The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia serves people with disabilities in our region through several programs, including these training and resource opportunities spearheaded by our own staff.
Durable Medical Equipment
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ECNV’s database contains and accepts items such as:
—Wheelchairs (manual and electric)
—Knee scooters
—Transport chairs (lightweight wheelchairs that need to be pushed)
—Rollator walkers (with and without —seats)
—Tub seats
—Transfer benches
—Commodes
—Hand-held grabbers
—Canes
—Hospital BedsIf you need one of the above items, or would like your items to be added to ECNV’s donor database, please contact Andrew Shaw by e-mail at andrews@ecnv.org or by phone at 703-719-1380.
If you live outside of these regions, there are other nearby Centers of Independent Living that serve your area.
Local CILS:
Independence Empowerment Center (Prince William and Fauquier Counties): (703) 257-5400
Independence Now (Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties): (301) 587-4162
DC CIL: (202) 388-0033
Independent Living Skills Training
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Independent Living Skills Training is one of the four core services of every Center for Independent Living (CIL). We work with individuals with disabilities to teach basic tasks that lead to independence such as doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, budgeting, resume formatting, and employment readiness.
Travel Training
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Through the multi-day program that is comprehensive and individualized, you will learn a variety of travel skills that will enable you to ride your local transportation independently. The Travel Trainers will work with you to learn transit routes to travel anywhere you want to go.
Travel Training can benefit many people in the community including:
—Individuals with disabilities
—Family members and caregivers
—Schools and colleges
—Employers
—BusinessesDuring Travel Training, you will learn travel skills including, but not limited to:
—Identifying transportation options
—Reading maps and schedules
—Planning the trip
—Buying and using SmarTrip cards
—Identifying the appropriate bus and/or train to ride
—Boarding, riding, and deboarding trains and buses
—Crossing the street
—Maintaining appropriate behavior
—Learning safety skills
—Handling unexpected situations or problems
—Planning for emergenciesThe Travel Trainer will work with you until you are confident and proficient in each travel skill.
COVID-19 Response
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Contact ECNV for help to get your shot today!
People with disabilities are at greater risk of getting very sick or dying from COVID-19. Don’t become a statistic. Get protection from the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot. We are here to help you access the COVID-19 vaccine and booster you need.
Help Us Host a Covid-19 Vaccination Pop-Up
The Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative, powered by USAging, has teamed up with the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) to provide easy access to Covid-19 and flu vaccines. In partnership with Walgreens, we are able to provide these vaccines at pop-up vaccination clinics at no cost through insurance or a federal vaccination program for the uninsured.
This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)) through USAging as part of a financial assistance award to USAging totaling $74,999,835 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official view of, nor an endorsement, by USAging, ACL/ HHS or the U.S. Government
For more information contact us at info@ecnv.org
Peer Mentors
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Consumers of Peer Mentoring services are assigned a Peer Mentor who works one-on-one with them to establish goals to achieve independence and develop strategies to reach those goals. Once the goals are achieved, Peer Mentors help to put supports in place to guarantee continued independence. Peer Mentors also share their knowledge through providing information and referral services in response to inquiries made by the public, one-to-one counseling sessions, independent living skills training, and advocacy, whether on behalf of the consumer as an individual or as part of a group.
Peer Mentors help with any issues or topics related to living independently with a disability. Examples of common issues Peer Mentors help encounter are housing, employment, and returning to the community from a nursing home or other institutional setting. However, since Peer Mentors work with consumers on goals they set together, Peer Mentoring is by no means limited to these topics.
People seeking services may contact info@ecnv.org or (703) 525-ECNV (3268).
Who Are Peer Mentors?
Peer Mentors are people with disabilities who combine knowledge about resources and experience mentoring with their own personal experience living with disabilities.
Whether you know your goals already or work with a Peer Mentor to develop them, Peer Mentors can help you identify the resources available to you and develop problem-solving strategies to work toward your goals. Peer Mentors share mutual feelings and experiences with you, offering unique support since they’ve “been there.”
Ways A Peer Mentor Can Help
A Peer Mentor can help you to identify and use community resources and services that support your quest for a more independent lifestyle. Some issues Peer Mentors can help you with include:
• Finding an accessible living situation or applying for subsidized housing.
• Leaving a nursing home, rehab facility, or other institutional setting and returning to the community.
• Planning modifications to make your home is wheelchair accessible.
• Applying for Social Security benefits, Medicaid, food stamps, or other social services, or appealing denials.
• Searching for employment, including creating or updating resumes, practicing job interview skills, and finding and using resources for job seekers with disabilities.
• Developing a personal budget.
• Gaining the skills to hire and manage personal assistants.
• Finding opportunities to socialize with your peers, or locating accessible recreational facilities and programs in your community.
• Directing consumers to certified Travel Trainers.
• Working with a Peer Mentor, you can find resources and develop skills to solve these and other disability-related issues on your own.
• Peer Mentors also provide support for those adjusting to life with a disability. In addition to helping you achieve concrete goals, Peer Mentors can also work with you on:
• Developing assertiveness and communication skills, allowing you to better advocate for yourself
• Identifying your strengths and discovering your own unique capabilities
• Acknowledging your limitations
• Adapting to new circumstances and expectations that result from a disability; and
• Understanding when societal attitudes and stereotypes about disability affect our self-image.
Is Peer Mentoring for You?
ECNV Peer Mentors serve all people with all disabilities, whether they are newly disabled or were born with their disabilities. We serve people with all types of disabilities. We serve people who live in nursing homes, people who are about to leave rehabilitation facilities, and people who reside in the community.
Regardless of your situation and your specific goals, Peer Mentoring has something to offer you.
Multicultural Families
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ECNV Disability Nonprofit Accelerator InitiativeThe Disability Nonprofit Accelerator Initiative works with grassroots efforts in our community supporting disabled people by offering opportunities for office space, funding, 501(c)(3) support, and trainings. One of our 2021 partners is Multicultural Families.
About Multicultural Families (MF)Our purpose is to ensure that all children will have access to a great education and successful life, through family, school, community and business partnerships including children with disabilities. Our programs are not limited to what happens in school. We believe that the family, schools, communities and businesses must work together, not only with schools to promote student academic success, as well as positive children’s health, wellness, and opportunities. Through information and partnerships families and their children will see how their hopes and dreams can become their future realities.
Programs
MF offers FREE programs by applying multifaceted educational curriculum focused on providing families with the knowledge, tools and inspiration to help their children succeed in school and in life including those receiving special education. The MF will help families of diverse ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds grow as individuals, parents and leaders. The Multicultural Families offer to the parents’ programs that provide the skills, abilities and attitudes necessary to their effectiveness as role models for their children. During the MF program parents are encouraged to become engaged in their children’s education to achieve academic and an independent life success. The MF workshops are conducted in both English and Spanish. Each workshop contains a series of classes, participant discussions, and cultural activities.
Advocacy
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The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc. (ECNV) works to involve participants and other consumers in systems advocacy to make facilities, services, and opportunities available and accessible to all individuals. To achieve these goals, ECNV works in partnership with other disability organizations and community members at the local, state and federal legislative levels. Our goal is not to replicate existing services, but rather to advocate for effective service delivery that places the participant in control of service delivery that meets his or her needs.
Peer Counselors and other staff may assist participants with individual advocacy issues such as accessing benefits, vocational rehabilitation and other services. Participants may be interested in advocacy assistance to obtain or maintain education, training, employment or assistive devices.
For more information, please contact our Director of Advocacy, Doris Ray, at 703-673-4489 or DorisR@ecnv.org.
Disability Laws and Statutes:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)