Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities

Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities THE resource for people with disabilities serving the Greater Milwaukee area. 20+ programs serving youth and adults with disabilities of all kinds.

Today is Election Day in Wisconsin. If you need a ride to the polls, help is available.Souls to the Polls Wisconsin is o...
04/07/2026

Today is Election Day in Wisconsin. If you need a ride to the polls, help is available.

Souls to the Polls Wisconsin is offering FREE rides to the polls for voters in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha.

Call (414) 742-1060 to request a ride. Service is available all day until polls close at 8:00 PM.

Make your plan. Make your voice heard. 🗳️

We had a great time at our “Make Your Own Fidgets” workshop this week!Fidgets are a form of assistive technology anyone ...
04/07/2026

We had a great time at our “Make Your Own Fidgets” workshop this week!

Fidgets are a form of assistive technology anyone can use. Participants got hands-on creating their own sensory tools using beads, yarn, and other materials learning how fidgets can support focus and relaxation.

Thanks to everyone who joined us and made it such a welcoming, creative space 💙

Creativity looks different for everyone and that’s the point. 🎨Our Art By Any Means Necessary workshops are a space to e...
04/06/2026

Creativity looks different for everyone and that’s the point. 🎨

Our Art By Any Means Necessary workshops are a space to explore, express, and connect in whatever way feels right to you. From painting and drawing to poetry and more, there’s no “right” way to create just your way.

🗓 Mondays | 2–3 PM
📍 Independence First – Milwaukee

Take a look at some of the amazing artwork created by our community, and come make something of your own.

Spots are limited—Please RSVP!
📞 Call Harvey Ross at (414) 226-8127
📧 Email hross@independencefirst.org

Harvey realizing he just got cooked in NBA 2K 😅Our Adaptive Gaming Group is officially underway. Join us Wednesdays from...
04/03/2026

Harvey realizing he just got cooked in NBA 2K 😅

Our Adaptive Gaming Group is officially underway. Join us Wednesdays from 2–3 PM at our Milwaukee office for some laid-back competition, accessible gaming tech, and good company.

04/02/2026

Independent Living starts at the local level.

Gerald Hay, our Director of Independent Living Services, shares why IL Days at the Capitol matter and how advocacy connects directly to the everyday experiences of people with disabilities.

Video description:
Gerald Hay stands inside the Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda wearing a suit and tie, speaking directly to the camera. He explains the purpose of IL Days, where Independent Living Centers meet with state legislators to discuss priorities that impact people with disabilities.

04/01/2026

A $60,000 power wheelchair refurbished and sent to someone who needs it.

Through our Alternatives in Mobility (AIM) program, this Quantum Stretto Edge 3 found a new home with Grace in Georgia for about $3,500. That’s the power of reuse.

Thanks to our partners at Team Up With Families and Katy's Kloset donated equipment like this doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it helps fund our work right here in our community, making it possible to provide free and low-cost mobility equipment to local residents.

Independence on the move! ♿

Video Description:
Assistive Technology Specialist Tim Kiley stands in a workshop next to a Quantum Stretto Edge 3 power wheelchair. He demonstrates the chair’s features, including its narrow base and backup camera, which shows a live view while reversing. The video shows the chair powered on and moving. Tim explains that the chair was donated through a partnership with Katy’s Kloset, refurbished through the Alternatives in Mobility (AIM) program, and shipped to a woman in Georgia. He also shares how selling higher-value equipment helps fund free and low-cost mobility equipment for local residents.

🥔 It’s Potato Day at Independence First!Our Milwaukee team gathered in the break room for a hot potato bar, complete wit...
03/31/2026

🥔 It’s Potato Day at Independence First!

Our Milwaukee team gathered in the break room for a hot potato bar, complete with all the toppings you could imagine. Huge thanks to our Employee Engagement Committee for providing the potatoes and to staff for bringing the flavor!

Fun potato facts:
• Potatoes were the first vegetable grown in space 🚀
• They’re about 80% water 💧
• The average American eats around 100 pounds of potatoes each year 😲

Safe to say… we did our part today. 😄

03/30/2026

High above the Wisconsin State Capitol stands a symbol of “Forward.”

But the woman behind that statue, Audrey Munson, has a story that was nearly forgotten.

Her life is a powerful reminder of the dangers of institutionalization and why independence and community living matter.

Video Description:
Andrew stands outside the Wisconsin State Capitol and introduces the statue on top of the dome.

Cutaway shots show the statue as the narration explains it is modeled after Audrey Munson, a once-famous artists’ model who was later institutionalized for decades.

The video ends with a reflection on her story and the importance of community living and independence.

We’re proud to celebrate a truly “Relentless Badger.”At this year’s IL Days in Madison, Independence First honored recen...
03/30/2026

We’re proud to celebrate a truly “Relentless Badger.”

At this year’s IL Days in Madison, Independence First honored recently retired Community Access and Legislative Policy Analyst Rebecca Rabatin with the 2026 Relentless Badger Award, one of Wisconsin’s highest recognitions for disability advocacy.

This award is given to individuals who go above and beyond to advance independent living and build more accessible communities. And that’s exactly what Rebecca has done throughout her career, and continues to do in retirement.

From helping secure a permanent wheelchair ramp at Milwaukee’s Cactus Club to advocating for policy changes that made it possible, Rebecca’s impact is real, lasting, and felt across our community.

Each of Wisconsin’s eight Independent Living Centers presents this award annually, and we could not be more proud to recognize Rebecca for her dedication, tenacity, and unwavering commitment to disability rights.

Congratulations, Rebecca and thank you for everything you’ve done (and continue to do).

03/28/2026

“Nothing about us without us.”

Andrea Gonzalez shares why IL Days at the Capitol are important and why people with disabilities need a seat at the table in every conversation that impacts our lives.

Video description:
Andrea Gonzalez outside the Wisconsin State Capitol speaking directly to the camera about IL Days. She explains how Independent Living Centers across Wisconsin come together to share ideas and meet with legislators. Andrea, a wheelchair user, emphasizes the importance of including people with disabilities in conversations that affect their lives, saying “nothing about us without us.” The Capitol building is visible in the background.

It’s been an amazing week at IL Days in Madison!We joined colleagues from Wisconsin’s eight Independent Living Centers t...
03/27/2026

It’s been an amazing week at IL Days in Madison!

We joined colleagues from Wisconsin’s eight Independent Living Centers to share ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen the work we do every day to support people with disabilities across the state. Over two days, we took part in sessions on topics like dementia care, AI in Independent Living, and benefits counseling among others.

We also spent time at the Capitol meeting with State Senators and Assembly members to talk about our programs and why Independent Living services are so important to the health and progress of communities across Wisconsin.

Thank you to everyone who helped organize such a meaningful and productive event. We’re excited to bring what we learned back to our work at Independence First.

📸 Take a look at some highlights from the week below.
🎥 And stay tuned... More is on the way! We captured video throughout IL Days and will be sharing several reels over the next few days.

03/24/2026

♿ Free Power Chair

“This chair is free—you just need batteries.”

This Jazzy Elite ES is in good working condition and ready for a new home.

Details:
• Free
• Needs U1 batteries ($100–$200)
• We’ll install them
• Pickup in Milwaukee (weekdays, by appointment)

Call (414) 226-8385 to reserve.

Please share 💙

Video description:
A staff member demonstrates a blue power wheelchair in a workshop, showing how it moves forward, backward, and turns using a joystick. He explains that the chair is free, requires new batteries, and is available for pickup by appointment.

Address

540 S 1st Street
Milwaukee, WI
53204

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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