Adair County SB40 Parent Resources

The Adair County SB40 Developmental Disability Board will hold its monthly Board meeting on Tuesday, August 20th at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Learning Center followed directly by the annual Adair County DD Link public hearing and meeting at 7:00 p.m.

REMINDER: The Adair County Health Department is holding a Back to School Supply Drive Thru on August 1, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 1001 S. Jamison St., Kirksville, MO, while supplies last. You may call them if you have questions. (660-665-8491 ext. 1)

Meet Joey! Joey graduated from high school in May of 2024. He loves sports and the outdoors. He recently started a new job that he found and applied for on his own. Joey also enjoys volunteering in the community and is working to obtain his driver's license. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Joey! We are very proud of you.

Meet Macie! Macie is actively involved in her community. She often attends school functions, including cheering at sporting events. Last year, she went to prom, escorted by her very special attendants: her father and brother! She is also involved with Special Olympics and can always be found at the Polar Plunge. Macie is well known by many and she loves being engaged in activities and events. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Macie! We are very proud of you.

The Adair County Health Department is holding a Back to School Supply Drive Thru on August 1, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 1001 S. Jamison St., Kirksville, MO.

Adair County SB40 is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 34th Anniversary! On July 26th we celebrate this important civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. Celebrate with us by visiting: https://adaanniversary.org

Meet Thomas! Thomas has been working at High Hope Employment Services for the last 6 years and is very proud of the progress he’s made, loves the team he works with, and the job he does. Thomas enjoys writing his own songs and recently found a couple of AI tools that help with writing lyrics to original songs and one that will create the music and voice to make it into a full-fledged song. Using these tools, he wrote a song about his experience at High Hope that expresses how he feels about his team. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Thomas! We are very proud of you.

Meet Taylor! Taylor began working at SB40 in the Spring and is loving her new job. Taylor had a previous job that ended and she was excited to find a new job doing something she loves. She has also grown a group of friends that she cares about and enjoys seeing at the Community Learning Center each week. Taylor says that she enjoys the independence that having employment gives her to meet her wants and needs. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Taylor. We are so proud of you!

Did you know that the Disability Pride Flag's colors all have meanings? Each color represents a type of, or group of, disabilities. When designed by writer and self-advocate Ann Magill, she wanted to represent the diverse population of people with disabilities. Here is a list of what each color of the flag represents.
Red - Physical Disabilities
Gold - Neurodiversity
White - Invisible Disabilities and Undiagnosed Conditions
Blue - Emotional and Psychiatric Disabilities
Green - Sensory Disabilities, including Deafness, Blindness, and other Sensory Disabilities
Faded Black Background - Mourning and Rage for Victims of Ableist Violence and Abuse

Meet Bernard "Bernie"! Bernie has been living in his own home with the support of assistive technology, limited staff support, and the assistance of his family since moving to Kirksville several years ago. He is very proud of his home and his ability to live independently. Bernie has been an employee of Sodexo at Truman State University for six years and loves his job. He is also a great athlete and very involved in Special Olympics and competes in several events throughout the year. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Bernie! We are very proud of you.

Get your swimsuits, towels, and friends ready for Friday! Only two more days until the SB40 Americans with Disabilities Act 34th Anniversary Swim Party. Join us from 7:00pm-8:00pm for a fun evening with friends and the community. We invite all community members to come celebrate with us. The cost for Friday evening is $5 per swimmer and $3 per non-swimmer.

Meet Brandon! Brandon is a high school student who had the opportunity to work with Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, Inc. through their summer work program that collaborates with Vocational Rehabilitation. Brandon got to work at the Kirksville Community Horse Center for six weeks and says he loved getting to work with the horses. During the six weeks, Brandon grew his employment skills, and by the end of the job, he had greatly improved his knowledge of assigned job tasks and developed a good work ethic, increased many soft skills for employment, and motivation to do a thorough job. Brandon truly excelled when working on grounds care to ensure the horses have a great, and safe, enviornment. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Brandon! We are very proud of you.

Meet Kevin! Kevin has been an employee of SB40 for eight years and has recently begun living independently in his own home for the very first time. His siblings are strong advocates for him and recently took him to see his first conference. Kevin also has many connections and friendships in his community. He is a wonderful storyteller and has a great memory to share the history of his community and the friends he has made over his lifetime. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Kevin! We are very proud of you.

Meet John! John has worked very hard with his support team and family in the past year to have the opportunity to begin receiving the support and services he needs and to live in his own home. He is excited that, because of everyone's hard work to help him achieve his goals, he can now celebrate that he will be moving to his own place. John is also very connected to his community and likes to drop by and visit his friends. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," John! We are very proud of you!

Meet Kurt! Kurt recently celebrated a birthday with a party where several of his old friends and support staff showed up to congratulate him. He has lived in the community in his own home for over 30 years with support from staff. Kurt was one of the people who inspired the development of the Chariton Valley Association in 1982 by his father and other parents who wanted a place in the community where their loved ones could live a fulfilling life of their choice. He has been living his best life and maintains several relationships with those who he cares about. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Kurt! We are very proud of you.

Meet Jaxon! Jaxon is a very creative and imaginative person. He always has a new idea or creation to share. His hybrid animal artwork is THE best! You never know what he is going to come up with next! Jaxon’s extensive knowledge of animal and plant life is truly amazing! It’s hard to have a conversation with Jaxon and not feel genuine happiness afterward. Jaxon has also been successfully employed at Sodexo for seven years. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Jaxon! We are very proud of you.

Meet Madison! Madison moved to Kirksville a year ago and was able to quickly grow a group of friends and is now an employee of Adair County SB40. She is very proud of and loves her job. Madison cares deeply about her new friends and enjoys spending time with them doing fun things such as celebrating birthdays, going to lunch, and bowling. Madison also joined the Kirksville Adult Special Olympics team and participates in several sports where she has earned several medals for events. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Madison! We are very proud of you.

Meet Holly! Holly began living in her own home with the support of assisted technology. She has also begun a new job and is excited to be employed in a job where she is happy and successful. Holly is truly enjoying her ability to live a self-determined and independent life. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Holly! We are very proud of you.

Meet Ronnie! Ronnie is employed at CHS-CVA and works five days a week. He also volunteers at the NE Food Pantry, Salvation Army, and Rehoboth Church and is always willing to help out his neighbors. Ronnie has worked very hard to transition from around-the-clock support staff, with no opportunity for alone time, to living alone with remote monitoring and only eight hours of support from staff each day. He is truly living his best life! Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Ronnie. We are very proud of you.

Meet Max! Max lived in the natural home his entire life and decided he wanted to try living alone with remote support. He began his journey in July 2023 and just passed one year of successfully transitioning into his own home. Max experienced a few minor challenges in the beginning, but with the support of his team, he was able to overcome them successfully. In addition to his in-home success, Max has been employed by the Adair County Ambulance District for nearly 20 years. He also has a contagious personality and is one of the best human beings you can be around! Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Max! We are very proud of you.

Meet Jason! He has recently decided to start organizing a monthly game night within his church community. His first one was a big success and everyone had a great time playing games and socializing. Jason has already scheduled another and he is excited and proud of this accomplishment. The church community has taken to officially dubbing the event “Jason’s Game Night”. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Jason! We are very proud of you.

Meet Sam! He was living in a nursing home that was not well-equipped to take care of him. He arrived in the area with barely any personal belongings and very little clothing. He is now living in an ISL, where in 6 short months, he is now flourishing and showing his bubbly and happy personality. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Sam! We are very proud of you.

Meet Brandi and Michael! They are both blind and shining examples of living life without limitations. Brandi has a B.A. in English from Truman State University and Michael has certifications and advanced knowledge in numerous areas of computer programming and software development as well as testing products for Google. They have been presenters at various conferences, in addition to other groups, on how they use Assistive Technology to help navigate everyday life. Michael and Brandi live independently with minimal staff support. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Michael and Brandi! We are proud of all you have accomplished and the excellent example you've set for others.

Meet Jesse! Jesse recently participated in a First Aid, CPR, and AED class with the American Red Cross to obtain some knowledge and did not have the intention of testing and passing the training. He flew through the training with flying colors and is now Certified by the American Red Cross in Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Jesse! We are proud of you!

Meet Michael! Michael has been volunteering his time at the Northeast Food Pantry for the past six months and loves what he is doing. He has also begun living in his own home without the need for overnight support. In the Spring of 2024, Michael began working at Dairy Queen and really enjoys his job. Additionally, he has worked very hard on becoming healthier and was able to reach the goal he set for himself. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Michael! We are very proud of you!

Meet David! David has lived on his own for over 20 years and has been successfully working 10-15 hours a week at Sodexo for the past four years. This was a very courageous step as he overcame his fear of working and losing his benefits. In addition to this huge forward step in his life, David has gone back to church and is participating in men's group and attending prayer meetings. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," David! We are so proud of you.

Meet Harold! Harold was given an award by CVA-CHS for "Outstanding Personal Growth." He moved into his own home with remote monitoring for some of his day. Harold has been successful and has transitioned with few complications. This is the first time in his life that he has had the independence to have limited support instead of around-the-clock staffing. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life," Harold! We are so proud of you!

Meet Nathan! He is active in the community, participating in the Special Olympics across various sports, and earned a bronze medal in bowling this past March. Nathan has worked independently at Pagliai's for several years without a job coach. Nathan is an active member of his church and also helps his sister with her children. Nathan enjoys watching his nephew play baseball and assists him in becoming a good player and teammate. Congratulations on "Living Your Best Life" Nathan! We are so very proud of you!