Deaf Awareness Week Celebrated
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As part of National Deaf Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, Jackson’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services took time, Wednesday, to celebrate the people who are making a difference for the hearing impaired. JCIL, The Jackson Center for Independent Living, held its 2nd Annual “Thank You” luncheon. It honors the people in the community who have hired deaf individuals. The employers also allow JCIL to go into their workplaces to help facilitate that employment; which staff members say is a big help. “We want people to know how empowering a job is for someone with or without a disability. A job is what makes a difference in how independent you can be in your choices and your life. What we want people to leave with is understanding that being deaf is not a reason to not employ someone,” JCIL Executive Director Beth James explained. JCIL’s main goal is to help keep people involved in the community by providing services such as peer to peer counseling, advocacy outreach, referral and skills training along with their deaf services. JCIL is staffed with half disabled and half non-disabled.
