The roots of Inclusion Center

 

Inclusion Center began in 2012 with parents of adult children getting together to form a program that would be inclusive of people with any disability or health issue, age or financial situation.

Too often, we had all experienced times when our adult children were not welcome at a particular program or event because their diagnosis did not meet that program's criteria. We wanted a single program for everyone interested in attending. 

Inclusion Center opened with a roar in 2013. Thirty participants showed up that first day and we were on our way!

Priorities for IC were to be inclusive, free, and run by and for participants. 

At that point, participants were interested in dance, art, games, and connecting, so that is what we did.

Over time, interests within the group changed. We began creating videos of dance, humor and seriousness (check out our videos on YouTube). Our videos began being picked up by our local television network and were shown as PSAs. And one video on wheelchair accessibility in small town America received an Alliance Community Media award. 

New people with different interests and skills arrived and so we adjusted accordingly. Some people became interested in advocacy and activism. We met with town officials, joined the local town's ADA committee, and helped create change in any number of ways. 

A professional artist (who has a disability) joined our ranks. We then put our artistic talents together with activism and created a traveling exhibit of papier mache 'disabled animals' - each with their own printed story about their disability. At this time we also painted a large mural for a wheelchair entrance to a theater in a local historic hotel.

Once the pandemic hit we transitioned to meeting on-line. At that point most participants with developmental disabilities were uninterested or unable to join us on-line. However, we were surprised to find a new group of people who were rarely able to leave their homes due to their health issues or disabilities. IC being on-line was perfect for them. 

We began our on-line programs with Improv, Conversation Cafe, Political discussion and Games. In the fall of 2021 we signed up on MeetUp as a way to reach farther. We added a number of new sessions including a Sleep discussion group, Living with disabilities support group, Vegan discussion, and 'People with disabilities and our animals' as another session. 

Inclusion Center continues to be free, open to all and to be run by us for us. We are always happy when people join us. Whether it be for fun, connection, education, stimulation, and/or, if they want, to lead sessions, help with organizing, the running of our website, blog or to join our board. The more the better!

Please check out and sign up to our MeetUp page (meetup.com/inclusion-center/) for updated information on sessions being offered. 

We thank you for your interest in our program and look forward to meeting more of your people at IC!