Holyoke Commission on Disability

04/19/2026

The Holyoke Commission on Disability will be having their next meeting on April 23-2026 at 5:30 PM. Open to the public. Unfortunately, THIS PARTICULAR MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL ONLY. We were bumped out of our usual meeting space (City Council Chambers in City Hall) AND our alternate space as City Council needed them.

*You can select Closed Captioning on our Zoom platform if you are hard of hearing and/or deaf.

Here's the link:
Remote Access: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89214760737
Meeting ID: 892 1476 0737
Phone Access: One tap mobile +16469313860,,89214760737 # US

We especially encourage **Holyoke residents with disabilities** and family members, caregivers, and allies to join us and learn how you can help improve the lives of people with disabilities in our city.
💬 Why attend?
This is a chance to:
* Learn about disability-related issues affecting Holyoke
* Share concerns, ideas, and lived experiences
* Find out how the City works to ensure accessibility, inclusion, and compliance with disability laws
* Connect with others who care about making Holyoke more accessible for everyone
🏛️ About the Commission
The Commission is charged with:
* Researching local problems affecting people with disabilities
* Advising and assisting municipal officials and employees on state and federal disability laws
* Coordinating and implementing programs in partnership with the Massachusetts Office on Disability
* Reviewing and recommending improvements to City policies, services, programs, and facilities
* Providing information, referrals, guidance, and technical assistance on disability-related matters
* Coordinating with other local organizations serving similar purposes
Your voice matters—and your participation helps shape a more inclusive Holyoke. 💙
👉 **Open to the public. All are welcome.**

May be a graphic of text that says 'プ COMMISSION ON DISABILTY TIES PUBLIC MEETINGS 2026'

02/10/2026

If you’ve gotten or donated equipment with REquipment DME Reuse Program please let your lawmakers know!

"You gave me my DIGNITY back!"
"You helped save my mom's life!"
"BEST PROGRAM EVAHHHHH!!!!”
"Thank you for existing!"

Your messages to REquipment are clear. Now, MA state lawmakers need to hear them! There's never been a more important Testimonial Tuesday.

The legislature is moving fast this year to create a FY27 budget, and it's the biggest threat REquipment has yet faced. Cuts to health care on the federal level are putting extraordinary pressure on the state. The message we are hearing is that unless there is an overwhelming flood of support for REquipment, we will not get the $500,000 we need in the legislature for level funding; this is an unsustainable 35.7% cut in FY2027 (which begins July 1, 2026).

Please use this link to tell them why you love us: tinyurl.com/REQadvocacy

There, you simply enter your address and email, and a draft letter is presented that can be automatically sent to your lawmakers. Use it or edit it or write your own. Your name and the names of your lawmakers will be automatically added. The process takes two minutes. There is also a call script to make calls and a button that calls lawmakers' offices.

Thank you to our beloved reuse community for keeping this program going in so many ways.

UCP of Western Massachusetts
Stavros Center For Independent Living
AdLib Center for Independent Living
Center For Living And Working, Inc
Northeast Independent Living Program
CORD - Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled
Disability Resource Center
SCIL, Southeast Center for Independent Living
Independence Associates

10/16/2025

Today!

09/06/2025

Great way to get involved in making our outdoor spaces more accessible for all ♥️

Join us at the Accessible Trails Public Forum on Monday, September 15th! 🌳

The future of Massachusetts trails is being written and you have a chance to shape it. Hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, this statewide forum will present draft recommendations for improving trail access across Massachusetts and invites public feedback to ensure trails welcome everyone, today and for generations to come.

Your input matters. Together, we can build more welcoming, inclusive trails for people of all abilities across the Commonwealth!

🗓 When: Mon, 9/15 | 6pm–8pm | Zoom
🔗 Register: http://bit.ly/accessibletrails2
📧 Questions? Contact: info@dodsonflinker.com
ASL, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Vietnamese & Haitian Creole interpretation + closed captioning available.

Learn more about Trails for All:
mass.gov/info-details/trails-for-all

✨ Don’t forget! RSVP to our Trails for All Hike at Belle Isle Reservation on Fri, 9/26 with Unpaved Trails For All and Appalachian Mountain Club:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=--YoC65JhU21hNhpb5SuMYbtynRoQkhMswmVqAMGtNZUNFZOMU85SlhGS1VITkRaNk03QkNSSlhCRi4u&route=shorturl

08/31/2025

Beautiful outdoor art space, now just more accessible :)

·The "Art in the Orchard" ArtCart is up and running at Park Hill Orchard! We offer guests with mobility challenges a chance to experience the entire sculpture trail without walking! The ArtCart can accommodate 5 people, including one wheelchair.

This Labor Day Weekend, we are offering runs at 1:30 on Saturday, 2:30 on Sunday, and 1:30 on Monday. None of the runs are full at this time. To make a reservation, please call the ArtCart phone at 413-923-8050. If you're interested, please don't wait -- it's going to be a gorgeous weekend.

On future weekends, we plan to offer runs on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and afternoon, and Sunday afternoon.

07/04/2025

Free film festival celebrating Disability Pride Month supported by Easthampton, Amherst, and Northampton commissions on disability.

Good opportunity for our public officials, allies, caregivers, and disabled residents all around the Pioneer Valley.

Maybe next year we in Holyoke can join this celebration and create our own events 'cause it's pretty clear our disabled residents could use some support and our city needs a little education.

06/30/2025

Great resources for people with disabilities and their families!

• Beaches with Floating & Beach Wheelchairs in Massachusetts bit.ly/3Vg7TUZ
• Massachusetts Accessible Pools & Spray Decks bit.ly/43tbhx4
• SEPAC Summer School for Massachusetts’ Orgs bit.ly/44jX2g0
• Parent Consultant Training bit.ly/4esL9cm
• American Sign Language for Massachusetts’ Families bit.ly/4noZURq
• Adaptive Cycling for All Ages & Abilities: Hadley bit.ly/4kRDvL0
• Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Sensory Event: Chatham
• Parent Consultant Training Institute For Massachusetts Families: Summer 2025
• Special Olympics MA & Team Sports bit.ly/3v6TYpK
• Inclusive/Adaptive Team Sports https://bit.ly/3HovM5n
• Transition-to-Adult Disability Workshops: bit.ly/3TC4XSc
** SIGN UP for this newsletter www.spedchildmass.com/newsletter-signup/

06/26/2025

Commission on Disabilities monthly meeting is tonight 5:30pm at City Hall. Open to all!
(In person or virtually)

06/24/2025

PEEPS ALERT!
CALLING ALL PEEPS WHO ARE DISABLED AND OR CHRONICALLY ILL, AND THOSE CARETAKERS WHO HAVE OR STILL DO TAKE CARE OF THEM!

CALLING ALL HOLYOKE COMMUNITY ALLIES WHO SUPPORT DISABLED LOVED ONES, NEIGHBORS, RESIDENTS, CO-WORKERS!
PUT TUESDAY, JUNE 24 AT 6:30 (HOLYOKE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS)-FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON YOUR CALENDARS TO COME OUT AND SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF HOLYOKE COMMISSION ON DISABILITY TO BE APPROVED FOR 22G FUNDS ACCOUNT. VIRTUAL ACCESS WILL BE PROVIDED.

The Holyoke Commission on Disability is requesting the support of our City Council to access the funds that have been collected through fines from HP parking violations to be used to help our disabled residents and their caretakers of all ages.

This is supported by Massachusetts law MGL Chapter 40 Section 22G, and the Massachusetts Office on Disability. THE CITY OF HOLYOKE HAS BEEN COLLECTING THESE FINES FOR DECADES BUT TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AND INVESTIGATION THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN USED TO SPECIFICALLY HELP HOLYOKE RESIDENTS WHO ARE DISABLED.

The Holyoke COD is trying to change that. We are not trying to access funds retroactively, we are beginning now.

We can’t solve all the problems we and you face but we can address some. 1. We will be using the funds for education of ourselves and others initially by conducting a survey in Holyoke of what the current needs of our disabled residents are, to share resources for them, get translation into Spanish, ASL (American Sign Language), other forms of communication that address the diversity of disability. 2.We will also be using these funds to contribute towards accessible transportation for disabled residents of all ages to get to their medical treatments and appointments like dialysis. 3. Contribution towards educational needs for students who are disabled through tools and services. Like assistive devices for laptops, etc. Services like helping assistants and aids in classrooms so disabled students can learn, participate in the classroom with dignity. 4. Accessible playgrounds and city buildings.

We know that disabled residents are and have been in dire need for the services and tools that help us stay living independently in our community, and statistically and morally that it is better for our community, for our health and our quality of life.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE MASSIVE CUTS TO MEDICAID, NEGATIVE IMPACT ON MEDICARE, REDUCTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, AND EVEN EDUCATION PUTS US ALL IN SERIOUS DANGER ALREADY. Tariffs are already increasing prices on pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment like power wheelchairs whose electronic components come from China. This is NOT partisan, these are just facts.

So, we have worked with Mayor Garcia, the first Mayor to really support disabled residents, in first creating two budget line items for residents who are disabled in his city budget starting with the fiscal year 2026 (July 2025-July 2026). We’re doing this first because we know the process for getting approval from our City Council for an ongoing revolving 22G Funds Account will take much longer.

That account will give us much more autonomy in deciding how it will be spent with state guidelines that best benefit the very people the HP parking law was intended to protect.

Come tell your stories of disability and/or caretaking, the obstacles you face, your desire to live independently and safely. Be respectful but direct. Ask the Finance Committee to send this to the Full City Council for approval so all City Councilors may learn of and support their disabled residents and families.

You can also submit letters of support to Finance Committee Councilors Devine (At Large) who supports us, Givner (Ward 4), Jourdain (At Large), Ocasio (Ward 2), Sullivan (At Large). Also, to Councilor Jenny Rivera (Ward1) who brought the order forth and who we thank. But please do it quickly.

Any questions, FB message me. Thank you! See info for virtual below in comments.

04/18/2025

Our April 24th COD meeting will be fully virtual via zoom. (Link in comments)

03/20/2025