We’re right in the middle of the holiday season, with Thanksgiving behind us and December celebrations ahead of us. Whether it’s a family gathering or a company function, you can make sure holiday celebrations are inclusive of people with disabilities. We gathered some resources from the NIDILRR community and elsewhere to help in planning for holiday celebrations everyone can participate in.

• The ADA National Network offers resources to
  • help in planning accessible events, whether they are in person or virtual; make sure everyone can get to the table and enjoy the meal;train staff in welcoming customers with disabilities during and after the holiday season
  ; and
  • answer questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensuring access to businesses, public spaces, and services in the community.
  • The Temple University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Community Living and Participation of Individuals with Serious Mental Illness has tips and tools for
    • building stronger relationships with family and friends;
    • planning activities together (PDF); and
    • creating welcoming communities and congregations.
  • The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access has information about Visit-ability and making homes welcoming to all abilities.

Elsewhere in the community:

• The Office of Disability Employment Policy shared resources for an inclusive holiday season in their Business Sense newsletter.
• The National Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training (AT3) Center’s Explore AT website can help in finding assistive devices and solutions, whether you’re making your home or office more “visitable” or looking for a gift for an AT user.
• The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center has resources for smooth travel during the holiday season.
• Check with the nearest Center for Independent Living to find out about accessible and inclusive holiday events and resources in your community.

Use the comment space below to share how you and your community are creating inclusive holiday events and gatherings!