Community Advocacy Project

Grassroots advocacy means working with or forming local consumer groups to work on disability issues of concern to them. Regional action teams are formed in your area with the help of the CILCP Community Organizer. Some of the issues that have been previously addressed include curb cuts, restrooms, restaurants, hotels, public buildings, communication, housing, and transportation.

Grassroots Advocacy Programs:

Local Systems Advocacy - means working with or forming local consumer groups to work on disability issues of concern to them. Statewide Action Teams are formed in your own area with assistance from the CILCP's Community Organizer. Some of the issues that have been previously addressed include curb cuts, restrooms, restaurants, hotels, public buildings, communication, housing, and transportation. Taxi Service, Para-Transit and Greyhound are a few issues the Tri-County Accessible Communities Today (ACT) group is working on for systems change.

Statewide Advocacy - Statewide Advocacy is when the statewide disability community determines an issue to be worthy of statewide advocacy efforts. Systems change issues such as Attendant Care that provides people with disabilities services so they can remain in their own homes. Also transportation that provides people with disabilities accessible, affordable transportation. Also see PA Transportation Alliance coalition of organizations and individuals that are working to ensure that accessible, affordable transportation is available for all PA citizens with disabilities.

Local GAP Groups

• Tri-County Accessible Communities Today (ACT): Vini Portzline, Chairperson;  Karen Brown Co-Chairperson
• ACT II - Carlisle: Mary Kennedy, Chairperson; Ken Waters, Co-Chairperson 
• ACT III - Shippensburg: Mary Ann Gordon, Chairperson
• ACT IV - Lewistown: Sara Lauver, Chairperson

For more information on any of these groups contact Janetta Green at 731-1900, extension 13 or e-mail her at organize@cilcp.org. If you would like a group in your local area the CILCP can help get one started.