We were pleased to receive this note from Dark Before the Dawn: “Because of C.A.N.’s (LET’S) generous donations we were able to support a number of Black folks living with disability this year, including the last minute (as in the night before) addition of a disabled child with a g-tube who required extra support and privacy for feedings. It also allowed a participant who used a wheelchair to access the space – she was able to us an all-terrain motorized wheelchair and participate in hikes and outdoor activities – something she mentioned she had never had the opportunity to do since losing her leg and it was a very empowering experience for her. We were also able to access toilet seat risers, shower stools, and have a variety of additional accessible seating in the space, which was always in use at some point or another by a variety of bodies. We were able to support an elder who had an old knee injury flare-up as we had access to a cane on site because the site itself was built for accessibility. We were able to accommodate special room requests for folks who needed to use a CPAP machine for sleeping, and those who needed different bedding options to better suit their body’s needs.
Four neurodivergent children were able to access the space, participate in activities and find community. They both had full access to the sensory room and petting zoo as needed to help self-regulate, this relieved a lot of stress for parents who were feeling anxious about how their children would be received and supported in the space. Lastly, we were able to hire an autistic facilitator to support our mindfulness programming, which everyone benefitted from! So deeply grateful for the work you do in the community. Your reach is felt far and wide and your support truly made this an event in which the whole community could participate in restorative justice together. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you a million times.”