Please read Part 1 for context. Thank you.
Anita Lewis was also able to assist Marlee in locating a nutritionist. Marlee has started seeing a nutritionist here on the JCC campus through the Minnesota Medical and Rehabilitative Services LLC.
The overall experience has helped Marlee feel part of our Jewish community. The services at the JCC help meet her needs and she is pleased to see them offered in a Jewish environment. “Working out and attending the swimming classes take me to a happy place where I feel I fit in the Jewish community. As a Jewish female with a disability, I felt I needed to connect with others that have a variety of disabilities. That is why I have created the website, Empowering Jews with Disabilities. I needed to fill a void. Jews with disabilities seem to be hidden throughout the Twin Cities. It isn’t easy to meet people, let alone people with disabilities.” For more information visit her website Empowering Jews with Disabilities.
Anita appreciates Marlee’s perspective and feedback on how we can continue to improve our inclusion program and meet the growing needs in our community. This includes the physical aspect as well as the educational, recreational, social and spiritual needs of community members with disabilities. Marlee would prefer to do things for herself and only ask people for help when she needs it, rather than have people assume she always needs assistance.
“To empower ourselves as Jewish people with disabilities is one of the most rewarding and greatest self esteem builders I can think of,” she said.
“There are 27 other adults participating in the Wellness Program,” said Anita, “they all have their own personal stories of what a difference this program has made in their lives in areas of wellness, self-confidence, Jewish identity and community.”
Initial funding for the Wellness Program was provided by the Endowment Funds Advisory Committee for Persons with Developmental Disabilities through the United Jewish Fund and Council of St. Paul and the Minneapolis Jewish Community Foundation. As needed, the Sabes JCC offers membership scholarships to help make the Wellness Program accessible.
All material presented on Second Chance to Live is copyright and cannot be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any way without the express, written consent of Craig J. Phillips, MRC, BA
Invitations to Subscribe to Second Chance to Live
Below is an invitation to subscribe to Second Chance to Live. You may also subscribe using email. The process is very easy to complete. Simply click on Subscribe to Second Chance to Live by email. All you have to do is enter your email address, type in the letters below your email — to prevent spam — and then left click on Complete Subscription Request. By subscribing to Second Chance by Email you will receive notification when I write a new post in your email .
You may also use a feed reader service. By left clicking o the Subscribe in a reader you will be taken to a page that has various feed readers. You may either sign in to the Feed Reader that you use or sign up with one of the Feed Reader that you would like to use. By doing so you will be able to read posts from Second Chance to Live through that Feed Reader.
Leave a Reply