Contributed photo
Contributed photo
To raise public awareness about and honor employment of individuals with physical and mental disabilities, President Obama recently declared October National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Illinois has scheduled multiple events around this year’s theme: “Inclusion Works.”
The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), its Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), and many affiliated agencies and organizations have set up web links to these events, as well as additional employment opportunities.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, the 10th Annual disABILITY Resource Expo: Reaching Out for Answers will come to the Fluid Event Center at 601 N. Country Fair Drive in Champaign (just off I-72). The event is open to the public, with vendors specializing in products and services serving the disabled population.
Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network (CBLN) will host the 2nd Annual Disability Inclusion Opportunity Summit at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, 300 E. Randolph St., in Chicago.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, a Financial Inclusion Summit: Assuring People with Disabilities Access to Mainstream Financial Services will be presented at Chicago’s Harold Washington Library at 400 S. State Street, Ninth Floor Winter Garden.
From 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, the 3rd Annual Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities & Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services F.A.I.R. is scheduled for the South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive, in Chicago.
Potential participants can register online by clicking the links to each event.