Support Independent Films and Easterseals Crossroads

From October 16 – 25, the 24th Annual Heartland Film Festival will give access to more than 100 visiting independent filmmakers from around the world with over 130 movies that do more than just entertain. The Festival will showcase the very best in inspiring independent film from all over the world with screenings at AMC Showplace Traders Point 12, AMC Castleton Square 14 and the Wheeler Arts Community in Fountain Square.
This year you can support independent films and Easterseals Crossroads at the same time by purchasing tickets to any Heartland Film Festival movie by using the code ESCHEART at http://HeartlandFilmFestival.org or at the box office. Easter Seals Crossroads will receive $2.00 back from every ticket sale when that code is applied. 

Not sure which film you would like to see? Here are a few suggestions of films that discuss disability in many different ways:
Right Footed
Born without arms, Jessica Cox never allowed herself to believe that she couldn’t accomplish her dreams. An expert martial artist, college graduate and motivational speaker, Jessica is also the world’s only armless airplane pilot, a mentor and an advocate for people with disabilities. Right Footed chronicles Jessica’s amazing story of overcoming adversity as she becomes a mentor for children with disabilities their families, and a disability rights advocate working in the U.S. and abroad. View the official trailer on YouTube here.
Showtimes:

• Sunday, Oct 18, 4:15 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Tuesday, Oct 20, 2:30 p.m. at AMC Showplace Traders Point 12
• Wednesday, October 21, 12:45 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Saturday, Oct 24, 6:00 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14

Autism in Love
Autism in Love is a feature length documentary that explores how adults with autism find and manage romantic relationships. View the official trailer on YouTube here.
Showtimes:

• Saturday, Oct 17, 10:15 a.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Sunday, Oct 18, 4:45 p.m. at AMC Showplace Traders Point 12
• Monday, Oct 19, 9:00 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Wednesday, Oct 21, 2:15 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14

Marie’s Story
At the turn of the 19th century, a humble artisan and his wife send Marie, their deaf and blind fourteen-year-old daughter, to the Larnay Institute in central France where an order of Catholic nuns manage a school for deaf girls. There, the idealistic Sister Marguerite sees in Marie a unique potential and vows to bring the wild young thing out of the darkness. Based on true events, Marie’s Story recounts the courageous journey of a young nun and the lives she would change forever. View the official trailer on YouTube here. 
Showtimes:

• Sunday, Oct 18, 4:00 p.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Thursday, Oct 22, 11:45 a.m. at AMC Castleton Square 14
• Friday, Oct 23, 5:00 p.m. at AMC Showplace Traders Point 12
• Saturday, Oct 24, 10:15 a.m. at AMC Showplace Traders Point 12

Purchase a ticket to any Heartland Film Festival movie using the code ESCHEART and Easterseals Crossroads will receive $2.00 back. You do not have to attend just these three movies to show your support. For a full schedule of every movie screening and to learn more about the event, visit http://HeartlandFilmFestival.org.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
In 2014, the unemployment rate for individuals with a disability was 12.5%, more than double the 5.9% for those with no disability according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Why is this percentage exceedingly higher for individuals with a disability? According to authors Jenell L.S. Wittmer, an assistant professor of management at the University of Toledo, and Leslie Wilson, president and CEO of Wilson Resources, while employers who hire individuals with disabilities regularly experience less turnover, less absenteeism and higher productivity, front-line staff and hiring managers continue to have uncertainties about hiring workers with disabilities due to preconceived myths.
Check out this list of 5 debunked myths from our Indiana Government about hiring individuals with disabilities and the true facts behind them.
MYTH: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forces employers to hire unqualified individuals with disabilities.
FACT: Applicants who are unqualified for a job cannot claim discrimination under the ADA. Under the ADA, to be protected from discrimination in hiring, an individual with a disability must be qualified, which means he or she must meet all requirements for a job and be able to perform its essential functions with or without reasonable accommodations. No accommodation must be provided if it would result in an undue hardship on the employer. At Easter Seals Crossroads, each of our job applicants develop a thorough job plan, which identifies their needs and goals prior to starting their job search. This allows us to match job candidates with careers using an individualized approach.
MYTH: Accommodating workers with disabilities costs too much.
FACT: Reasonable accommodation is usually far less expensive than many people think and in many cases is similar to the accommodations for employees without disabilities, such as technology and workplace ergonomics. At Easter Seals Crossroads,accommodations for our job candidates are identified as part of their individual job plans so both the employer and the employee know from the beginning what accommodations will be necessary. Our Assistive Technology Clinicians provide on-the-job evaluations and recommendations for necessary equipment and computer software. We work closely with Vocational Rehabilitation, a state-funded agency, which may provide funding for those services.
MYTH: Under the ADA, employers must give people with disabilities special privileges, known as accommodations.
FACT: Reasonable accommodations are intended to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities have rights in employment equal—not superior—to those of individuals without disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is a modification to a job, work environment or the way work is performed that allows an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform the essential functions of the job, and enjoy equal access to benefits available to other individuals in the workplace.
MYTH: It will be difficult to supervise employees with disabilities.
FACT: A Harris poll found that 82% of managers said employees with disabilities were no harder to supervise than employees without disabilities. Employees with disabilities should be held accountable to the same job standards as any other employee. Managers should be confident that their supervisory skills will work equally well with employees with disabilities.
MYTH: Under the ADA, an employer cannot fire an employee who has a disability.
FACT: Employers can fire workers with disabilities under three conditions: The termination is unrelated to the disability; the employee does not meet legitimate requirements for the job, such as performance or production standards, with or without a reasonable accommodation; or because of the employee’s disability, he or she poses a direct threat to health or safety in the workplace.
As you can see, hiring an individual with a disability is no different than hiring an individual without a disability. OurEmployment Services program provides qualified job applicants to the Indianapolis business community in conjunction with evaluations and recommendations for workplace accommodations from our Assistive Technologyprogram. Our ability to offer both of these critical components allows employers to rest assured that they are hiring qualified candidates who have the support they need to get the job done.
For more information about our qualified job seekers, please visit our For Employers page. To learn more about workplace accommodations, please visit our Assistive Technology page.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft
Volunteers are critical to our mission of serving children and adults with disabilities and their families. From events like Hallow’s Eve and The Glo Run to providing mock interviews or providing respite to parents and caregivers, volunteers allow us to advance the reach of our mission far beyond what our staff are capable of doing on our own.
During the July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015, fiscal year, over 700 volunteers gave their time to assist us with our events and services. The total number of volunteer hours racked up to 9,182 – that’s a savings of $205,128 to Easterseals Crossroads.
Lacrosse Team Volunteers
Here’s what our volunteers had to say about their experience:
“I liked developing a relationship with my rider and helping them achieve something important to them.” – iCan Bike volunteer
“I liked getting to meet and interact with so many different kids and watch them grown throughout the week.” – iCan Bike volunteer
“This started as service learning for school and I enjoyed it so much I kept coming back!” – Parents’ Night Out volunteer
“This is truly a wonderful place! I love the experience that Easterseals Crossroads gives to their volunteers.” – Parents’ Night Out volunteer
“The biggest takeaway for me is experiencing the positive energy and the uplifting spirits of the consumers that participate in CHEER. It really is infectious.” – Dean Weseli, Advisory Board Member and CHEER volunteer
A special shout out goes to these community groups for volunteering in large groups:
Epsilon Sigma Alpha
Sertoma of North Downtown Indianapolis
Liberty Mutual
Indy Volunteer Meet-Up Group
Eli Lilly and Company
Rolls-Royce
University of Georgia
Rotary Club of Indianapolis-Metropolitan
University of Dayton
AmeriCorps
Hamilton Southeastern Fishers Boys Lacrosse Team
Whether you are a skills-based volunteer looking to utilize your expertise or you have a few spare hours per week that you would like to fill, we always have a variety of volunteer needs available. Visit our Volunteer Page to learn about upcoming opportunities or to fill out the volunteer application. Contact Tessa Barnard, Volunteer Coordinator, at tbarnard@eastersealscrossroads.org or 317-466-1000 to discuss group volunteer opportunities or for further volunteer related questions.

Today’s post was written by Sam Sanders
Can you believe August is just around the corner and its already time for school supply shopping? For most families, this time of year creeps up way too quickly and we find ourselves unprepared for the school year. Shopping for school supplies is hard enough, but finding the right tools for students with a learning disability can be tricky. Here are seven unique apps that your student can use at school that you can find and use from the comfort of your home.
1. ModMath – ModMath is a free app created by Henry, a student with dyslexia and dysgraphia. This app allows users to type math problems instead of writing them by hand, which proves very helpful for individuals with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD. The app displays virtual graph paper and a calculator. It also provides the option for the user to print out his/her work, or email it to a teacher. For more information, check out their Kickstarter page.
2. Voice Dream Reader– Voice Dream Reader is a text-to-speech app that offers the widest selection of high quality voices of any accessible reader. With this app, users can read virtually anything such as PDF, Word, and text files in Dropbox, Google Drive and more. Voice Dream Reader is also fully accessible with VoiceOver support for the visually impaired. It is highly customizable to fit each individual’s needs. Children with dyslexia, auditory-processing or vision impairments may find this app especially beneficial. This is a great tool to help children learn how to use adaptive technologies to achieve academic and personal goals.
3. Lectio – Lectio is an app created by a mom from Indianapolis for her son after he was diagnosed with dyslexia. Lectio is very user friendly and does not require an internet connection; simply launch the app, take a picture, and press and highlight a word to have it read aloud. There is also a dictionary feature that can easily be accessed by pressing and holding down on a word.
4. Speech Selection – Speech Selection is not an actual app that you can purchase but is instead already built into iOS5; located in the accessibility features in Apple devices. Much like the app Lectio that was mentioned earlier, this feature allows you to select a paragraph and have it read aloud. The text can be read in a variety of languages and also includes a dictionary option. Unfortunately, it does not allow you to take a picture like Lectio and is only available for Apple devices, but if you would rather not have another app or perhaps do not have the storage for it, here is a wonderful option for individuals with dyslexia, visual impairments, or other learning disabilities.
5. Epic Win – Homework and house chores tend to be extremely mundane for most individuals. For individuals with ADHD, the dullness makes it ever harder to focus and complete chores. Epic Win is an app that transforms these tasks into an exciting game! By “destroying” a task you earn points to level up your character. Homework and chores will never be the same.
6. Inspiration Maps – Inspiration Maps is a visual learning tool that allows students to create organized diagrams and outlines. It is recommended by the International Dyslexia Association for literacy instruction. Inspiration Maps is intended for students in fourth grade and up, however, they do have a version for grades K-5.
7. iThoughts – Many individuals with learning disabilities have several thoughts or ideas they would like to execute into a paper, for example, but many struggle with organization. As a result, they may create a tangled web of both related and unrelated ideas. iThoughts is a unique mind mapping tool that helps students organize these thoughts. With this app, individuals are able to organize their information, thoughts and ideas effectively.
Shopping for school supplies can be tricky but we hope that these apps help ease your transition into the new school year. For more information on apps and assistive technology, visit the INDATA Project at www.eastersealstech.com.

Today’s post was written by Sara Croft and features Advisory Board member Dean Weseli.
Dean joined the board in August 2014 after spending many hours volunteering for Easterseals Crossroads in programs like CHEER, a respite program for adults with disabilities. Since then, Dean has helped us build new brand awareness and fundraising relationships with the community through our fall Hallow’s Eve event and he participates in the development committee on overall fundraising opportunities for the agency.
Current career: Director of Wealth Management, The Windsor Group, Ltd.
Education Background: Bachelors –Finance from University of Dayton; Masters – MBA with concentration in Finance from University of Cincinnati
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN. I have called Indy home for over 25 years.
How were you introduced to Easterseals Crossroads?
I first was introduced to Easterseals as a guest at the Annual Business Lunch. I was very impressed with the organization and the depth of services. It was good timing as I was looking for a way to get more involved in the community.
What have you learned from volunteering in CHEER?
First, I really liked the idea of CHEER, which is a fun night for the adult consumers while their families get a night to relax. I have learned so much volunteering at CHEER and truly have enjoyed the experience. The biggest takeaway for me is experiencing the positive energy and the uplifting spirits of the consumers that participate in CHEER. It really is infectious. I also find it to be very humbling experience to say the least.
Why do you continue to stay involved?
It’s funny, it seems as soon as I think I know most of the services that are offered through Easterseals Crossroads, I learn of another outstanding service provided. For example, the board recently took a tour of the Assistive Technology Center headed up by Wade Wingler and his team. That was very impressive. Obviously technology moves quickly and the fact that Easterseals is leading a statewide initiative is something to very proud of. I mention that because the services provided and all the people I have gotten to know through Easter Seals are at the core of why I stay involved. I hope to continue to be an advocate of the organization for many years to come.

Today’s post was written by Sam Sanders
Finding the confidence to sign up for a 5K, half marathon, or full marathon is one thing a lot of people are still looking for, but this confidence is just one of the many beautiful characteristics Pamela possesses. Pamela has participated in all kinds of races such as the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, and many others. This year Pamela has decided to compete in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon 5K. Pamela’s story would be much different without these opportunities to walk, but now she cannot wait to participate in another race with the help of Easterseals Crossroads. Pamela has been receiving services from Easterseals Crossroads for two years and is an avid participant in the Adult Day Services.
The inspiration for Pamela came from her parents who had both passed away from kidney disease. “I saw them go way down with it so I told myself I would take good care of myself and take long walks and exercise and diet and so on. I was 400 pounds and lost a significant amount by diet and exercise,” she explained. Pamela began training three years ago, first with a friend and then on her own for the last two years. Pamela enjoys walking alone, but doesn’t mind the company when a friend wants to join. Her favorite places to walk with a friend are on the trails at both IUPUI and Butler University. She enjoys the long walks and loves the scenery, especially the fountains at Butler.
A normal day for Pamela begins with a trip to the gym to lift weights, walk on the treadmill, and bike – sometimes at 9:00 a.m. She continues the day at Easterseals Crossroads where Pamela says they “have fun and enjoy life!” Pamela explains that she is able to participate in a variety of activities, “We go out into the garden and plant flowers and tomatoes and herbs. We go out and play basketball and take walks around the block.” Her favorite of these activities is walking with the other clients in the Adult Day program. It sounds like the training never stops for Pamela!
There is nothing holding Pamela back as she looks forward to the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon 5K. She says, “I love walking for Easterseals Crossroads. You see, my sister was scared the last time when I did a race by myself, but now she’s cool with it. Now I can go on and just have fun. She waits for me when the race ends and I hold up my medal!” Pamela loves power walking and plans to do it for this race. She explained, “I’m training now to walk around so I’m not so tired.” Her goal is to walk the entire race without stopping.
Pamela has some words of encouragement for anyone who is a competitor or is thinking about racing, “Don’t give up. Keep going because it took me five years to walk. I was around 400 pounds and I lost a significant amount by diet and exercise.” Pamela brings a smile to everyone’s face at Easterseals Crossroads. She is always a pleasure to be around and makes it a priority to never let anything get in the way of her walking.

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.