Disability Network Southwest Michigan

11/02/2026

Tomorrow is Election Day!

Your voice matters, and everyone deserves the chance to be heard. Voting is one way to help shape the decisions that affect our communities, including the Disability Community.

Heading to the polls? Here are a few accessibility reminders:
♿ Accessible parking, entrances, and voting equipment should be available.
🗣️ You can ask for help from election workers, or you can bring someone to help you.
⏳ Take your time! You can ask for accommodations if you need them.

If you run into an accessibility barrier, report it to an election worker and ask for their assistance.

Find your polling place and other voting information at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/.

ID: White, orange, teal, and yellow text on a dark blue background. Text: Vote, Vote, Vote, Vote.

11/02/2026

We always love an opportunity to collaborate with our friends at United Way of South Central Michigan. Thank you, UWSCM, for offering learning opportunities around disability and advocacy — and for all that you do to make our communities better!

IDs: Community members and United Way of South Central Michigan team members engaged in different volunteering opportunities. Images include volunteers reading to children, volunteers standing by a large birdcage with a red and green bird visible, activities in a school gymnasium, a large shelf of sorted books, and volunteers packing bags for a food drive.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween from your friends at DNSWM! 👻

A little reminder as you welcome trick-or-treaters: Keep pathways clear and consider offering non-food treats so more kids can join the fun!

Wishing everyone a fun and safe Halloween! 🎃

ID: A ghost wearing a purple and orange witch's hat. Text: Happy Halloween from your friends at Disability Network Southwest Michigan.

10/30/2026

This is what accessibility and inclusion look like in real time! 👏

Shoutout to our friends at Disability Network Northern Michigan for the brilliant idea of connecting young people with disabilities to residents of a senior care facility for accessible trick-or-treating!

Trick-or-treaters get to enjoy a physically accessible, sensory-friendly space, while residents get to pass out candy and connect with visitors. What a fun way to bring generations together.

This is a great example of how Disability Networks across Michigan help make communities better for everyone. Bravo, DNNM!

https://loom.ly/A1AiqNs

Disability Network Northern Michigan partners with Grand Traverse Pavilions to help people of all ages enjoy an accessible Halloween celebration.

10/29/2026

: On Thursdays we highlight something or someone we're thankful for.

We love getting out in the community and are thankful for any opportunity to connect with our local veterans!

Our team recently hosted an informational table at Project Connect & Veteran Stand Down in Centreville, sharing information about DNSWM’s services and resources for veterans with disabilities. We’re thankful for opportunities like these to meet new people, answer questions, and help folks connect with resources that might be helpful to them.

Thank you, Max and Hank, for representing DNSWM!

ID: DNSWM staff members Max and Hank, smiling, seated at a table with various DNSWM materials.

10/28/2026

: Every Wednesday, we share good things happening here at DN and in our community.

Great news, Southwest Michigan: Region IV Area Agency on Aging has been selected as a winner in the federal Health at Home Challenge! 🎉

This recognition highlights work focused on helping older adults and people with disabilities live safely and independently at home.

This recognition highlights work focused on helping older adults and people with disabilities live safely and independently at home.

Congrats to Region IV Area Agency on Aging on this exciting recognition! Thank you for the work you do to help older adults and people with disabilities stay in their homes, remain connected to their communities, and live life on their own terms.

🔗 Read the story: https://loom.ly/lfaDj-E

: A woman seated on her couch with a caregiver wearing scrubs, looking at a tablet together. Graphic designating Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. Text: Good news, Southwest Michigan. Congratulations to Region IV Area Agency on Aging!

10/27/2026

: Tuesdays are for sharing tips, facts, and things worth knowing about the .

The spookiest day of the year is almost here! Here are three simple ways to make trick-or-treating a little easier for kids with disabilities (and their grown-ups, too).

1. Clear the way. 👻
Keep sidewalks, driveways, and paths to your door clear. If your entrance has stairs, consider bringing treats down to the sidewalk so trick-or-treaters can get to you.

2. Keep a few non-food treats on hand. 🎃
Not every kid can have candy. Have a few non-food options on hand like stickers, pencils, small toys, or glow sticks so everyone can be included.

3. Be patient with different ways of communicating. 🗣️
Not every kid will say “trick or treat,” make eye contact, or reach into the candy bowl. Some may communicate in other ways, and some may need a little extra time. A smile, a little patience, and letting people communicate in their own way can make a big difference.

No big production required. A few small adjustments can help more kids have a great Halloween!

ID: A dark, spooky scene with spiders, bats, lit pumpkins, and tombstones. Text: 3 easy ways to make Halloween welcoming for trick-or-treaters with disabilities.

10/26/2026

✨ Accommodation Spotlight: Sarah P.!

For National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), DNSWM staff are sharing what kinds of workplace accommodations help us show up as our best selves.

Sarah has a few accommodations that help her do her job, including having a dark office when she needs one, Bluetooth hearing aids, and a different type of mouse that works better for her left hand.

Sometimes, the right tools or a small change can make all the difference.

ID: DNSWM logo. Sarah, a woman with long, curly dark hair, wearing a bright tie-dye top, seated at her desk, using a special mouse for her left hand. A second image is a close-up of her left-handed mouse. A bluetooth graphic represents Sarah's bluetooth hearing aids. Text: Accommodation Spotlight: Sarah Powless, Community Resource Specialist.

10/22/2026

: On Thursdays we highlight something or someone we're thankful for.

During our ongoing celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we're thankful for people in our community who are working to create more employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

In Battle Creek, Felicia Jaramillo opened DelectAble Treats and Sweets, llc with a mission to create jobs for people with disabilities, including young people who can often have a hard time finding a workplace that's the right fit for them.

Her story reminds us that everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute their skills, earn a living, and be part of their community.

Thank you, Felicia, for helping make more employment opportunities possible right here in Southwest Michigan!

🔗 Read more here: https://loom.ly/nTep6to

ID: Felicia Jaramillo, a woman wearing a yellow shirt and black hat, smiles while standing at the counter of her store. Baking equipment is visible around her. Text: Good things are growing in Battle Creek. Celebrating local efforts to expand disability employment.

10/21/2026

The face you make when someone says workplace accommodations are expensive… but most cost little or nothing. 👀

Sometimes, a small change can make a big difference. Accommodations help people with disabilities do their jobs, and they don’t have to break the budget.

🔗 Learn more about simple workplace accommodations: https://askjan.org/toolkit/

ID: Split image of a woman. The left side shows a skeptical expression; the right side shows a pleased or surprised expression. Left side text: Being unsure how to respond to an employee's accommodation request. Right side text: Finding out the vast majority of accommodations are low-cost or free.