Book Presentation and Signing in Rochester Featuring David Mack-Hardiman and Diana Katovitch

As part of its Dialogues on disABILITY Speaker Series, the Museum of disABILITY History will provide a free presentation with two authors with a Book Presentation and Signing on Wednesday, March 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, at the People Inc. Rochester Administrative Office at 1860 Buffalo Road, Rochester.  David Mack-Hardiman will present the newly released book, “The Colony Chronicles.” He will speak about this rare account of life inside the Craig Colony for Epileptics, a unique health institution in New York State. Additionally, he will discuss the history of Craig Colony and his partnering with photographer Char Szabo-Perricelli, who captured the essence of Craig Colony.  Diana “Dee” Katovitch will present her book, “Beautiful Children: The Story of Elm Hill School and Home for Feebleminded Children and Youth.” The book and discussion are about the Elm Hill School, which was the first school for children with intellectual disabilities in 1848 in Barre, Massachusetts. Katovitch will review her research, the progressive nature of early special education and the importance of disability history.   The presentation is ideal for historians, teachers and educational staff, medical professionals, students, mental health providers, human services agencies and child care providers.  Both books will be available for purchase. Registration encouraged. To RSVP or for more information, email David Mack-Hardiman at dmack@people-inc.org or call 716-629-3626. Established in 1998, the Museum of disABILITY History, a project of People Inc., is the only one of its kind in the United States and is dedicated to advancing the understanding, acceptance and independence of people with disabilities. Located in Buffalo, NY, the Museum’s exhibits, collections, publications, archives and educational programs create awareness and a platform for dialogue and discovery.

Book Signing Save the Date July 21: Meet Book Author and Parent Vickie Rubin 

Join us on Thursday, July 21, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Spruce on Main, 4446 Main Street, Snyder, NY, where Vickie Rubin will sign copies of Raising Jess: A Story of Hope. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., she will read from her book and answer your questions. Spruce on Main has generously agreed to donate a portion of the book sales during the event to benefit the People Inc. Foundation.

Brad Watts Receives IDEA Award

For the fourth year in a row, Buffalo Business First celebrated the people and companies who make inclusivity, diversity and equity pillars of the businesses through the IDEA Award. One of the honorees was People Inc. Associate Vice President, Bradford Watts. Brad is passionate about human rights, social service and making our community a better place for all. He is a relationship builder who champions the People Inc. mission of advocating for people of all abilities to have the supports they need to succeed in an accepting society. People Inc. is proud to have Brad as part of our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, where he has helped transform our agency culture to better reflect our community. 

Bradford Watts Named to Powerful Business Leaders of Color List

Bradford Watts, People Inc. Associate Vice President - Community Relations & DEI, was named one of the top 100 Powerful Business Leaders of Color by Buffalo Business First..

Buffalo Chili Fest at the Statler Benefits People Inc.

Event Includes Awards for Chili, Entertainment and Buffalo Bills Game on Huge Screen Presented by WebArt Designs, the Buffalo Chili Fest will be held on Sunday, October 16, from 1 p.m.-5 p.m., at Statler City, 107 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo . Chili samples will be featured from some of Western New York's finest restaurants. Proceeds from the event benefit People Inc., Western New York's largest human service agency. A variety of chili recipes can be tasted by attendees. Participating restaurants include: Bada Bing Sports Bar and Grill of Buffalo, Brodo of Amherst, Buffalo Chophouse of Buffalo, Darcy McGee's of Buffalo Laughlin's of Buffalo, Soho Burger and Bar of Buffalo, The Riverstone Grill of Grand Island, Bings Restaurant and Catering of Amherst, Irishman Pub and Eatery of Williamsville, The Roaming Buffalo of Buffalo, Potters Field Restaurant and Pub of Buffalo, R&R BBQ Food Truck of Buffalo, Sal's Famous Pizzeria of Tonawanda, Shadow Lounge and Restaurant of Buffalo and Statler City of Buffalo. Sponsors of the event include Solar Liberty and Wegmans. The event will include live music by the band November 11th and Buffalo Bills fans will have the chance to watch the away game on a huge screen. There will be a 50/50 split and raffle and a caricature artist by CReilly Art. The event is family friendly with special guest stars from two new TCT children's television shows Captain Chuckberry and the Super Silly Science Show. There will be an appearance by People Inc.'s Kids on the Block, an internationally acclaimed educational program promoting the awareness and acceptance of individual differences through the use of live puppet theater. Local celebrity judges will determine the first, second and third prize winners; and there will be a special Peoples' Choice award voted on by all the attendees/patrons. All attendees will be given a score card upon entering to select their favorite recipe. Admission is $5.00 per person. Kids age five and under are free. Tickets for chili samples will be sold for $1 each, along with special ticket packages. Event tickets may be purchased at Airport Plaza Jewelers, 4210 Union Road, Cheektowaga, or tickets may be purchased at the door. Walk-ins welcome. For more information, visit  www.buffalochilifest.com or call the People Inc. Foundation at 716.817.7269 or Jim Breidenstein, creative director and owner of WebArt Design, at 716.674.0870. People Inc. is a not-for-profit health and human services agency providing programs and services to more than 10,000 people with special needs, their families, and seniors throughout Western New York. Since 1971, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity.

Buffalo iCan Bike Camp in Need of Riders and Volunteers

Learning to ride a two-wheeled bicycle is an exciting milestone that brings fun experiences and independence. Yet, for many people with disabilities, this opportunity may never happen during their lifetime. iCan Shine is one organization working to defy those odds with their iCan Bike Program. Using adapted bicycle equipment, iCan Bike has developed instructional camps specially focused on the needs of people with disabilities—empowering thousands to ride a bike all on their own!  People Inc. is a proud supporter of iCan Bike. The Buffalo chapter is hosting a camp this summer, from Monday, June 26 through Friday, June 30, at Niagara Frontier Sports (previously BNCC), 425 Meyer Road, West Seneca, NY 14224.  Sessions are 75 minutes each day for people with disabilities, ages eight and up. The cost to attend the five-day camp is $225, or $200 if you register before Monday, May 1, 2023. Session times vary. Check out full requirements and register online .  Volunteers are also needed to encourage riders and keep them safe as they learn to ride. Interested volunteers must be at least 15 years of age, able to walk/jog behind a rider for the duration of a session with short breaks, and available to attend the camp each day during the same time slot from June 26 through June 30. Learn more and apply to become a volunteer . 

Buffalo Natives Featured in Kelly's Hollywood at Museum of disABILITY History Film and Speaker Series

Film Illuminates "It's not who you are when you're born, but who you are when you live" The Museum of disABILITY History Film and Speaker Series will feature a documentary this October with Buffalo roots. The featured film Kelly’s Hollywood will be held on Friday, October 17, with two showings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Dipson Amherst Theatre, 3500 Main Street, Buffalo. The movie is Brian Donovan’s tribute to his sister, Kelly, who was born with Down syndrome. A 1985 graduate of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Brian moved to Hollywood and became a writer, actor, director and producer. The inspirational film is about a brother’s quest to help his sister fulfill her dream of becoming a Hollywood diva. When asked why he created this documentary, Brain explained, “When I picked up the camera 15 years ago, I didn’t have much of an agenda. I was capturing moments in Kelly’s life that inspired me, but when those moments started to affect me more directly, I got more serious.” The purpose of the Film Series event is to provide entertainment, educate, challenge stereotypes and explore issues faced by individuals with disabilities. The event goal mirrors Brian's reasoning for the film. Brian shared, “By documenting my sister, I hope the film illuminates that it’s not who you are when you’re born, but who you are when you live that’s important.” In between the movie showings, a reception with keynote speaker Brian Donovan will be held at 5 p.m. at the Museum of disABILITY History, 3826 Main Street, Buffalo (half mile from theatre). Movie tickets are available in advance online and at the Museum of disABILITY History and also available during the event at the Amherst Dipson Theatre. Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $15 on the day of the event. The reception is free to all film screening patrons. For more information or tickets, go to disabilityfilmfest.org or call 716-629-3626. The 80-minute documentary is rated PG-13. Event proceeds benefit the Museum of disABILITY History, Bornhava and Cantalician Center. Sponsors include: Andruschat Law Firm, Buffalo Healthy Living, The Buffalo News and the New York State Council on the Arts. Brian Donovan has been a professional actor for more than 24 years in film, television and radio. He has worked on-screen with such top actors and actresses such as Jim Belushi, Jim Carrey and Angelina Jolie. He has been the voice of countless animated heroes; currently as Rock Lee from the juggernaut hit, Naruto. Early next year, he can be seen in the indie film, Secrets of an Unborn Child.
In addition, he has been the executive director of the Los Angeles Repertory Theatre since 1994, producing and directing more than 50 inner-city high school workshops and live shows. He is also the creator, writer and producer of the Mighty Me Training Camp, a top ranking children’s self-empowerment program streamed by Discovery Education for more than five years. A past resident of Kenmore, NY, Donovan now lives in Los Angeles, CA with his family.

Buffalo Resident David Garland Promoted to Senior Residential Supervisor at People Inc.

David Garland of Buffalo has been promoted to Senior Residential Supervisor at People Inc. He has taken supervisory studies with Cornell on interpersonal behavior. He began his career in the manufacturing sector as a manager. While searching for new prospects, he heard about People Inc. from another employee who was aware of his potential and directed Garland to apply. Garland interviewed and never looked back. He said, “As many say we do not work in the field for the money. But I can say a smile is worth a million bucks and that in itself is rewarding.” Garland’s new position will involve supervision of all staff, professional development and for the day-to-day operation of the site. Although Garland has only started with People Inc. a little over a year ago as an IRA specialist, he accepted the team leader position after two months of employment and the SRS position just under a year from that. Garland wants people to know that, “I would have to say the best story thus far is having an individual prefer me to spend his Birthday with and have a great dinner out…How many people can say they enjoy their job, can you?” Garland was born and raised in Niagara Falls, but now lives in Buffalo. He said in his spare time, “I enjoy camping mostly.” People Inc. is a not-for-profit health and human services agency providing programs and services to more than 12,000 people with special needs, their families, and seniors throughout Western New York. Since 1971, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity.  

Building a Bridge Through Communication

It’s hard to predict where in the Western New York or Rochester areas you’ll find American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters providing services contracted through People Inc. You may see these industry experts at press conferences, on local tours or awards ceremonies. Or, they may be offering more individual ASL services, such as assisting with medical appointments, court proceedings or trainings. Either way, People Inc. is providing a crucial bridge to communication and independence for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. One very busy ASL interpreter, Karen Gambino, turned her experience of being a child of a Deaf adult into a lasting career that she is passionate about. “Put yourself in the shoes of a person who is Deaf, who is reliant on others to provide information or a service,” Gambino said. “People just want to be understood, maintain their autonomy and be part of the communication process. That is the main point of engaging an interpreter.” ASL is a rich, complex language with its own grammar structure and cultural context. It is surprising to people that it is not equivalent to spoken English and therefore requires interpretation. When using ASL – attitudes, emotions, tone and meaning must be conveyed simultaneously as each person is communicating. Gambino feels her role is to paint a picture using her hands and her facial expressions. She also shared that life experience is an invaluable part of the interpreter’s skill set. In other words, Gambino says she needs to keep up with current events and sometimes learn new technical language, because you can’t interpret what you don’t understand. For instance, when interpreting at a legal closing for a property, she had to expand on the word “deed” – spelling out the word and showing in ASL: “The paper that shows you own the house.” There are several interpreting and translation services offered by People Inc. to make meetings, appointments, trainings and events accessible for Deaf and hard of hearing communities. By providing interpreters in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses, organizations and medical practices can ensure that all people benefit from their services and that reasonable accommodations are provided. Jodie Chibi, an interpreter and Director of Language Services at People Inc., said she believes confidentiality and ethics are at the core of providing interpreter services. The interpreter must always remain respectful and neutral to properly build the pathways of communication. The interpreters offered through People Inc. are evaluated by highly qualified staff and adhere to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct, an industry standard. Gambino and Chibi agreed that the code of professional conduct is deeply ingrained and informs every interaction. Reflecting on her work, Gambino shared that it is fulfilling to know that she is helping not only to provide interpreting services, but to also bring awareness to the hearing community. She has often found herself educating people on what her role is and is not. Along with education, Chibi said that over her career the importance and acceptance of using interpreters has greatly expanded. “It’s all about seeing access being enabled for people, empowering them, and helping to break down barriers."