February is
about Self Advocacy. I cannot think of a better example of the power of Self
Advocacy than the beautiful story of Sara Wolff in Pennsylvania. Sara recently
created a petition on Change.org to ask for congress to pass the ABLE Act. On
February 5th, while on a conference call regarding public policy,
the petition was discussed. At that time, the goal was to get to 7,000
signatures. When I logged on to the petition the following Monday morning, just
5 days later, the number of supporters was over 178,000!!!! Please add your
voice to this important cause. Please sign Sara’s petition. Please show
congress that it is time to pass the ABLE Act. Please show congress that
America cares about people with a disability and believes in their right to
save for their future just like every other American family. Make your voice
heard. Sign the petition today.
Background Information
The ABLE Act currently has 326
co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 62 co-sponsors in the Senate. The ABLE Act, when enacted into law,
will give people with Down syndrome and their families the ability to save for
the future just like every other American family. Currently, barriers to
employment, independent living, and ultimately, economic self-sufficiency, exist
because individuals with Down syndrome and other disabilities must rely on
services like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) proved, however,
to qualify for these services individuals with Down syndrome may not have more
than $2,000 in assets, and earn no more than $674 in a monthly income.
The ABLE Act will eliminate barriers to work and saving by
preventing dollars saved through ABLE accounts from counting against an
individual’s eligibility for any federal benefits program. The legislation also
contains Medicaid fraud protection against abuse and Medicaid pay-back
provision when the beneficiary passes away. The ABLE Act has been endorsed by
over 50 national disability, religious, and nonprofit organizations. By
cosponsoring and passing the ABLE Act, you will give more individuals with a
disability and their families the ability to save for their child’s future just
like every other American family!
Dedicated
to enhancing the lives of individuals with Down syndrome,
Lisa Wells, Executive Director
