Marin Ventures

Julie and Doug enjoying a visit to China Camp last week.

Yesterday Marin Ventures hosted a vaccination event for participants and their caregivers. Thank you to Marin County Department of Public Health for making this happen.

It's Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! If you want to get involved in #DDawareness21 on social media, check out the resources by National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities. https://secureservercdn.net//DDAM-Resource-Guide-2021-v3.p

California Disability Services Association is thrilled to welcome John Raffaele, Director of Educational Services at National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals - NADSP to the next FREE Disability Thrive Initiative webinar! John will lead a training on Informed Decision-Making then moderate a panel discussion on how it empowers people with disabilities to THRIVE in a pandemic. The panel will include self-advocate, parent, and support staff speakers from PRAGNYA , Fu...tures Explored , and Ala Costa Centers . JOIN US March 10 at 3:00 pm! REGISTER NOW: http://Webinar.DisabilityThriveInitiative.org #IDDThrive See more

Thank you from Marin Ventures to the Corte Madera Women's Improvement Club for their donation of lap blankets and aprons. These lovely handmade items are greatly appreciated and will be so useful to us.

Our 2020 Highlights!

We'd like to thank our DSPs once again this Direct Support Professional Recognition Week for their creativity and effort providing remote activities for our participants isolating at home. #DSPRW20 #WeAreEssential #CDSA California Disability Services Association #DSPRW2020

September 13-19 is Direct Support Professional Recognition Week and Marin Ventures would like to thank our employees, who make a huge difference in the lives of our participants during regular times. Thanks for all you do, especially adapting to these times offering remote services. #DSPRW20 #weareessential #CDSA California Disability Services Association

What a great way to start Direct Support Professional Recognition Week than by seeing our own coordinator Brittany Brown featured in the CDSA's #DSPRW20 post. Thanks to all our DSPs this and every week! Our employees #CDSA #weareessential California Disability Services Association

Over the last several weeks, Marin Ventures participants have been joining various Zoom and other online activities. One such is the weekly meeting Halleck Creek runs so people can see the horses and staff there. Here are Liz M, James M, Shanali W, Nicole S and Susan S joining over the last couple sessions. It really got Susan in the mood to put her boots on and go riding.

In his latest State Budget proposal, Governor Gavin Newsom slashed more than $500 million in funding for services that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. For two decades, the State of California has chronically underfunded the developmental disability system. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Rate Study conducted by the State identified a funding gap of over $1.4 billion for disability programs. The current public health c...risis only made this problem worse, significantly increasing the cost of safely delivering services to those with developmental disabilities. The impact of the Governor’s proposed additional funding cuts would be catastrophic to the entire developmental disability community. We are counting on all Senators and Assembly Members to reject any budget plan that would harm services to people with developmental disabilities, including the $500 million in proposed cuts by the Governor. We need your help BEFORE JUNE 12 to #SaveDisabilityServices. #WeAreEssential EMAIL, TWEET AND CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS IN ONE CLICK URGING THEM REJECT ANY CUTS TO DISABILITY SERVICES IN THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED STATE BUDGET! Follow the link below to Email, Tweet and Call. https://p2a.co/zEm9VEP

Brittany commutes about 90 minutes a day to work at Marin Ventures. She started her career here in 2011 as an Instructor and now is the Senior Coordinator. During the Shelter-in-Place, Brittany has continued her work with dedication and excellenceno matter the task in front of her. She likes spending time with her brothers and their families, and has a fierce little dog named Poppa. Our program participants need people like Brittany in their lives and Brittany deserves pay equal to the difference her work makes in their lives.

We sure are missing our participants as the shelter in place continues. Here’s Rick, doing art at home!

During these strange times, it is especially nice to look back on our most recent adventure a fascinating amphibian walk with Naturalist Shannon Burke of Marin Parks. We went on this search for amphibians last spring as well, and reprised the event in early March (just in time!) by popular demand. Along the way, Shannon inevitably makes these walks fun and educational at the same time; she pointed out buttercups and bay leaves to smell, and showed us the tree that provid...es us with the material for corks the cork oak. Shannon waded into the water and came up with newt eggs, tadpoles, and frogs’ eggs. She showed us how to look under rocks for the damp places where salamanders hide, and gave us each a close-up look. We even found a horsehair worm in a puddle, and learned how it is carried by a cricket and then waits in a puddle hoping that someday soon another horsehair worm will show up. With the adventure barely over, there was already talk of doing it again next year! In the meantime, it is fun to remember the great time we had and the good things we have to look forward to when we are once again free to explore and learn together. Let’s hope to do it soon, Marin Ventures!

Marin Ventures participant programs are suspended effective March 17, 2020. Due to the rapidly changing nature of this emergency, we will evaluate a return-to-services date over the week of March 16-20. The safety and well-being of our program participants is our primary concern. We will update you with a return date early next week. Our office will be open, and employees will be working. Do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions or concerns.

Last week, a group of charismatic and persuasive self-advocates from Marin Ventures hit our state capitol to meet with California legislators to let them know of the importance of the services they receive. Each advocate and their support staff met with state assemblymembers and senators to tell their own stories and advocate for the supports they depend on and enjoy. The feedback was overwhelming: legislative staff, other event attendees, and the legislators themselves appro...ached us to say what an impact our group had made, and how much they enjoyed hearing from them. Each advocate also expressed feelings of pride and accomplishment, as well as the unanimous opinion that the whole experience was simply a lot of fun! Speaking of fun: one of our advocates just happened to be celebrating a birthday during the trip to Sacramento, and everyone honored him at a special birthday dinner. Happy birthday to James, and congratulations to all of our amazing advocates! We are proud to have such a wonderful group as part of the Marin Ventures community! California Disability Services Association

Marin Ventures participants in California Disability Services Association.

Reception today, 10 am - 2 pm, for works by the artists of Marin Ventures at our new exhibit a the Bank of Marin branch at 1101 4th St., San Rafael. Refreshments and visits by various artists over the course of the day. Please come and see us. The art will be on display for a while if you can’t make it today.

Join us back at the Bank of Marin, 1101 4th St., San Rafael for another daytime reception tomorrow, Friday, February 28. I’ll be there from 10 am - 2 pm and groups of our artists will be appearing over the course of the day. There will be light and healthy refreshments.

The Artists of Marin Ventures are here at the Bank of Marin for the opening reception of their latest exhibition. We’l be here between 1 am - 2 pm today, Friday February 21. 1101 4th St. San Rafael. The art will be up for a while, drop by during business hours any day if you can’t come meet our crew today.