Community Day Event
John Boner Neighborhood Centers

2236 East 10th Street, Indianapolis IN 46201

Saturday, October 1, 2022 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Easterseals Crossroads’ Community Day Event at John Boner Neighborhood Center, presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, is a free, family-friendly event. Activities include an exhibit hall of community partners, book giveaways, child and adult program offerings, child development check-ups, games, food and fun.  Our community partners are gathering to bring resources to John Boner Neighborhood Center for this special day of sharing information about services.

“Attending these Community Events at the Neighborhood Centers sponsored by Easterseals Crossroads has been a wonderful way to connect with families and provide information and resources about Adult & Child Health! As a Vendor attending the event I have gained information from the other vendors to share with my agency and have appreciated building relationships with the team members at the neighborhood centers.”  – Carla Orr, Team Lead, Adult & Child Health

Easterseals Crossroads will be providing free child-development check-ups onsite and sharing information about employment services for individuals and families living with disability, support services for veterans facing homelessness and career opportunities at Easterseals Crossroads.

Highlights

• Free lunch available for the first 150 people
• Food Box distribution provided by Gleaners and Eskenazi Health
• Free financial journey session presented by JPMorgan Chase
• On-site health screenings
• Free child-development check-ups provided by Easterseals Crossroads
• Free books, crafts and giveaways

Community Partners

• Adult and Child Health
• American Red Cross
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Covering Kids and Families
• Easterseals Crossroads Children’s Services
• Easterseals Crossroads Employment Programs
• Easterseals Crossroads Veteran Services
• Family Development Services
• HealthNet
• Indiana Department of Health MCH Mother’s Helpline
• Indiana Diaper Bank
• Indiana WIC Program
• Indianapolis Public Library
• John Boner Neighborhood Center
• JPMorgan Chase
• Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana
• Versiti Blood Center of Indiana

We are looking for a few volunteers who can assist with this event; if you can volunteer, please fill out this form and we will contact you.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and our partner Chase.

Community Day Event
at MLK Center

40 W 40th Street, Indianapolis IN 46208

Saturday, September 17, 2022 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Easterseals Crossroads’ Community Day Event at MLK Center, presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and in partnership with JPMorgan Chase, is a free, family-friendly event. Activities include an exhibit hall of community partners, book giveaways, child and adult program offerings, child development check-ups, games, food and fun.  Our community partners are gathering to bring resources to MLK Center for this special day of sharing information about services.

Easterseals Crossroads will be providing free child-development check-ups onsite and sharing information about employment services for individuals and families living with disability, support services for veterans facing homelessness and career opportunities at Easterseals Crossroads.

Highlights

• Food Box distribution provided by Gleaners and Eskenazi Health
• Free lunch available for the first 150 people
• Free financial journey session presented by JPMorgan Chase
• Free child-development check-ups provided by Easterseals Crossroads
• Free books, crafts and giveaways

Community Partners

• Adult & Child Health
• Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• CICOA
• Covering Kids and Families
• Easterseals Crossroads Children’s Services
• Easterseals Crossroads Pathways and Family Opportunity Programs
• Easterseals Crossroads Veteran Services
• Eskenazi Health
• Family Development Services
• Firefly Indiana Children and Family Alliance
• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
• Indiana Department of Health MCH Mother’s Helpline
• Indianapolis Public Library
• Indy Book Project
• JPMorgan Chase
• MLK Center
• Versiti Blood Center of Indiana

We are looking for a few volunteers who can assist with this event; if you can volunteer, please fill out this form and we will contact you.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and our partner Chase.

iCan Bike is a highly successful program that provides instruction for people with disabilities so that they can learn how to ride a two-wheel bicycle. The program is offered through iCan Shine – a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local organizations around the country to host training opportunities for bike riding and other activities.

Local organizations like Easterseals Crossroads agree to promote the program, engage a venue, find the participants, provide staff to coordinate and run the program and then recruit volunteers to create an environment where each bike rider is empowered to maximize his/her individual abilities.

The iCan Bike program consists of a highly refined and researched protocol and very special equipment. The protocol involves providing initial success and confidence (by way of special equipment – the roller bike). Once a rider is comfortable on a stable roller, there is a very gradual and subtle increase in difficulty by adjusting the size and shape of the roller, which increases the challenge to the rider’s balance teaching them to correct ever larger imbalances. Eventually a transition to a two-wheeled bike is completed when the rider has attained the appropriate level of success.

Staff Highlight – Meet John Kelly

Easterseals Crossroads has been offering this program for well over ten years. Staff member John Kelly has been involved for nine of those years as the director of the program. His unique background has made him especially suited to the needs of the program; not only does he head the home modification program at Easterseals Crossroads, he is a licensed physical therapy assistant. As a cycling enthusiast his entire life, he sees the benefits of cycling as a form of exercise, transportation, freedom and inclusion.

Frequently parents are skeptical or unsure about the prospect of learning how to ride a bike in a single week. Often they have tried to teach their own child to ride for years, which has resulted in frustration and fear of failure. iCan Bike has a proven success rate of approximately 80% of riders who can ride independently by the end of the camp week.

There are so many factors that go into success rates and often success comes in many forms; some riders might be afraid to put a helmet on or go near a bike. Success for that person might include pedaling in a straight line with assistance. Success then continues the next year when that same camper potentially returns and learns to ride independently. Every year, the camp hosts a few return riders who ultimately become independent on a bike.

“This camp works! The program is a lot of hard work and some magic that comes from the combination of many factors coming together to create success – most importantly, the iCan Bike program and huge amounts of dedicated (and physically fit) volunteers,” said John.

The ability to ride a bike for recreation and transportation can provide inclusion with friends, family and community that can in turn improve physical fitness, mental health and overall quality of life. In addition to the ability to ride a bike, the increase in self-esteem and confidence are often dramatic affecting other positive changes in family dynamics, school and friendships. Instead of being left behind, the child with a disability is empowered to be able to participate in a fun outdoor activity with friends and neighbors.

Success of iCan Bike depends largely on the 80+ volunteers needed to offer the program each year. Volunteers must be able to run alongside their riders offering support and encouragement. The program has established relationships with many sports teams from schools located on the south side of Indianapolis near the venue, Perry Park. Coaches have encouraged players to volunteer at iCan Bike since it is a demanding workout as well as a team building activity – all for a great cause.

Staff Highlight – Meet Shae Kelly

John believes that volunteers get as much out of the program as the volunteers do because the bond than naturally forms between a volunteer and rider is so genuine. He has turned the camp into a family affair and has recruited his own three kids Shae, Piper and Brody as volunteers. There is a lot that goes into a week of camp including hard work and learning as well as emotional experiences with success and challenge. John believes these qualities are important for kids – including his own – to learn in order to become adults who are valuable to society, to employers and in interpersonal relationships.

John and his daughter Shae ran the program again this year; they are hands-on camp directors. Neither one can just observe and/or watch the sessions; they truly enjoy participating in the program. Both enjoy physical exercise and being outside. Most importantly, they both understand that demonstrating a high level of active commitment to the volunteers helps to improve engagement and participation. When they can demonstrate necessary skills directly to the volunteers, it guides the high level of enthusiasm needed for the positive outcomes in the program. They are a team; every volunteer is engaged to be part of that team.

“I began as a full-time volunteer in 2016; my sister and I were recruited as soon as we were old enough. Instead of signing up for a specific session, our dad had us attend every session each day and we were paired with riders whenever a session needed extra volunteers. I don’t think my sister or I knew how important this camp would become to our family in the coming years. It has been so fun to work with my dad, brother and sister – we even recruited my mom this year for a few sessions and I got to run alongside a rider with her,” said Shae.

Shae is a junior at Villanova University double majoring in computer science, peace and justice with an ethics minor. The iCan Bike program has guided her interest in social justice and she feels more vocal about disability awareness because of experiences with iCan Bike. “I have seen first-hand the struggles that kids with disabilities overcome in learning to ride. My favorite part of camp is watching the excitement from both riders and parents in accomplishing the goal of riding. There are always happy tears from the parents; I cry as well almost every year,” said Shae.

Volunteer Highlight – Meet Michael Ferron

Michael has volunteered at iCan Bike for the past two years. His initial motivation was to support a fun and educational program. Beyond that, Michael is an agency board member who feels that his commitment to the agency extends beyond governance. Understanding what staff members do is critical to him understanding the importance of the programs upon which our community depends.

“Biking, running and playing outside were huge parts of my childhood and teenage years. Bike riding was mostly a way to get around the neighborhood and spend time with friends. As an adult, biking has primarily been for fitness and to get outdoors more often. After my first day as a volunteer for iCan Bike, I spoke with my mother who told me that I learned to ride a bike at five years of age. I realized bike riding was so prosaic that I could not remember when I could not do it. I now see how privilege and ableism influence our views about seemingly ordinary skills like using a bicycle,” said Michael.

Since the same volunteer works with the same rider each day of the five-day camp, volunteers can observe progress. Michael was so happy and sometimes surprised to watch the riders make so much significant progress with the help and assistance of their volunteers who are often high school students.

“I was very impressed with the young volunteers working with our program participants. I have been involved with people with disabilities in my community since I was 18. This has definitely shaped my passion for advocacy and inclusion for almost 20 years. Hopefully, experiences like iCan Bike will do the same for teens who volunteer with this program each year. Even though I felt physically exhausted after some sessions of iCan Bike because of all the running, I felt great emotionally because of the riders,” said Michael.

“One of my riders left a very strong impression on me. At the end of this rider’s second or third session, her mother was in tears after witnessing how quickly her daughter had progressed. She said that a few years ago, she accepted the fact that her daughter woul

d never ride a bike. But after this training, she truly believes that her daughter can do it. She then went on to say that she would be fine if her daughter had to live with her the rest of her life, but if she could learn to go out into the world and live independently, that would change both of their lives. Admittedly, I choked up hearing that and hugged my own daughter that night thinking about how much I take for granted. Services at Easterseals Crossroads are so vital to the families we serve,” said Michael.

Volunteer Highlight – Meet Sarah Schwomeyer

Sarah was a first-time volunteer at iCan Bike this year. Sarah is also a board member at Easterseals Crossroads and wanted to become involved because she is so dedicated to the mission of learning to ride a bike. She knows that bike riding is a very direct way to help a young person gain confidence and wanted participants to have that opportunity. Since iCan Bike depends so heavily upon volunteers to make it happen, Sarah was concerned that some people wouldn’t be able to participate in the program until more volunteers stepped up.

The model of iCan Bike benefits from the relationships that form with riders and their volunteers. Sarah enjoyed getting to know her rider buddies during their breaks. She found that when she and her rider could relax for just a short time during a break, the bond between them would strengthen. Riders benefit in knowing that their volunteers truly do want them to succeed and have fun during the process of learning to ride.

“The parents of one of my riders proudly told me that his son’s confidence and skills were way ahead of where they had been a year ago. I felt proud after every volunteer session because it was so very rewarding to see how much my riders improved in just the short time we were together each day. I literally saw them gain confidence in themselves right before my eyes! I was so surprised to see participants improve two or three levels – from the training bike to the two-wheel bike to riding independently outside – in just one or two sessions. The program is amazing. And I must also say that I was proud of myself for getting some good cardio,” said Sarah.

iCan Bike offers a bridge leading to confidence and independence for its participants. The confidence that results from something as important as that first bike ride can be life changing. It takes a community to guide the outcome of this program, one that Easterseals Crossroads is proud to offer because the power of independence can create a more inclusive community for our future.

Joe Mattingly is returning for his fifth year as a camp counselor for Camp FUEL. Camp FUEL is a camp opportunity for adolescents with disabilities ages 11-17. What makes the camp unique can vary from day to day as the participants spend much of their camp days in the community exploring the fun of Indianapolis with peers and counselors.

“Camp programs developed and provided by Easterseals Crossroads respond to the needs in our community; this is how the concept of Camp FUEL was created. We realized there was a great interest in camps for this age group in greater Indianapolis. We wanted to meet that need by providing fun and unique experience-based learning opportunities in a setting that would provide enjoyment and engaging opportunities for the campers/participants,”  said Kristyn Greenawald, Manager of Camps, Respite, and School-based Services.

Camp FUEL Explores Community

The campers are the main reason that Joe returns to Camp FUEL each summer; he is always so happy to see returning campers and meet new ones. During the rest of the year, Joe is an aide in a life skills class at Beech Grove High School and has been for the past nine years.

“I love that we get to provide a unique experience for campers in our community from a variety of places such as Agape, the JCC for swimming and Conner Prairie. Every day is a new and different experience; there is no typical day because every day is new and different. Campers tell me that they love making new friends and visiting places that they have never been,” said Joe.

Peers and New Experiences

Every year, we hear from parents about how much their campers love coming back to us each summer to see their camp friends and visit different places in the community. We strive to meet the individual needs of our campers and we definitely make certain that each camp event is accessible and fun for every camper.

Attending a new camp can cause some first-time participants to be a bit nervous. We have learned that typically by the end of the first day, campers have had such a great time with new experiences and their peers that they cannot wait to return the next day. By the time the session of camp ends, most of our parents tell us that their child cannot wait to return next year.  A significantly large percentage of campers are return campers each year until they outgrow the program.

“Years from now, I hope I still remember the smiles on the faces of the campers. This camp experience is honestly one that campers cannot have anywhere else that I know of.  I remember one camper who used a wheelchair to ambulate being nervous about horseback riding. After the first horseback riding session at Agape, this camper had the biggest smile! I hope families and campers remember all the unique experiences that camp offered them. I think we will all remember the fun that we had,” said Joe.

Learn more about camps provided by Easterseals Crossroads.

Tim Blanusa has been an employee at Easterseals Crossroads in its camp and respite programs for over eight years. As a third and fourth grade special education teacher, Tim has years of experience and knowledge working with children; we are so fortunate for all of the creativity and dedication that he brings to our programs!

“Being able to provide camp and respite experiences for this age group is a lot of fun. Some of the kids with whom we work may not necessarily be able to have these types of activities if it wasn’t for Easterseals Crossroads. The camp programs help me recharge after a school year and see kids in a completely different setting,” said Tim.

Camp counselors for CampAbility often return year after year. Many of the staff are educators in our community and they bring a wealth of diversity and knowledge to the program. Our camp families appreciate the team approach in providing a safe, fun, inclusive experience year after year for campers. Our camp staff connect with our families and truly become a huge part of their lives; our staff foster these relationships and connections as a vital part of the camp experience.

“Our goal with our camps is to provide a traditional camp experience for kids who may not be able to get that anywhere else. I love the excitement I see when the kids get to try new things. CampAbility is for children ages 4 – 11; sometimes this camp is the first time a child is away from his/her primary care provider. As staff, we understand that and we work very hard on building trust and developing comfort levels with our families,” said Tim.

CampAbility and Camp FUEL respond to needs in our community right along with our respite programs for children, teens and adults. Each of these programs offer recreational opportunities for children and respite for families. Many of our staff members who support the programs work in one or more of the options, thus creating an opportunity to interact with the same families. Participants can grow from one program to the next in some cases; for instance, when a child ages out of CampAbility, this child might be a good match for Camp FUEL during his/her teen years.

“For a first time camper – say a child who is four and attending CampAbility for the first time – there might be a bit of separation anxiety. Once the child becomes involved with the activities, the mindset changes and the fun kicks in. At the end of a camp day, the child doesn’t want to go home because of all the experiences. I think that our camps set a foundation for the ability to break barriers and stigmas. Each time a camper can do something and then something else and then something else helps break those barriers often associated with a disability. Being a part of a team that provides experiences like this brings so much joy and excitement to our families. There are not many places where this kind of thing happens and it is definitely something I will always take with me and remember,” said Tim.

Learn more about camps and respite programs available through Easterseals Crossroads.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a leading health company dedicated to improving lives and communities and making healthcare simpler. Delivering health beyond healthcare, Anthem is expanding from being a partner in health benefits to a lifetime, trusted health partner. As an industry leader, Anthem has invested the time and resources necessary to fully understand and meet the unique needs of members in Indiana’s managed care programs. Serving Hoosier Healthwise, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) and Hoosier Care Connect members, Anthem Medicaid has been delivering quality care since 2007. Their priority is helping members get the right healthcare at the right time, in the right place.

Anthem works to address health equity by focusing on improving the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships and programs in our communities. Anthem has committed resources and worked with key entities such as nonprofit organizations, universities, professional societies and government agencies to create initiatives that address public health concerns, close gaps, and improve people’s everyday living conditions. Current initiatives include focus on behavioral and mental health, substance abuse, cancer care, vaccinations and multicultural health programs.  Anthem is dedicated to advancing health equity so that all people can receive individualized care that demonstrates cultural humility and improves their health and wellbeing.

Giving Back to our Communities through Partnership

Anthem collaborates with local, state and national leaders to address factors driving racial and health inequities in the healthcare system and society. Anthem is committed to creating sustainable change in communities across the country. As a company with more than 90,000 associates, Anthem fosters an inclusive and equitable workforce and culture. They are dedicating funding to support community partners that will work to help revive and rebuild neighborhoods in Indianapolis and the communities served across the country, with a focus on improving health and reducing disparities, as well as economic development and job creation.  Their associates’ diverse cultural insights, perspectives and experiences are integral in helping to address the needs of the whole person, which extend beyond physical and mental health to societal issues such as food, housing and transportation–while delivering cost savings and improved quality and healthcare outcomes.

Anthem has connected with Easterseals Crossroads since the early days of the telethon starting in 1996 where proceeds helped provide inclusive early education and essential therapy services for local kids and adults with disabilities. Since then, they have partnered through a variety of programs including autism family support, community days and workforce development opportunities. Anthem is proud to work with Easterseals Crossroads to provide the community with solutions to overcome barriers to accessing much needed healthcare support.

“Anthem has continued to invest in initiatives and programs that better serve our members and community partners through innovative solutions. We are grateful to work with Easterseals Crossroads to deliver on our mission of improving lives and communities and most importantly, providing life-changing therapy for some of our most vulnerable Hoosiers that may be struggling to make ends meet,” said Ginny France, Community Outreach, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

 The Future of Partnership

Anthem is very pleased to be working in collaboration with Easterseals Crossroads striving together to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities by addressing public health concerns, closing gaps in care and improving people’s everyday living conditions.

Learn more about our next Community Day event presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Interns from the first Digital Literacy class completed training that was provided through the Comcast NBCUniversal Digital Literacy and Employment Program. This program was designed for young adults with a diagnosed disability who are ages 18-24 and preparing to work in a competitive work environment. At a small ceremony the week of May 16, the program participants received certificates, program portfolios and a $500 stipend for completion of the program.

Melissa Hardesty is a team lead/employment consultant for this new program. She has been doing this work for almost 25 years and has focused on working with young adults transitioning out of high school and into the workforce for the last 15 years.

“For this new program, we identified candidates who have the desire to work, want to learn employment skills and have the ability to take directions and listen to feedback (even though feedback isn’t  always easy). These traits were necessary qualifiers for the program and definitely will contribute to an intern’s chances of obtaining a good job,” said Melissa.

The Comcast NBCUniversal Digital Literacy and Employment Program is for any young adult ages 18-24 with a diagnosed disability who are preparing to work in a competitive work environment. The project focuses on delivering targeted digital literacy curriculum in the classroom combined with an internship that will allow each participant to demonstrate what they are learning in a real work setting.

Meet Interns Alayah and Julia

Alayah and Julia were perfect candidates for this initial program. “Alayah has that strong desire to learn and grow her job skills, and she was looking to discover what kind of work she wanted to do. Julia has such a genuine care for helping people and was interested in exploring what jobs she could do in a hospital,” said Melissa.

Alayah and Julie were excited to learn about technology, money skills and gain experience with computer programs such as PowerPoint where they researched their dream vacation, put together a presentation and presented it to the class. Julia’s dream vacation is going to Disney!

Julia and Alayah both have goals they are working towards for their future. “I’d like to find a job – maybe work at a hotel, hospital or maybe a restaurant. I’m going to save my money and put it in the bank. I’m going to save for buying my own house one day,” Julia stated. “I will be going to IUPUI Site program after Project SEARCH. I’d like to get a job. My goal is to live on my own one day. I want to make my mom proud; I want to help her out. I’d like to treat her to dinner,” Alayah said.

“Our interns have reached outside their comfort zone, learned to self-advocate for their needs and wants, and they have gained increased self-awareness, confidence and independence. More than anything, the increased confidence and independence are noticeable and significant since the beginning of this program,” said Melissa.

Contact us to learn more about employment readiness and training options at Easterseals Crossroads.