Box W-528, P.O. Box 1500, Fishersville, Virginia 22939
In 1945, decades before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Congress passed Resolution 176 designating the first week of each October as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week". President Harry S. Truman designated the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to carry out this law. In 1962, the word "physically" was removed from the week's name to recognize the employment needs of all persons with disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed its name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month".
The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities which now is known as the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP - named changed in 2001) was given responsibility for leading this nationwide recognition, and contacted agencies in each state with a request that they encourage activities commemorating this designated month. In Virginia, the agency was the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Locally, activities were spearheaded by the Department of Rehabilitative Services Regional Office and the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. Shortly thereafter, the local office of the VEC and the Regional Office of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired began to participate.
Today the Shenandoah Valley Regional Committee for Disability/Employment Awareness (SVRCDEA) is a voluntary group which meets monthly from April to November. Members include representatives from the above agencies, the Disability and Community Service Boards, local businesses and other interested individuals.
SVRCDEA's goal is to increase public awareness of the potential of persons with disabilities in the employment arena. To accomplish this, yearly recognition is given to exemplary employers of persons with disabilities and to employees with disabilities at our annual Awards luncheon. Also, the committee sponsors school contests in the Art, Literary, and Assistive Technology areas each fall. The AT contest is held at the Staunton Colonial Mall each October with a display of devices and the winners of the Art & Literary competition. Awards are presented to winners of art, literary and assistive technology competitions. This event is held at Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center and is sponsored by the WWRC students. SVRCDEA's October activities have included, in addition to the annual Awards event and various competitions, training in the Americans with Disabilities Act, ShenanArts productions on disability, exhibits and presentations in public schools.
The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities which now is known as the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP - named changed in 2001) was given responsibility for leading this nationwide recognition, and contacted agencies in each state with a request that they encourage activities commemorating this designated month. In Virginia, the agency was the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Locally, activities were spearheaded by the Department of Rehabilitative Services Regional Office and the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. Shortly thereafter, the local office of the VEC and the Regional Office of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired began to participate.
Today the Shenandoah Valley Regional Committee for Disability/Employment Awareness (SVRCDEA) is a voluntary group which meets monthly from April to November. Members include representatives from the above agencies, the Disability and Community Service Boards, local businesses and other interested individuals.
SVRCDEA's goal is to increase public awareness of the potential of persons with disabilities in the employment arena. To accomplish this, yearly recognition is given to exemplary employers of persons with disabilities and to employees with disabilities at our annual Awards luncheon. Also, the committee sponsors school contests in the Art, Literary, and Assistive Technology areas each fall. The AT contest is held at the Staunton Colonial Mall each October with a display of devices and the winners of the Art & Literary competition. Awards are presented to winners of art, literary and assistive technology competitions. This event is held at Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center and is sponsored by the WWRC students. SVRCDEA's October activities have included, in addition to the annual Awards event and various competitions, training in the Americans with Disabilities Act, ShenanArts productions on disability, exhibits and presentations in public schools.
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