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Family Support

Family Support is a state funded grant that provides financial assistance for families who have a family member with a severe disability.

The Arc of Davidson County administers the Family Support grant for Davidson County. For the fiscal year 2008/2009, Family Support allotted $541,612 for Davidson County.

The Arc serves approximately 375 individuals with severe disabilities in Davidson County. The participants represent all socio-economic backgrounds and types of permanent disability. Currently there are over 1,500 people on the waiting list for Family Support. Yet it is estimated that the people on the waiting list are only a small percentage of the true population of persons with severe disabilities in Davidson County.

The typical assistance Family Support provides for each family member with a severe disability is $1,000 annually in Davidson County. This amount is determined by the Arc of Davidson County local council. The money may be used for anything the family needs to improve their quality of life. Such expenses might include specialized equipment, medical supplies, respite care, or transportation. Additionally, there is some funding for emergency situations for families on the waiting list. By vote of the local council, the emergency funding is earmarked for medical emergencies only.

Most of the participants in Family Support are dependent on Social Security Supplemental Income (SSI) for the bulk of their income, and often the Family Support grant means the difference between being able to buy medicine or put food on the table or having to do without.

FAMILY SUPPORT UPDATE:

On February 1, 2010, we learned that the governor had decided to save the Family Support Program and continue to fund it for the next two years. This is wonderful news, but our work is not done.

We need to make sure that our legislators are educated about Family Support and that they understand the importance of the program. Please continue to talk to them whenever possible and make sure they know how the program helps those who have a family member with a disability.

I want to personally thank all of you who took the time to call, write letters, visit your legislators, or allow yourselves to be interviewed. I think this had a huge impact on saving Family Support for the next two years. It would be wonderful if you could send a thank you to your representative and senator. If you could include a photo of your family member with a disability, that would make an even bigger impact.

Thanks you for all you have done to save this program.

Sincerely,

Mary Hildebrand
Director of Family Support

For more information, please contact Mary Hildebrand: mhildebrand@arcdc.org

Click here for The Arc's Fall 2009 Newsletter
devoted to the Family Support Program:
The Arc News, Fall 2009

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