The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Bright Feats Directory & Disability Resource Hub!

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Bright Feats Directory & Disability Resource Hub

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
We welcome Rori Becker, Bright Feats Directory, and Phyllis Guthman, Disability Resource Hub Guide.

Topics include:

Pictured:  Julie Ames (SNFH) and Rori Becker (Bright Feats Directory) and
Phyllis Guthman (Disability Resource Hub Guide)

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: The Portico Chorus!

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The Portico Chorus

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!

Today’s show will feature The Portico Chorus.

The Portico Chorus is an all-volunteer music ministry with members of various faiths, ages and cognitive, physical, and musical abilities. While God has given each member different and special gifts and abilities, they all share the same commitment to making god’s love real through the presentation of inspiring interactive musical performances throughout our community.

The Portico Chorus’s Mission:
To make God’s love real to the Tampa Bay special needs adult community through music and social events.

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Gigi’s Playhouse

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Gigi’s Playhouse

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!

This week’s show will feature Gigi’s Playhouse, a network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers. Gigi’s Playhouse is an organization that empowers individuals with Down syndrome and their families by providing no cost programs to those in Hillsborough and surrounding counties.

Their mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome through community campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Gigi’s Playhouse Tampa will make a lifetime commitment to support and empower families from prenatal diagnosis, birth, and through to adulthood by offering no-cost therapeutic, educational and career development programs.

Pictured left to right: Doreen Altieri, Programs Coordinator, Julie Ames, SNFH, Nick Altieri,Team Leader Advocacy & Inspiration Team, Nicki Rawlings, Outreach Team Leader

P.S. Gigi’s Playhouse is going to be a great addition to our community. The Grand Opening Date is to be announced soon!

November 2018
Save the Date
Rappelling Fundraiser – Over the Edge
Scale the side of a Tampa Bay building
& help raise money for Gigi’s Playhouse Tampa!
Stay tuned for more details. 

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Success 4 Kids & Families’ Positive Parent Program

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Success 4 Kids & Families’ Positive Parent Program

Join us for our Mother’s Day Show & We’re Celebrating Three Years On The Air!

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guest is Misty Ross, Intake Supervisor with Success 4 Kids & Families. Misty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has a passion for the parents they serve. We will be discussing their Successful Parent Program which addresses mental health and other needs identified by the families.

Pictured:  Misty Ross and Julie Ames, SNFH. 

Success 4 Kids & Families is a non-profit organization that offers community based services for families in Hillsborough County. They have been offering a helping hand for parents and families when kids begin to experience problems in school, at home or even with the law since 2005. They assign a dedicated case worker who works with both the child and the family. Their case workers have access to dozens of programs to help the child and family at risk.

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: MacDonald Training Center!

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MacDonald Training Center

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!

Our guest is Karenne Levy the President & CEO for the MacDonald Training Center (MTC). An Organization known for “Empowering people with disabilities to lead the lives they choose.”  We will be discussing their Supported Living Services, Employment Services, and Community Services.

MTC is a training center for adults with disabilities.  MTC offers person centered services customized for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, on the autism spectrum and other disabilities including hearing impairments. Services can begin as early as 18 years of age and continue throughout ones lifetime. MTC provides a wide array of products to the community. Current contracts range from light manufacturing, packaging, and assembly to sewing.  

 Pictured:  Karenne Levy and Julie Ames, SNFH     

There are two new programs being offered this July for youth ages 14-21. One program will be for teens and young adults who are deaf and hard of hearing. The other summer program will be part of our new EXCEL (Excellence in Computer Education and Learning) curriculum, and will focus on individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: USF’s Hot Docs Program!

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USF’s Hot Docs Program

Join us this Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm!
Our guests are with the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine.

Dr. Heather Agazzi, Assosiate Professor of Pediatrics and Cristina Ortiz, project coordinator for Helping Our Toddlers, Developing Our Children’s Skills (HOT DOCS) and Docs for Success Programs at the University of South Florida. 

Pictured:  Cristina Ortiz, Dr. Heather Agazzi, andJulie Ames, SNFH   

The HOT DOCS/DOCS for Success Programs offer caregivers a problem-solving approach towards understanding children’s needs and solving everyday behavior problems. 

The Special Needs Family Hour Presents: Agency for Persons with Disabilities & Family Care Council: Medicaid Waiver & Other Programs!

by Posted in Financial, Podcasts & Show Resources Tagged , , ,

Agency for Persons w/ Disabilities & Family Care Council

Medicaid Waiver & Other Programs

Join us Sunday afternoon on the Special Needs Family Hour at 1:00 pm! 

Our guests are Brian Rothey, who is the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Community Liaison, Paula James, the Chairperson for the Suncoast West Family Council.  We are discussing programs and resources available in our community to help those with disabilities reach their full potential.

For information about the Medicaid Waiver, Supported Employment, Supported Living Services, and other programs click here – Frequently Asked Questions.

Looking for APD approved providers? Click here for APD’s Resource Directory.

Pictured: Paula James, Brian Rothey, Julie Ames SNFH

Back by Popular Demand – Broadcasts for the Financial Welfare of your Special Needs Dependent! We are excited to broadcast our new show with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities about the Medicaid Waiver program. This is the final broadcast needed to help you plan for your Financial Welfare and your Child with Special Needs.

  • January 28th Financial Planning for the Special Needs Family with Ric Edelman, Founder and Executive Director of Edelman Financial Services.
  • February 4th Social Security Disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income coverage with Liz Montefu, the President and Founder of Montefu Consulting.
  • February 11th Agency for Persons with Disabilities & Family Care Council: Medicaid Waiver & other programs
  • February 18th Guardianship Part 1 with Jay Hemness, Attorney at Law
  • February 25th Guardianship Part 2 with Jay Hemness, Attorney at Law
  • March 4th Long Term Care, SSI, Trusts, and ABLE Accounts with Emma Hemness, Attorney at Law


Ed Ogiba, Chair of the Healthy Hearing Expo!

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Hearing Loss & All the Latest Technologies and Programs to Improve One’s Hearing

We discuss Hearing Loss and all the latest technologies and programs to improve one’s hearing and the Healthy Hearing Expo.

The Healthy Hearing Expo on February 3rd will give individuals the opportunity to actually try out hearing aids and new technologies. Free hearing screenings will be provided. Bring a copy of a recent hearing assessment and any audiology reports to assist the service providers at the expo in helping you with your hearing needs.

Ed Ogiba is a representative with the Hearing Loss Association of America. He holds the following roles:

  • Board Member of Hearing Loss Association of America for Sarasota-Manatee
  • Chair of Hearing Loss Association of America Tampa Bay Advisory Board
  • Chair of Hearing Tech Expo & Clinic
  • Chair of Healthy Hearing Expo

Pictured left to right: Ed Ogiba and Julie Ames, SNFH

Hearing Loss Association of America

For More Information-  Call 941-706-4312 or email: HLAAHelp@gmail.com

Visit Hearing Loss Association of America on Facebook

Pepin’s Centre for Unique Abilities: Childcare, Auto Detailing, Pool Maintenance, Landscaping, and Custodial Maintenance

by Posted in Education, Podcasts & Show Resources Tagged , , , ,

Pepin Academies Centre for Unique Abilities!

Our guests are representatives for Pepin Academies Centre for Unique Abilities. 
Dr. Jeff Skowronek – President of the Pepin Academies Foundation
Ann Bouchard – Director of the Pepin Academies Centre for Unique Abilities
Michael Laura – Director of Information Technologies at Pepin Academies

Pictured: Dr. Jeff Skowronk, Julie Ames – SNFH, Ann Bouchard and Michael Laura

Learn more about one of our Show Sponsors!
Pepin Academies and their  Transitional Job Training Program!

Pepin Transitional
A comprehensive individualized job training program of vocationally based training in conjunction with life and job readiness classes designed for individuals from age 18 to 22 with identified learning or learning-related disabilities.

Vocational Rehabilitation Program to help employers become more confident hiring individuals with Disabilities

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The Business Center for Diversity & Inclusion!

This week we have representatives from The Business Center for Diversity & Inclusion (BCDI). We will be discussing their new three year Pilot Program to help employers in our community to become more comfortable and confident in hiring and managing individuals with disabilities. The Program covers Hernando, Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough Counties. The focus of this pilot program are individuals with intellectual disabilities and persons with autism.

The Business Center for Diversity & Inclusion (BCDI) was established to help achieve the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (VR) goal of becoming a top resource to the business community. Funded by the Florida Department of Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Business Center intends to partner with and offer employers access to no-fee training presentations, consultations and referrals to better promote, prepare, and support their interest in, or commitment to, becoming more inclusive in their hiring practices.

Pictured: Rina Nathan – BCDI Business Developer, Julie Ames SNFH,
Steven Roberto – BCDI Project Management

TDI‘s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in the workforce by connecting job seekers with disabilities that we have prepared for employment to businesses in the community that have a need for their unique skills, talents and abilities.

Follow TDI on Facebook