INCLUSION, ACCESS AND EMPOWERMENT
In 2015, Bradley Grisham collapsed while walking across his living room. At only 44 years old, he’d had a massive stroke that nearly ended his life. He was left disabled, in need of a wheelchair and struggling with language. There was no way for him to continue his career as a welder. “It’s been a struggle,” Grisham says. “It takes a long time and a lot of hard work to recover.”
Grisham learned about Independence First, a resource center in Milwaukee for people with disabilities. It offers over 40 programs and workshops for people of all ages, including a computer skills workshop. He had never used a laptop before, but he knew that those skills would be useful for office jobs. “It was amazing,” he says. “I got extra help from the teachers when I needed it.”
After going through the classes, Grisham began applying for jobs. And when his power wheelchair broke down, the team at Independence First surprised him with a brand new one. In July, he returned to Independence First as a volunteer and became a certified peer counselor.
“We believe that people with disabilities can live independently in the community with the right support,” says Marci Boucher, Independence First’s president and CEO.
Independence First’s programming ranges well beyond the computer skills workshop Grisham took: There are recreation and social opportunities like group hikes, programs for paralyzed survivors of gunshots, peer support programs that provide people with disabilities with mentors, and an equipment exchange that provides tools like wheelchairs and walkers free of charge. Fifty percent of the staff and board of directors at Independence First are people with disabilities. “When you’re trained and educated by people who have the same disability as you, it’s going to make more of an impact,” says Boucher. “To see someone who has the same experience as you who is successfully living independently makes it easier for you to see how it’s possible.”
What We Do:
• Independence First is a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities live independently in the community. Its efforts keep people in their homes living life the way they choose, instead of being put into nursing facilities.
• The organization helps people with disabilities of all ages and all disabilities and offers extensive programming. That ranges from a few hours of caregiving to assistive technology that helps people use a computer or drive a car.
• Independence First provides advocacy for change to help people with disabilities and teaches people to advocate for themselves.
Where Your Money Goes:
• Donations help people with disabilities learn, grow, thrive and be included in society. They also fund the 40-plus programs Independence First operates.
• Funds are used to teach youth with disabilities to be included in all aspects of society.
540 S. FIRST ST. | 414-291-7520
