ADVANCE: The Ruderman Jewish Disabilities Funding Conference is a gathering of funders from around the Jewish world who are passionate about the field of disabilities. Come together to learn about innovative programs in the field, be inspired, and network with other funders to find opportunities for shared action.
The 2013 program highlights the state of the art of funding practices and issues for all points of the lifecycle of people with disabilities. You’ll hear from program experts, academics, self-advocates, and other funders on the best ways to be inclusive in your funding. The conference will have content both for funders interested to make their own funding more inclusive as well as those experienced in funding disabilities programs.
Featured Speakers
Pascale Bercovitch is a medaling paralympic athlete, speaker, filmmaker and author, who made aliyah after losing her legs at age 17.
Joseph Shapiro is a NPR News Investigations correspondent and the author of the award-winning No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement.
Liz Weintraub is a leading self-advocate for improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. She is the immediate past chair of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council and is the president of Shared Support Maryland.
Rick Guidotti is the founder and director of Positive Exposure, an innovative arts, education and advocacy organization, that utilizes the visual arts to provide new opportunities to see individuals living with cognitive, physical, behavioral, or genetic difference first and foremost as a human being with his/her own challenges.
Eligibility and Registration
The ADVANCE Conference is a conference for funders and grantmaking professionals. The staff of nonprofit organizations and affiliated agencies are not eligible to attend. Grantmakers must make allocations of at least $10,000 per year (does not need to all go to disabilities work) to register. Register now »
Hotel
ADVANCE has a group rate of $265 at the Holiday Inn Soho, near the conference venue. Book online or call 212-966-8898 and use group code JFN. Rooms at the rate are only available May 7 and 8. If you will stay additional days, the online system will not provide the rate; you must call.
Additional Events
May 6, 5:00-7:00 p.m. and May 7, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. JDC Ambassadors programs. A JDC Ambassadors Global Symposium and breakfast includes a special investigation of groundbreaking work changing the lives of people with disabilities in Israel. Featuring Jay Ruderman, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and other major speakers. The breakfast program is open only to Ambassadors members. Register when you sign up for ADVANCE or see detailed information at http://jdc.org/theconnection.
May 7, 8:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Site Visits. Visit three employment-related sites, including a NYC Job Path work placement site, Project Search's hospital-based work placement, and the Hellen Keller National Center, a world renowned center for youth and adults who are deaf-blind.
May 8, 7:30 p.m. East Side Glory, a new production of the award-winning Miracle Project at 92Y. The show was written and will be performed by teens and young adults with autism and special needs, as well as their neurotypical siblings and peers who took part in the Miracle Project at 92Y Sunday inclusion class. With new music and an original script, it tells the tale of a dramatic theater troupe and a group of tough kids who have to find a way to get along. The power of music brings them together in this funny and uplifting show about finding one's place.
Sponsors
