The Independence Times Newsletter

The Independence Times is The IC’s quarterly newsletter and is full of information about our efforts to work with people with disabilities, their families and the community to create independence so that all may thrive. To see the most current issue, please browse the articles below or click on the archive link at the bottom of this page to view past issues.

Winter 2019 Issue

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Art of Accessibility: Finding Empowerment Through Modeling - Looking to find a job here in the Springs, Alphie Omar began visiting The Independence Center’s (The IC) Employment department close to seven years ago. Over that time, he’s worked with Yvonne Bacher and Starr Vahsholtz to develop marketable job skills, update his resume, and to look for employment. After getting a little advice from […]

Phot of Patricia Yeager in front of purple flowers

CEO Corner – The Art of Letting Go! - In August 2017, Tim Gore, our Development Director and Courtney Stone, IL Senior Manager came to me with a hare-brained idea to put on an art show featuring local artists with disabilities, the first Friday of September, which was four weeks away. It was a great idea to pull our artists into the thriving First […]

Helping People with Hearing Loss - Stacy Gibson, IL Specialist with Hard of Hearing Emphasis at The Independence Center was recently honored with the “Service to Mankind Club Award” by Woodman Valley Sertoma for her work connecting people with hearing loss with the help they need, through the Sertoma HEARS program. The HEARS program helps people with hearing loss, who are […]

Finding Your Way Home – Hospital to Home Program - Mandi Strantz, Care Transition Coordinator for The Independence Center, works tirelessly to keep people with disabilities, who have landed in the hospital, from unnecessarily being transitioned to nursing homes. There’s a disturbing trend when people with complex cases are hospitalized, and aren’t recovering quickly enough. They are often transferred to nursing homes, where many patients […]

Photo of Jeremy Chatelain sitting at his kitchen counter that was designed to be low enough for access.

Building a Space Where Anyone Can Live - When Jeremy J. Chatelain moved to Colorado Springs for a new job last year, he knew finding the right house would be difficult. As a person with quadriplegia, Jeremy knew there were several features he had to have in his new home that wouldn’t be easy to find. Zero-step entries, roll-in showers, lower light switches, […]

Photo of Tim Ashley loading into his accessible van.

Local Business Parking Lots Aren’t Accessible - Earlier this year, with help from disability consulting organization ADA Surveys and Plans (ASAP) and sponsorship from the Colorado Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities, The Independence Center conducted a campaign called “Better Access Is Better Business.” The purpose of the campaign was to help businesses identify elements in their parking lots that aren’t in […]