Save the date! The first-ever Allentown Disability Resource Fair is almost here!

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, and Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation are hosting the event.

Date and Time: Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 10 am to 2 pm

Where: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, 850 S. 5th Street, Allentown, PA

Download the SPANISH version of the flyer and share it with others.

Download the ENGLISH version of the flyer and share it with others.

Event Highlights:

• PATF information on identifying and accessing funding resources for assistive technology

• PATF financial education resources: Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management and A Family Companion to Cents & Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. Both publications are available digitally and in print, in Spanish and English

• Bilingual presentations on valuable services from Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, Good Shepherd Rehab, and the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living

• Accessibility accommodations including captioning and ASL interpreters

• Free bilingual hearing screenings from Hearing the Call

• Free bilingual vision screenings from Sights for Hope

• Autism advocacy and educational groups including Plan 504 and Corazones Unidos para el Autismo

• Disability organizations and service providers including Disability Rights PA, Transition Consults, All American Home Care, and OneWell Health Care

• Assistive technology vendors including CaptionCall phone captioning

• Representatives from PA Migrant Education Program and Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services will be available to answer questions about their services

You can register for the fair by scanning the QR code in the bottom right corner of the flyer above. The purpose of the registration is to track the count of the lunches needed for the event, and also for people to request accommodations, (i.e. ASL interpreters or special dietary restrictions.)

If you have any questions or require any accommodations, contact Wendy Davis at wdavis@patf.us.

In June, we will release the latest edition of PATF's award-winning Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management. The 8th edition features two new chapters: "Investing for My Future" and "Identity Theft," along with an expanded chapter on decision-making.

First published in 2013, the guide has expanded in size and scope with contributions from educators and content experts across Pennsylvania.

The 8th edition of Cents and Sensibility will be a valuable classroom resource for Pennsylvania educators teaching personal finance to students with disabilities.

(In December 2023, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a state-mandated personal finance requirement for high school graduation for the 2026-2027 school year.) The content is appropriate for Grades 9 through 12 and older adults who want to take control of their financial lives.

"We want to offer individuals with disabilities the tools they need for financial wellness," said Karen Hassett, PATF Director of Financial Education. "Cents and Sensibility is a great starting point."

The latest edition addresses the unique financial needs of students with disabilities; however, every learner will benefit from the information and activities contained in this publication. 

This spring, PATF hosted a webinar about Pennsylvania’s ABLE program which provides individuals with qualifying disabilities a way to save and invest without impacting their benefits. Diana Fishlock of the Pennsylvania Treasury Department provides the details of Pennsylvania’s ABLE program.

Click here for webinar recording, slides, Spanish audio & captions, and transcript

The webinar is the second in a series of PATF Money Talks webinars for 2024.

Earlier this year we presented a webinar to educate people on some do's and don’ts of identity theft. Click to watch the webinar on ID theft.

Mary Kate is the content creator for our Money Talks webinar series. She plans to use her education to help PATF's mission. "With my knowledge, I hope to bring to PATF new and resourceful ideas on how to best market and appeal to our audience," said Mary Kate. Hats off, Mary Kate!

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) helps Pennsylvanians of all ages, all disabilities and health conditions, all income levels, and all communities and cultural backgrounds. We offer information about acquiring assistive technology (AT), funding resources, financial education, and financial loan programs. For more information, call 484-674-0506 or visit www.patf.us.

PATF is a state and federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and is the Commonwealth's designated Alternative Financing Program (AFP) under the federal Assistive Technology Act.