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      Newsletter of the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities  

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Our mission

 is to build

 communities of

 support, acceptance,

 and opportunity for

 children, adults,

 and families living  with developmental

 disabilities

    Issue 44                                                                                       January 2008  

                     (Click on title below to go directly to article.) 

            

 

  

1. 19th Annual AADD-Junior League of Atlanta Holiday Dinner Dance

  
 

 

  

 

 

 

An almost standing-room-only crowd celebrated the holidays December 1 at the 19th Annual AADD-Junior League of Atlanta Holiday Dinner Dance.

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More than 575 guests attended with many guests ready to hit the dance floor before dinner! The ever-popular Sammy Rosenberg was back as the featured disk jockey.

Nancy Rizor, Carolyn McClatchey, and Sarah Kennedy, AADD Advisory Board members, hosted a reception for volunteers before the dinner dance.  Among the honored guests were members of The Junior League of Atlanta, which has sponsored and supported the event for several years.

For information about how you or your company could be involved in helping to serve dinner at next year's dinner dance, please contact Carey Sipp at 404-881-9777 ext. 228, or carey@aadd.org

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Carolyn McClatchey, AADD Advisory Board member, delivers dinner to one of the 575 guests attending this year's AADD - Junior League Holiday Dinner Dance.  
                     

    2. Sage Clothing Company, "For the Kid in All of Us" Among

    Contributors that Brighten Holidays!

  
 

Christina Beiber, general manager of Sage Clothing in Buckhead, delivered to AADD dozens of toys donated by Sage customers throughout the holiday shopping season. Each year for the past four years, Sage has offered a discount to customers who donate a toy, and has collected the toys for AADD! A little girl in South Atlanta was thrilled to receive the stuffed animal held by AADD’s long-time receptionist Donna Hall.
    

 
 

Thanks to the donations of toys, clothing, food, and household items made by many of AADD’s friends throughout metro Atlanta, the holiday season was much brighter for many children and families whom AADD serves.  Most of the families served by AADD's Family Support program are financially disadvantaged; oftentimes finances are further impacted by caring for a loved one with a developmental disability.  AADD is grateful to our friends who remember others during the holiday season.  (Mark your calendars now to contact Azalene James at AADD in October, to tell her if you would like to help a family for the 2008 holiday season!  Reach her by email at azalene@aadd.org, or by calling 404-881-9777 ext. 214.)

Sage Clothing was one of a long list of generous contributors who helped make the holidays more cheerful for families in need.  In response to the toy delivery from Sage, Mary Yoder, AADD executive director said, “We appreciate that Sage does this for several reasons.  First, it's always great for our families to be able to receive brand new toys.  The second reason we appreciate this so much is that Sage is a very high-profile store, as both locations are in high-traffic areas.  The fact that Sage sets up a display about AADD during the prime shopping season really helps to get the word out about what AADD does.  We are grateful for the toys and the opportunity to be introduced to shoppers who may not know about us," she added.

Earlier in December AADD was honored – for the second year in a row – to be one of the recipients of toys donated to various groups at a gala event at the Atlanta Market Center, hosted by the organization ”For the Kid in All of Us, Inc.”, with Delta Air Lines as one of the major sponsors.  AADD received a record number of toys for distribution to participants, plus a significant financial contribution and a contribution of gift cards – all to be used to help support children with developmental disabilities and their families. “This party was yet another opportunity for more people in our community to learn about AADD.  We are deeply grateful to ‘For the Kid in All of Us, Inc.’, for this support, which helps throughout the year,” Yoder added.

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 3. Special Thanks from Mary Yoder, AADD Executive Director

  
 


Mary Yoder, AADD executive director, speaking at Legacy, 2007.

A Memorable Holiday Season; Generosity Abounds!
On the surface, our 19th Annual AADD-Junior League of Atlanta Holiday Dinner Dance looks to be an effortless event that happens like clockwork.  Little do most people know, though, that for the 575 guests to enjoy dinner, conversation, and dancing, it takes 100 volunteers working together as an expert team, plus the cooks and catering staff at Peachtree Presbyterian Church.

This incredible event includes as guests people who participate in numerous AADD-related programs throughout the year.  The volunteers who make the event possible came from many different organizations including the Junior League of Atlanta (co-hosts and primary funders for this event); the Happy Club; Hogan Construction Group, LLC; the Perimeter Ballroom Dance Company; the Decatur Ballroom Dance Company; SunTrust Bank; Whitefield Academy, the Centers for Disease Control, Taqueria Del Sol, and the Filipino Student Association of Georgia State University.  Many of these volunteers help out with AADD events throughout the year.

Before this huge event begins, AADD is thrilled to be able to offer the chance for our volunteers to have an early dinner and visit with each other.  This year the volunteer reception was hosted by three of AADD’s Advisory Board Members, Nancy Rizor, Sarah Kennedy, and Carolyn McClatchey.  The generosity of these three women is deeply appreciated as this is an opportunity to thank our volunteers in advance for all the hard work they are about to do in serving our guests.

I am also deeply grateful that so many organizations and individuals gave so generously to make sure that the people AADD helps to support had a wonderful holiday season.  For many of these folks, it would otherwise be a very bleak time.  Instead, gifts came in daily - toys, warm clothing, food, house wares, gift cards, diapers, and more.

Of course we are also grateful for year-end gifts of financial support that help make our work possible all year long.  If you have yet to send in your gift, we welcome it whether you drop it off in person, mail it in, or use our website to make a gift online.

On behalf of AADD’s Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and staff, I would like to extend our best wishes for a happy, healthy, and successful 2008.  I would also like to express our sincere gratitude – on behalf of the people we serve – for the many generous holiday gifts of time, talent, and treasure made in support of families living with developmental disabilities.  We are grateful to all of the companies and individuals who came forward to help us this year, and hope they will continue to support AADD throughout the year and for the 2008 holiday season.

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 4. Partners in Policymaking Grad Wins Prestigious Fellowship  
 

Paulette Marie Acevedo, a graduate of AADD’s Partners in Policymaking program, was recently accepted into The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation's Public Policy Fellowship Program.

"All of us AADD are proud and excited for Paulette for receiving such a prestigious award. We look forward to hearing about all she will do for people with disabilities in Washington, D.C., and wish her the best of luck," said Dave Blanchard, director of Public Policy at AADD.

While still in college, Paulette participated in the Partners in Policymaking program, and was a regular volunteer at AADD.

Partners in Policymaking is a comprehensive educational program providing self-advocates and parents the tools to become better advocates for their families and for all individuals with disabilities in Georgia. The program provides state-of-the-art training from leaders in the field, enabling participants to learn concrete strategies for creating systems change in disability areas.

The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation's Professional Public Policy Fellowship Program seeks outstanding professionals working in the field of inclusive services and support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for an intensive one-year Public Policy Fellowship in Washington, D.C. During this fellowship, participants work with the staff of a congressional committee, or a federal agency, and learn how legislation is initiated, developed, and passed by the Congress. They also learn how federal agencies administer programs and promulgate regulations, and actively participate in public policy development.

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 5. Give A Little Space and Do A Lot of Good  
 

Here’s a way you can start the new year feeling great and help a great cause: If you’re a business owner, you can support our mission while you make it easy for customers, employees, and others to clean out their closets, clear out clutter and help families living with developmental disabilities, by giving us a little space in your parking lot.

Help us take advantage of the New Year’s cleaning binge – place an AADD clothing and household items collection bin at your business.  It takes less than one parking space, but it can make a BIG difference for AADD.  A significant percentage of AADD’s annual budget comes from thrift store funding generated from the sale of items collected in these bins.

For information or to arrange delivery of your box, please pick up the phone now and call or email Carey Sipp at 404-881-9777, ext. 228 or carey@aadd.org today!

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 6. Activities Connection  
 


For information on recreation or education events, click here to visit the “Events” section of our AADD Web site.

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Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities - (AADD)

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