Michael Kraft
The organization that would become Tri-County Independent Living (TCIL) launched in 1978. Their philosophical roots go further back, at least as far as the 1950’s, when Judy Heumann, the spearhead of the national movement, went to Camp Jenne. The camp brought disabled individuals to summer camp, an experience previously largely denied to individuals with disabilities. Ms. Heumann features prominently in a documentary on the camp called “Crip Camp.”
Judy Heumann faced down shocking discrimination herself. As a child, she was denied access to her school because–I’m not making this up–her use of a wheelchair was thought to make her a fire hazard. She was initially denied a teaching license because she was in a wheelchair. She fought this in court and became the first wheelchair user to teach in the state of New York.
Other leading lights of the movement include Ed Roberts, who led the team that created the original Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, and Willow Dean who, having worked at that center came to the North Coast and established the organization here. There are now 28 centers in California and perhaps 200 nationwide. The movement is now taking root in Japan.
In the present, the local nonprofit works one on one with clients of all disabililty types and ages to help them set goals and timelines to become independent in their home and community. Some might move from a nursing home into a private home or community living setting, perhaps two or three people living together. Along the way, TCIL provides counseling and helps their clients find resources such as in home support services. Most of the services are provided at no charge.
I spoke with Jessica Warrick, who has one of the cooler job titles I’ve heard: Systems Change Advocate. Jessica raised children with disabilities and has an identical twin with mental health issues. “I’ve been advocating for them my whole life,” she says. “When I myself became unable to walk without assistance, I was not able to continue in my then position in the school system in a paraprofessional position working with individuals with disabilities. I found advocacy work with Tri-County.”
A success for TCIL would be that the client meets the goals they set, becoming more independent.
The organization serves 500 – 700 clients per year. Many come to the Center for help with social security, or to obtain bus passes. (Many individuals with disabilities are bus users.)
The list of services proves to be lengthy, including housing assistance, independent living training, supportive services for youth, and more. I noticed that TCIL’s website contains an impressive resources page, with content ranging from a list of area support groups to a link to an article called “History of Service Dogs.”
I asked for a specific success story. Jessica mentioned a recent client who struggled to get in and out of their mobile home. TCIL was seeking to provide a ramp from their assistive technology lending library and got lucky enough to find the client a wheelchair elevator. Jessica mentioned that this story ran in the organization’s newsletter. You can sign up to receive the letter here: https://tilinet.org/.
TCIL takes donations in various ways: money, or course, but also wheelchairs and other assistive technology. To donate, visit the website and click on the Donate tab in the upper right.
Volunteers do tabling, work the annual expo, perform office work, install ramps, and make deliveries. Some are young, some are seniors, some are Kiwanis. They come from all age groups. Many are individuals with disabilities themselves. The organization also seeks board members. (Jessica mentioned that both board and staff have substantial representation by individuals with disabilities.) To volunteer, call the front desk at 707-445-8404.
Things have come a long way since Judy Heumann was called a human fire hazard. It remains good work, and the work continues.
Michael Kraft writes the Good Work series, volunteering on behalf of the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN). NorCAN supports connections between people and organizations that work every day to keep our communities healthy and strong by offering professional development, board support, networking connections and more. Learn more at https://norcal-nonprofits.org/. To nominate a deserving nonprofit organization to be profiled, email michael@kraftconsultants.com.
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