MENTOR Oregon Participates at the Klamath Falls Resource Fair
08/23/2013
MENTOR Oregon participated as a vendor at the Klamath Falls Resource Fair, held July 30 at the Mabel Liskey Henzel Pavilion in Klamath Falls.
The fair was designed to provide information on assistive technologies, job assistance and support, as well as resources to assist people with disabilties to obtain or maintain independence. The event provided an excellent opportunity for individuals and professionals to connect with other Klamath Falls service providers, school district personnel, individuals seeking services and their families.
“I had been asked to pull together an employment networking committee in the Klamath County area and bring employment professionals together to support each other in the challenges facing people with disabilities looking for community employment,” program director Denise Lamb said. “The resource fair offered the opportunity to expand my contacts base for pulling the committee together.”
This was the first time MENTOR Oregon participated in such an event. MENTOR Oregon, which offers employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, knows that finding a job is difficult for everyone, but can be especially difficult for individuals with disabilities.
Other helpful vendors at the fair were Klamath Hospice, the Department of Human Services Aging and People with Disabilities, Ackley Counseling & Employment Services, Oregon Telecommunication Relay Service, Oregon Commission for the Blind, and Goodwill, among others.
This month marks the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. With 17 percent of Klamath County residents living with some sort of disability, MENTOR Oregon felt that it was important to highlight their services.
The fair, which ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., was followed by the premiere of the film “Looks Can Be Deceiving” at the main branch of the Klamath County Library. The film highlights stories of people with disabilities in the Klamath area. The library also had a photo exhibit to celebrate the anniversary of the ADA signing. The display, which will be up until the end of the month, shows local people with disabilities providing insight into their daily lives.