With the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, NCCDD began offering a hybrid approach for people to attend events in person or virtually throughout the state of North Carolina. Boone and Greenville area residents gathered for story sharing events while others attended online. Mini-grants given by NCCDD to organizations from Asheville to Davidson saw a variety of activities including a movie night showing “Peanut Butter Falcon”, a booth at the farmer’s market providing hands-on employment experiences, and training for individuals working with people with disabilities.  

In September 2022, NCCDD’s Meet the Need NC initiative hosted two in-person/online hybrid events entitled “Hear. Share. Act.” The events, hosted by LAND, Family Support Network High Country, Family Support Network Eastern Carolina, and NCCDD, were a story-gathering and advocacy event for North Carolina’s intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) community.

The events allowed people with I/DD, family members, DSPs, and other stakeholders to share the impact of their unmet needs. Additionally, each event included a resource fair that allowed families and individuals to meet local organizations and leaders and to learn what’s available in their communities. The hybrid events were held at two different locations - at Reich College of Education on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone and at Unity Church in Greenville. 

The events welcomed over 150 people and included state policy leaders and legislators. The initiative aims to advocate as well as to formulate for an increase in the number of waiver slots to assist more people with I/DD, as well as formulate other ways the state can address the community’s unmet needs. Currently individuals are on

a waitlist called the Registry of Unmet Need (RUN) which has approximately 15,000 North Carolinians on its roster, and these individuals could have as much as 12 years or more to wait for services.

Through its in-house initiative, NCCDD awarded 13 mini-grants to NC agencies and organizations serving people with I/DD to help with needed services, supports and supplies. The mini-grants ranged from $4,000 to $9,000 and required a minimum of 25% matching funds from the awarded organizations. The grants funded projects from June 1 to September 30, 2022.

The National Inclusion Project

We’ve been having a great time this summer with the administration and staff from the Keith Family YMCA in Charlotte, representing over 15 recreationprograms - from summer camps, to afterschool programs, to preschools, to sports & athletics, to literacy programs, to aquatics, and more. 

Throughout 4 virtual Inclusion Trainings we dived into topics ranging from accommodations planning, adapting activities, positive behavior supports and universal design. The partnership culminated into an all-day in-person workshop with the Youth Development & Programs leadership team to comprehensively analyze their implementation of The Standards for Inclusive Recreation Programs, then action-plan enhancements to system-wide best inclusive practices across all programs serving children with & without disabilities & their families. 

The Favor Foundation

We had a successful booth on July 23 at Mount Holly Farmers Market. We handed out 15 roadmaps, had 6 youth participate in hands-on meaningful employment experience, and one new family join the booth. 

L’Arch North Carolina

On August 25th, L’Arche North Carolina hosted a film showing of Peanut Butter Falcon. The showing was held at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in downtown Raleigh, where Executive Director Laura Lorino welcomed attendees.