the captions to his incredible story here:

On Saturday, May 23, Josiah was surprised with an incredible day of fun involving The Indianapolis 500 and race car driver Josef Newgarden of CFH Racing. Josiah was nominated for and won a room makeover contest thanks to Century 21, and on that Saturday he and his family left for the day only to return to a remarkable change.
Century 21 Scheetz realtors and staff volunteered to spend the day painting walls, assembling furniture and transforming the room both Josiah and Isaiah, his four-year-old brother, share together. A race car bunk bed was built along with vinyl wall decals of Josef Newgarden and his car.
 
 
 
 
 
While they were quickly turning his room into a new play space, Josiah’s siblings and parents all went to the 500 Festival Parade in downtown Indianapolis where Josiah and his mother rode in the pace car with Josef Newgarden. Once the parade was over, they traveled back to the house where a large group of Century 21 staff and media representatives were present to unveil the room to the family.
Once Josiah and Isaiah saw the large yellow and black balloon arch, they ran inside and went straight for their room. Both boys were overcome with “wow’s” and cries of joy as they began investigating all of the new items in their room. The light fixture in the ceiling was replaced with a race car that lit up, and upon seeing it Josiah said “How’d they get that up there?” Josef Newgarden quickly came in and autographed the race car for him, along with a piece of the car that he crashed last week.
 
 
 
 
 
Shortly after the boys explored the room, the President and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate, Richard Davidson, presented the family with five tickets to attend The Indianapolis 500 in the Century 21 suite. Josiah’s father Bill stepped outside to reflect on the joy that was presented to his family, all because of the support Century 21 gives to the community and to Easterseals. He was very humbled to be receiving such support for his family.
Easterseals Crossroads is proud to partner with Century 21 Scheetz for our annual Bingo Bonanza event and other volunteer opportunities and fundraisers throughout the year. Many thanks go to Mick Scheetz, Valerie and Neil Perry, Rick Davidson, Tracy Hutton, Jill Johnson, Brian Wayman and Ron Green for spending the day in support of Josiah and his family.
For more information, read the article from Will Higgins in The Indianapolis Star and view photos on our Facebook page.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
It is May in Indianapolis, which means thousands of people from all over the world are in town to watch IndyCar drivers race their way around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 200+ MPH. On May 15, staff from Easterseals Crossroads went to the track to experience an achievement of another kind.
 
In June 2014 I had the pleasure of meeting Ben Trockman in Washington, D.C. He and other Easterseals representatives from all over the United States came together to lobby on Capitol Hill for critical funding to support people with disabilities. You can read about our trip and see the photos here.
Ben Trockman was a local Adult Representative for Easterseals Southwest Indiana in 2010. After a motocross accident in 2006 left Ben paralyzed from the neck down, he met with therapists and assistive technology professionals through Easterseals who helped make his home accessible and created ways for him to use a motorized wheelchair with a “sip-and-puff” system.
Since 2006, Ben has graduated from the University of Southern Indiana and is currently employed at Old National Bank in Evansville where he has the mission of helping the company become a leader in disability employment. Ben has become an advocate not just for Easter Seals in Indiana but for all of the affiliates throughout the United States. When he isn’t working at Old National Bank, Ben writes for his personal blog where he keeps people up to date on his advocacy efforts. Accessible airlines and transportation is important to Ben. He and his family have driven 12 hours across the Midwest to met with industry representatives in Washington, D.C. in hopes of helping people understand why accessible transportation is so important.
Last Friday I listened to Ben receive the Ralph Braun Foundation Spirit of Ability Award presented by Sam Schmidt, a former Indy Racing driver who was rendered a quadriplegic after an accident in 2000 at the Walt Disney World Speedway. Sam chose to stay in the racing world by creating Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, which has become the most successful team in the history of the Indy Lights series, and also build the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation.
Sam presented Ben with this award for many reasons. You can listen to the presentation with captions here.

We look forward to seeing all of the progress Ben makes towards employment for people with disabilities in Indiana and accessible airplanes! Many thanks to BraunAbility, the Ralph Braun Foundation and Superior Van and Mobility for creating this opportunity.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft and features Fran Gale, who has spent over 12 years as a board member and advocate for Easterseals Crossroads. During her time with us, Fran has brought numerous corporate partnerships and individuals to us to further extend the reach of who we serve. 
Current Career: Retired as president of Gale Force Software Corporation
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Indiana University – French and Journalism
Hometown: All over the US, England, and Germany – raised in an Air Force family (my father was in the Air Force for 27 years, serving as a fighter pilot in Korea and retiring as a base commander). Accepted a job with Eli Lilly and Company upon graduation from IU and have lived in Indianapolis ever since.
How did you become introduced to Easterseals Crossroads? I worked with an individual who was on the board of Easterseals Crossroads, and he invited me to a breakfast meeting to learn more about the organization (he knew that my grandfather was in administration with the Indiana School for the Blind and that I had volunteered there while I was a college student). I was later invited to consider joining the Board of Directors, and I immediately became involved in supporting the work of the organization. I have served as a volunteer, advisory board member, board member, and executive committee member since joining the organization in 2003. I have recruited other people to serve on the board, and they have all become strong ambassadors of the unbelievable work done by the Easter Seals Crossroads team.
Why do you continue to stay involved?  Once I started meeting children and adults who have benefited so greatly from the services they have received from Easterseals Crossroads, my passion for supporting this work continued to grow. It is hard to wrap your mind around all of the services offered and the people whose abilities are enhanced through receipt of those services – it’s almost overwhelming to witness the difference that Easterseals Crossroads makes in people’s lives. One encounter in particular has stayed with me over the years: I went to the graduation day of the I Can Ride program that teaches children how to ride two-wheeled bikes. As I was leaving, a young mother approached me and asked if I had a child in the program. I told her that I did not but that I was a board member of Easterseals Crossroads and that I wanted to attend the final training and graduation. She burst into tears, gave me a hug, and told me what a huge difference learning to ride a bike was making in the life of her seven-year-old son. He could finally join the neighborhood kids on their bikes, and his self-esteem had risen unbelievably. She wanted me to convey her thanks to others at Easterseals Crossroads. I still get tears in my eyes when I think about this one experience, and there have been many others that continue to renew my commitment.

Today’s post was written by Tessa Barnard
The week of April 12-18, 2015, marked National Volunteer Appreciation Weekas established by an executive order from President Richard Nixon over forty years ago. Every sitting U.S. President since Nixon has made a proclamation recognizing the service of American citizens in their communities. President Barack Obama had this to say regarding the strength and spirit of service in this year’s National Volunteer Week Proclamation:
As a Nation, our greatest resource is our people. We each have the power to strengthen the fabric of our society and make the world a better place. Every day, Americans across the country realize this enormous potential through service to others and by giving back to their communities. During National Volunteer Week, we recognize those who embrace a life of active, energetic, and engaged citizenship, and we reaffirm our belief that all people have something to contribute to the American story.
This spirit of service is deeply embedded in our culture and vital to our national character. It reflects the idea that we are each our brothers’ and our sisters’ keepers, and it is a core part of being an American. Through service, ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact. In times of tragedy, volunteers are a source of comfort and resilience; in places of great need, they offer hope and renew our faith that a brighter day lies ahead; and in small neighborhoods and bustling cities, these dedicated individuals help build ladders of opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds. Volunteers — often with few resources and little recognition — make enormous sacrifices to lift up the people around them as well as those they may never meet. As they do, they give new life to the values that bind us together as Americans and to the promise that those who love their country can change it.
For the second year, Easterseals Crossroads has held a Volunteer Appreciation event at Latitude 360 to thank its volunteers for giving over 10,709 hours of their time in 2014 to children and adults with disabilities, special needs, or challenges. Volunteers from nearly every program were treated to a delicious appetizer buffet, exciting video and redemption games, silly photos, and bowling.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft and features Advisory Board member Heather Halliburton.
Heather joined us in 2014 and since then has helped us build new brand awareness and fundraising relationships with the community through our fall Hallow’s Eve event and the Ability Lunch. In addition to our current events, Heather has also brought us several new event and fundraising opportunities and proves to be invested in our mission of improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities, special needs and challenges.
Current career: Director of Human Resources, Stonegate Mortgage
Education Background: Bachelors – Marketing, Management from IU Kelley School of Business; Masters – Human Resources Development from Villanova University
Hometown: Carmel, IN; Lived in Indianapolis over 20 years
How were you introduced to Easterseals Crossroads?
I first came to know Easterseals Crossroads through United Way’s Leadership Program. We had a meeting at the agency and Patrick Sandy, President and CEO of Easterseals Crossroads, gave a quick introduction to the agency, the services and its mission. I remember being rather awestruck at the diverse offerings and the depth of its reach into the community. It struck a chord with me and I felt compelled to build a relationship where I could contribute in some way to support everything going on here.
What about the United Way Leadership Program was appealing to you? Can you speak to your interest in working with and volunteering for nonprofits in general?
I applied to the United Way Leadership Program because I was interested in getting involved in joining the board of a nonprofit, but I wanted to be better educated about what that meant before I sought a place to serve. The United Way program gave extremely valuable experiences to learn how boards work (the good, the bad and the ugly) as well as exposure to the real issues facing our community. The knowledge gained through that year long program with stay with me forever and make me a much more valuable board member.
Why do you continue to stay involved with Easterseals Crossroads? Is there a personal connection we can share?
I have been so impressed with everyone I have encountered at Easterseals Crossroads. There is such passion and commitment to consumers and their families – it’s a great community. Things like sitting with Brian Norton, Manager of Clinical Services in the Assistive Technology Center, while he walked a consumer through assistive software challenges, to board and development committee meetings, to hearing consumer success stories have been so insightful and rewarding. I continue to stay involved with Easterseals Crossroads and explore ways raise awareness along with fundraising because I think the work the employees are doing is so very critical and beneficial. I just want to do what I can to help people get access to services that can improve quality of life for individuals and their families.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
Indianapolis resident Case Calvert recently announced he will represent the USA as a member of the US National Power Soccer Team in the 2015 Powerchair Football World Cup.
We first met Case in 2012 through a relationship with Community Health Network, our presenting sponsor of the 52nd Annual Ability Lunch with keynote speakers Emma Preuschl and Nick Springer. Case asked to meet Nick and Emma, so we arranged a dinner the night before the event to introduce everyone and discuss our common interests.
Case has been a member of the Indianapolis’ Circle City Rollers, a competitive power soccer team that travels across the Midwest region for power soccer games. He previously represented the United States in 2011 and assisted in winning the team’s second World Cup.
“It is a great honor for me to represent the USA knowing that the hard work and love I put in this sport has paid off. This gives me the opportunity to represent all those people in my life who have truly made me the Power Soccer athlete I am today! As a member of this team I have made a commitment to my fellow athletes, staff, and coaches. Part of my commitment is to participate in weekly drills, multiple training camps around the US, traveling, and personal fundraising,” says Case.
Please join Easter Seals Crossroads in wishing Case good luck with his practices, games and traveling this year! You can learn more about Case on his Facebook or Twitter or by visiting www.powersoccerteamusa.net.