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2005 NOD Annual Report

ALAN ANDERSON REICH: 1930-2005

Through patience and persistence, all will be conquered. --Russian proverb Alan was fond of quoting.

It has been said that the measure of a man is the sum of his accomplishments. If that is so, Alan Reich stood ten feet tall. Even in his wheelchair, he seemed ten feet tall. His expansive personality and gregarious nature filled up a room. His warm welcome made even a newcomer feel like an old friend.

Lots of words have been used to describe Alan: leadership, determination, strength, caring, persistence, will, hope. They are all right on target. His was a life of extraordinary accomplishment, wrapped up in a package of quiet determination and modesty. "He was the least self-promotional of public servants". A man for others, a saint with a sense of humor, a moral force who was never moralistic,î said James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, at Alanís memorial service in December.

Those who knew Alan before the accident that resulted in his quadriplegia were unsurprised at the way he tackled his recovery and rehabilitation from that accident- with grit and determination. Whether playing halfback on the Dartmouth football team, becoming an All-American in the javelin, studying and living abroad, learning five languages, forming a rugby team in order to play in a tournament in Bermuda, or wooing the woman who would become his wife, Alan approached all challenges with a single purpose: to do his very best. He inspired the same in countless others.

He once described the diving accident in his own words:

I was swinging on the rope, the same rope I'd been swinging on all day. I came down the bank and out into the water. I dove into the lake, as I had been doing, and hit my head on the bottom. Fortunately, it was a sandy bottom. Otherwise, Iím sure I would have been killed instantly.

I came almost to the surface of the water. I was about six inches under the surface of the water. I was still conscious at the time, but I couldnít move at all. It all happened so fast, but there I was- immobilized.

Alan’s take on life was suffused with optimism. Alan saw the silver lining, not only in the sandy bottom of the lake, but in the life that awaited him after the accident. He experienced, as so many people with disabilities have, the way a life can be radically changed in the blink of an eye. Even so: "I was fortunate, really. I had my education behind me, lots of family support, and a job waiting for me. I didn’t have a lot of time to feel sorry for myself."

After the initial recovery and the diagnosis of quadriplegia—"I had never heard the word before," says his wife, Gay—the trademark determination set in. "I refused to accept the fact that I was going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I was determined to get out of it, and motivated to work for a cure," Alan said. He especially seemed to relish challenging the naysayers. Say he would never work again? He did. Say he would never write again? He did. Say he would never drive again? He did. He did those things, and so many more.

Participation became Alan’s polestar, a recurring theme throughout his life and his work on behalf of the vast constituency he represented. He sought, for people with disabilities, full and equal participation in all aspects of life: education, employment, worship, safety in disaster—even fun and enjoyment.

Instead of doing many small tasks for himself, Alan chose to accept Gay’s help, to do things faster, to get out there. He accepted that help willingly and graciously, and continued to do so on behalf of his mission: improving the lives of America’s 54 million men, women, and children with disabilities. Rather than stand fussily on ceremony, Alan knew that he needed help to accomplish that goal. He sought it from the highest levels, and purveyed it as broadly as possible.

“We must bring about changes through group leaders and influential people,” Alan said. “Our challenge is largely attitudinal, in addition to the physical barriers. We are pursuing a symbiotic process of attitude change, of persuasion by demonstration. We have a lasting principle of relying on partners, and we select and cultivate those partners based on our mission.”

Persuasive and demonstrative, he certainly was. Whether as the first wheelchair user to address the United Nations General Assembly, working on the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or persuading the Pope to convene a Vatican conference on disability, Alan always believed that “you must go straight to the top.”

Alan felt fortunate to be an American at the time of his accident. As U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (1970-75), and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce (1976-1978), he saw how other nations viewed people with disabilities: They were often neglected, discriminated against, and poverty stricken. “The United States has a real responsibility to the world. We are looked up to, whether we like it or not. And Americans with disabilities are more fortunate than those in other parts of the world,” Alan said.

He has described the founding of the National Organization on Disability as his proudest achievement. That work was preceded, and complemented by, the international outreach that Alan also promoted the BiMillennium Foundation, the World Committee on Disability, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Award.

The FDR Award, Alan’s own brainchild, is presented annually by the World Committee and its partner, the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, to a nation making progress toward the goal of the United Nations World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons: full and equal participation of people with disabilities in the life of their societies. The award is presented in a ceremony at the U.N., and those annual ceremonies were some of Alan’s proudest moments.

The core program that Alan established at N.O.D. was the Community Partnership Program (CPP), which is still in operation today. Working with the nation’s mayors, Alan inspired them to ensure that people with disabilities live fulfilled lives in their communities, and thus laid the groundwork for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Alan also established, along with his Dartmouth roommate Charley Dey, the Start on Success Student Internship Program, which provides first-time jobs to young people with disabilities. To date, over 1,000 young people with disabilities can thank Alan and Charley for their “start on success.”

Although there are too many milestones to mention, Alan was also especially proud of his contribution to the FDR National Memorial. Along with Mike Deland, who was then Chairman of the N.O.D. Board, Alan lobbied Congress, the White House, and the public, calling for an accurate portrayal of FDR as a person with a disability. After a six-year struggle, a statue of FDR in a wheelchair took its rightful place at the Memorial; later, a plaque acknowledging the efforts of N.O.D. and its leaders was added.

Alan took great comfort and joy in his family, and those strong bonds informed his work at N.O.D.: “It is so important to realize that, for the 54 million of us living with disabilities, there are at least that many family members who are also directly affected. It’s a big universe; there are many more than the people you see,” he said.

In a 1990 television interview, Gay said, “Alan had always said that he could never work for a company that didn’t contribute to making people’s lives better.” He carried that idealism bodily, joyfully. And as he created multiple organizations that made people’s lives better—including the Paralysis Cure Research Foundation and the National Task Force on Disability in addition to N.O.D.—he measured improvements and celebrated them.

In July 2005 Alan received the prestigious George Bush Medal. In commenting on Alan Reich’s extraordinary leadership, President Bush said: “As the Honorary Chairman of N.O.D. and its World Committee, I’ve observed firsthand Alan’s tenacious commitment to providing hope and opportunity for millions of people with disabilities, not only in this country but also worldwide.”

The pews at Foundry United Methodist Church were filled to capacity on December 13, 2005. Glowing, appreciative obituaries had been published in the New York Times and the Washington Post. Two Congressional resolutions would be passed, “commemorating the life, achievements, and contributions of Alan Reich.”

But the true memorials to Alan Reich are found in the curb cuts in Venice, Florida; the programs and services for people with disabilities in Ecuador, Thailand, Hungary, Canada, and Jordan; the Braille tags on elevator buttons; the statue of FDR in a wheelchair at his memorial; the religious outreach program in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the ramps in front of public buildings; the emergency response team training in West Hollywood, California; and in countless other concrete and intangible supports that increase the full participation of people with disabilities everywhere. Every time an American with a disability gets a new job, attends a new worship service, or goes out to vote—those acts are the real monuments to the lifelong mission of Alan Reich.

Alan Reich Timeline:

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Board of Directors

HONORARY CHAIRMAN
President George H.W. Bush
FOUNDER
Alan A. Reich -- Pesident 1982-2005
DIRECTORS
Governor Tom Ridge -- Chairman
Michael R. Deland -- President
Arlene E. Anns -- Former Publisher, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Philip E. Beekman -- Retired CEO, Hook SupeRx, Inc.
Henry B. Betts, M.D. -- Past President/Medical Director, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Peter D. Blanck, Ph. D. -- Chairman, Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University
Bertram S. Brown, M.D. -- Forensic Medical Advisory Services
John M. Derrick, Jr. -- Former Chairman and CEO, Potomac Electric Power Company
Richard M. DeVos --NOD Founding Chairman, Retired President, Amway Corp.
Charles F. Dey -- Chairman, NOD National, EmployAbility Partnership
Brooke Ellison -- Author and Disability Advocate
Stephen L. Feinberg -- Chairman and CEO, Dorsar Industries
John D. Firestone -- Partner, Secor Group
Hon. Bruce Gelb -- Former U.S. Ambassador to Belgium
Hon. Dan Glickman -- President and CEO, The Motion Picture Association of America
Robert David Hall -- Actor and Disability Advocate
Stephen L. Hammerman -- Retired Deputy Commissioner, New York City Police Department
I. King Jordan, Ph. D. -- Retired President, Gallaudet University
William P. Kupper, Jr. -- President, BusinessWeek Group
Len J. Lauer -- COO, Sprint
Harold McGraw, III -- Chairman, President and CEO, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Sue Oliver -- Senior Vice President of People, Wal-Mart Stores, USA
Hon. Beverly O’Neil -- Mayor of Long Beach, California , President, U.S. Conference of Mayors
Hon. Douglas H. Palmer -- Mayor, City of Trenton, NJ, President, U.S. Conference of Mayors
Jeffrey P. Reich -- President and CEO, Bridge Street Capital Management
Kenneth Roman -- Former Chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather
David A. Roosevelt -- Morgan Stanley
E. John Rosenwald, Jr. -- Vice Chairman, Bear Stearns & Co. Inc.
Alan Rubin -- Former President, National Park Foundation
Richard J. Salem, Esq. -- Chairman, Enable America, PA
Humphrey Taylor -- Chairman, The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive, Inc.
Robert J. Saner II Esq., Counsel -- Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C.
CONGRESSIONAL SPONSORS
Sen. William H. Frist, M.D., TN
Sen. Judd Gregg, NH
Sen. Tom Harkin, IA
Sen. Daniel Inouye, HI
Sen. Edward Kennedy, MA
Rep. Michael N. Castle, DE
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, MD
Rep. Dale Kildee, MI
Rep. James R. Langevin, RI
Rep. Tom Lantos, CA
Rep. Major R. Owens, NY
Rep. Henry Waxman, CA
NOD STAFF
Michael R. Deland -- President
Eric Abalahin -- Web Manager
Sharone Belt -- Program Assistant, EPI, CPP and NPP
Betsy Berry -- Program Officer, Emergency Preparedness Initiative
Charley Dey -- National Director, Start on Success Program
Mary E. Dolan -- Vice President, Senior Advisor & Director, World Committee on Disability
Gregory E. Johns -- Director of Finance
Tracey McDade -- Assistant Director, Start on Success Program
Jenlene L. Nowak -- Executive Assistant to the President
Hendrik N. Opstelten -- Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Nancy Starnes -- Vice President & Chief of Staff
Hilary Styron -- Director, Emergency Preparedness Initiative
Lorraine Thal -- Program Officer, Religion & Disability Program
Ginny Thornburgh -- Vice President & Director, Religion & Disability Program
---

After a quarter century in public service, I am proud to join the National Organization on Disability as Chairman of the Board. While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, as Governor of Pennsylvania and as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, one of my highest priorities was the creation and implementation of a disability agenda. This was prompted in part by my own hearing disability. Now, as Chairman of N.O.D., I have a special opportunity to further my commitment to people with disabilities.

N.O.D. is a remarkable organization that has accomplished much in the past 23 years thanks to the visionary leadership of Alan Reich with the steadfast support of my predecessor, Mike Deland. My involvement with N.O.D. began when I met Alan and Mike shortly after the tragedy of September 11, 2001. They were among the first to meet with me in the White House in my role as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. They described N.O.D.’s Emergency Preparedness Initiative, which Alan created immediately following the terrorist attacks. That meeting began a close personal and professional relationship that led me to enthusiastically accept the opportunity to work with the Board and the entire N.O.D. team. Alan Reich left us a firm foundation upon which to build. We are dedicated to advancing a vibrant organization that will be in the vanguard of shaping this century’s disability agenda.

As we look to the future, in addition to further honing our Emergency Preparedness Initiative, we will inaugurate an EmployAbility Initiative. For the last 20 years, the most intractable problem facing people with disabilities has been to find a job. Our community desperately wants to participate in and contribute to the American dream—a dream that for too long, for too many, has been deferred or denied. I’m confident that our 2006 EmployAbility Initiative will, person by person, disability by disability, begin to turn that dream into a reality.

As Chairman, I will devote my energies to helping America’s 54 million men, women, and children with disabilities experience all that America has to offer. N.O.D. will continue to lead in advancing the cause of inclusion, both here at home and around the globe. We know that Alan would expect no less. I join Mike in extending our special thanks to our dedicated Board of Directors, generous sponsors, and talented staff.

Sincerely yours,

Governor Tom Ridge
Chairman

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The 2005 Annual Report of the National Organization on Disability commemorates our remarkable history and introduces the beginning of a vibrant new era.

On Tuesday, November 8th, we lost our visionary founder, Alan Anderson Reich, who for 23 years led N.O.D. with indefatigable energy and unrivaled tenacity. On April 15th, upon Alan’s retirement following the onset of his illness, with a heavy heart but honored to be asked, I assumed the presidency of N.O.D.

For a decade as Chairman of N.O.D.’s Board, I worked closely with Alan and saw firsthand how wonderfully unique he was. It was a privilege I shall always treasure. While Alan is irreplaceable, he imbued in me and the entire N.O.D. team a deep commitment to his cause. N.O.D will carry on. Day by day, through existing programs and new initiatives, we will move ever closer to fulfilling Alan’s dream of “full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life.”

Our challenge was made infinitely easier when Governor Tom Ridge enthusiastically accepted my offer to succeed me as Chairman of the N.O.D. Board, effective January 3, 2006. Serendipitously, in my last meeting with Alan just days before he passed on, we agreed that there was no one better qualified to chair the N.O.D. Board than Governor Ridge. Tom is already strengthening N.O.D. with his career-long commitment to people with disabilities and with his own insight and energy.

Alan was the father of the international disability movement. In the first-ever address by a wheelchair user to the General Assembly of the United Nations, he persuaded that body to declare 1981 the International Year of the Disabled. That led to his founding N.O.D. and to his pioneering work in the disability movement in this country.

Bolstered by his unrivaled optimism and the loving support of Gay, his wife and soul mate of 50 years, he daily demonstrated that “It’s ability, not disability, that counts.”

We are following Alan’s lead and in his inimitable words we are moving “Onward and Upward!”

Sincerely,

Michael R. Deland
President

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INTRODUCTION

The 2005 annual report of the National Organization on Disability commemorates the end of an era. Last year brought the death of our beloved founder and leader, Alan Anderson Reich, to whom this annual report is dedicated. Founded, inspired, guided, and nurtured by Alan, N.O.D. owes its very existence—and its continued success on behalf of more than 54 million men, women, and children with disabilities in this country alone—to Alan and his tireless dedication to our mission for more than 20 years.

Alan’s prescience in addressing the needs of people with disabilities created a climate in this country that led lawmakers to the realization that more needed to be done; his actions in founding N.O.D. and its predecessor organizations fostered a rich environment in which change could thrive. He foresaw the need for civil rights legislation for people with disabilities, and was gratified by the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. In 2005, the 15th anniversary of that legislation was celebrated.

In this annual report, we introduce you to many of N.O.D.’s programs and activities and bring you up to date on the accomplishments of the past year. While we grieve the loss of our leader, we celebrate his extraordinary life. We are bolstered by the knowledge that his successes live on, and that there are many more to come.

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EMPHASIZING THE "ABILITY" IN EMPLOYABILITY

National EmployAbility Initiative

Sponsors: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Henry H. Kessler Foundation, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Jobs are vital to people with disabilities. They bring economic independence, dignity, and access to major services, transportation, health care, and a rewarding life. The 2004 N.O.D./Harris Survey showed that only 35 percent of people with disabilities of working age are employed full- or part-time, compared to 78 percent of non-disabled workers. More than twice as many people with disabilities are out of work and actively seeking it, as compared with other Americans. In order to address this intransigent problem more aggressively, N.O.D.’s board of directors has established employment as a renewed, strengthened priority and focus. In 2006, N.O.D. will launch its National EmployAbility Initiative, which will build on our historic strengths of developing pilot employment programs and fostering corporate commitment, directly aimed at closing those gaps and increasing the workforce participation of America’s disabled.

Two of N.O.D.’s major programs, Start on Success and the CEO Council, target the problem from opposite sides of the workplace table: one by focusing on giving young people with disabilities valuable job experience, and the other by educating America’s employers about the value and potential of hiring people with disabilities.

Start on Success: Early Training for Promising Careers

Sponsors: Aetna, Inc., T. Rowe Price, Bruce and Lueza Gelb, Frederick Whittemore

In founding its first direct-service effort, Start on Success (SOS), N.O.D. recognized that students who encounter workplace realities before they leave high school have a greater chance of securing rewarding employment. At the same time, SOS educates employers about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and introduces them to these qualified student candidates.

Beginning with three pilot internships, SOS has expanded to 24 sites in five states. Most programs are collaborations between inner-city high schools and nearby universities, hospitals, or corporations. Programs vary from urban models in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, to a mix of urban and rural initiatives in Alabama and Connecticut.

Each community develops its version of SOS in ways most appropriate to local circumstances. Attempts are made to identify and select job site partners that offer exposure to a broad range of career paths, and that provide nontraditional settings for young people with disabilities. Interns serve 10 to 15 hours per week for periods of eight to 32 weeks; the jobs provide fair compensation.

A great strength of the program is the participation and support of enormously skillful, trustworthy adults—those teachers and job site supervisors whose day-to-day mentoring of interns produce learning experiences that endure. Whether as instructor, counselor, friend, or surrogate parent, these men and women ensure that SOS interns succeed in the workplace. These attitudes are at the heart of the relationships between mentors and interns, and they have produced over a decade of remarkable achievement by more than 1,200 high school students with disabilities determined to succeed.

The national and local programs pride themselves on being cost-efficient and nonbureaucratic, and have received regional and national recognition as models. Before receiving initial funding, local programs must pledge to be financially self-sufficient within five years; programs to date have achieved that goal. Startup funding is provided by N.O.D. through the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporate donors. In establishing new programs, preference is given to communities in which all program partners are prepared to make direct or indirect contributions.

2006 will bring two exciting new SOS initiatives. Newark SOS will be launched as the pioneering program in New Jersey. In addition, 12 years of SOS experience and resources will be integrated into N.O.D.’s emerging National EmployAbility Initiative. As a part of the Initiative, SOS is poised to become a viable candidate for replication on a national scale.

SOS Interns Placement Sites for 2006

ALABAMA
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Muscle Shoals Program
BALTIMORE
Johns Hopkins Hospital
University of Maryland at Baltimore
University of Maryland Medical System
CONNECTICUT
Beechwood Rehabilitation Center
Central Connecticut State University
Connecticut College
Gateway Community College
Hospital of St. Raphael
Lawrence and Memorial Hospital
Yale New Haven Hospital
Yale University
PHILADELPHIA
Lankenau Hospital
Saint Joseph’s University
School District of Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Hospital
Veterans Administration Medical Center
PITTSBURGH
Allegheny General Hospital
Carnegie Mellon University
CIGNA
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

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CEO Council: Widening the Talent Pool

N.O.D.’s CEO Council is made up of leading companies that are committed to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Their membership sends a strong message that working with staff, customers, and clients who have disabilities is good business, and sets a positive example for other members of the corporate community.

In 2005, the CEO Council was highlighted in donated public service advertisements in national and regional editions of BusinessWeek magazine. The ads appeared 15 times over the course of the year. They cleverly and concisely convey N.O.D.’s message that in the workplace, and in all aspects of life, “It’s ability, not disability, that counts.” N.O.D. is grateful to BusinessWeek and the McGraw-Hill Companies for this generous in-kind donation.

N.O.D. makes available to CEO Council members information on key issues for people with disabilities, including our N.O.D./Harris Surveys and other resources that relate to disability in the business arena. Pursuant to an in-depth, pro bono study of and recommendations for the CEO Council program by Booz Allen Hamilton, new programs and benefits for CEO Council members are being developed.

CEO Council Members

MILLENNIUM CIRCLE
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Peter R. Dolan
BusinessWeek, William P. Kupper, Jr.
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Harold McGraw III
Sprint Nextel Corporation, Gary D. Forsee
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., H. Lee Scott, Jr.
TRUSTEES’ CIRCLE
Alcoa Inc., Alain J.P. Belda
Altria Group, Inc., Louis C. Camilleri
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Tony P. Zook
The Coca-Cola Company, E. Neville Isdell
IBM Corporation, Samuel J. Palmisano
United Parcel Service, Inc., Michael L. Eskew
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
American Express Company, Kenneth I. Chenault
Bridge Street Capital Management, Jeffrey P. Reich
Dorsar Investment Company, Stephen L. Feinberg
J.C. Penney Company, Inc., Mike Ullman
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., E. Stanley O’Neal
MetLife, Inc., Robert H. Benmosche
NEC America, Inc., Kunitomo Matsuoka
Potomac Electric Power Company, Dennis R. Wraase
Pfizer Inc, Henry A. McKinnell, Jr.
Prudential Financial, Inc., Arthur F. Ryan
Verizon Communications Inc., Ivan G. Seidenberg
VICE CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
Charles River Ventures, Richard M. Burnes, Jr.
Citigroup Inc., Charles O. Prince III
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Thomas W. LaSorda
Eastman Kodak Company, Antonio M. Perez
Johnson & Johnson, William C. Weldon
Motor Trend, Lou Mohn
New England Patriots, Robert K. Kraft
National Structured Settlements Trade Association, Mal Deener
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Ronald D. Sugar
PepsiCo, Inc., Steven S. Reinemund
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, PC, Robert J. Saner II, Esq.
PRIMEDIA, Inc., Dean B. Nelson
Sale and Quinn, PC, Stephen Sale
SMS Data Products Group, Inc., Albert F. Rosecan
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
CNA, Stephen W. Lilienthal
Marriott International, Inc., J.W. Marriott, Jr.
Microsoft Corporation, Steve Ballmer
Owl Hollow Enterprises, Philip E. Beekman
Sony Corporation of America, Sir Howard Stringer
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., George A. Roche
Xerox Corporation, Anne M. Mulcahy
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
Aetna Inc., John W. Rowe, M.D.
Alex Lee, Inc., Boyd L. George
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., Patrick T. Stokes
CIT Group Inc., Jeffrey M. Peek
Clarion Management Resources, Carole M. Rogin
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, William G. Parrett
Fisher Scientific International Inc., Paul M. Montrone
Gannett Broadcasting, Craig A. Dubow
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Robert Keegan
Hilton Hotels Corporation, Stephen F. Bollenbach
Hughes Supply, Inc., Thomas I. Morgan
KeySpan Corporation, Robert B. Catell
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Robert J. Stevens
The May Department Stores Company, Gene Kahn
McCormick & Schmick’s, Saed Mohseni
The Michael T. Rose Family of Companies, Michael T. Rose
Northeast Utilities, Charles W. Shivery
Panasonic Corporation of North America, Yoshihiko Yamada
Raytheon Company, William H. Swanson
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Clayton M. Jones
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Aylwin B. Lewis
Steelcase Inc., Robert C. Pew III
Towers Perrin, Mark V. Mactas
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Door LLP
Worthington Industries, Inc., John P. McConnell
W.R. Grace & Co., Paul J. Norris

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HELPING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO LIVE IN A SAFER WORLD

Emergency Preparedness Initiative

Sponsors: U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the J. C. Penney Fund

The Emergency Preparedness Initiative, organized immediately after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, helps communities, emergency planners and responders, and people with disabilities properly prepare for all man-made and natural disasters. EPI is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, other government agencies, emergency planners and responders, and the disability community to ensure that adequate plans are in place to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities during future crises.

Regular surveys, conducted in partnership with Harris Interactive, allow EPI staff to assess those plans and to target deficiencies. A 2004 survey was the first comprehensive effort to measure emergency preparedness for people with disabilities among municipalities. Surveying 197 emergency managers at the state and city level, researchers found that, while 69 percent of respondents have incorporated the needs of people with disabilities into their emergency plans, urgent gaps still exist. Schools and children are especially at risk, and critical tools and resources, such as a special-needs registry and paid experts who deal with emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, are significant in their absence in more than half the responding communities.

In the fall of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita again brought these needs into sharp focus. Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that allows for tracking special needs in disasters, N.O.D. coordinated and deployed four rapid assessment teams into the Gulf Coast states (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) to capture time-sensitive data on the impact of and service delivery to people with disabilities, seniors, and medically managed persons affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The teams gathered data on gaps in short-term response efforts and on long-term recovery needs. They also collected information to support or disprove “stories” that emerged from the disability and aging communities.

Among other findings, the teams reported that:

After analyzing the teams’ findings, EPI staff issued a comprehensive report that is available at http://www.nod.org/emergency. N.O.D. President Mike Deland and EPI Program Director Hilary Styron delivered Congressional briefings on the findings.

A significant N.O.D./Harris research effort in 2005 included determining the degree to which people with disabilities feel personally prepared for an emergency. The December survey demonstrated that emergency preparedness in the workplace is on the decline, but personal preparedness for people with disabilities is on the rise. In 2005, 57 percent of people with disabilities reported that they have a workplace preparedness plan, a figure that is down from 68 percent in 2003.

The survey also showed that the disabled community feels greater anxiety about their personal safety than the population without disabilities (44 percent versus 35 percent). Fortunately, this anxiety seems to drive personal preparedness: Nearly 54 percent of people with disabilities know whom to contact about emergency plans in their community, up from 48 percent in 2003; and 47 percent of people with disabilities have made plans to safely evacuate their homes, up from 39 percent in 2003.

To coordinate with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Month activities for September, EPI created an educational, outreach, and awareness campaign, “Partners in Preparedness.” The campaign was created with the input of International Association of Emergency Managers, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the National Centers for Independent Living. The four-part, disability-specific pamphlet series, which educates people with disabilities about their own responsibilities for personal preparedness, won first prize in the International Association of Emergency Managers media awards program. The poster, which was mounted in train cars throughout the Washington, D.C., metro area, took second prize.

Noteworthy new initiatives for EPI in 2006 include the introduction of the “12 Months of Preparedness” education series, as well as the launching of the first ever web-based interactive map that serves as a clearinghouse of resource information for emergency managers, disability advocates, and other stakeholders.

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CREATING WELCOMING COMMUNITIES

Community Partnership Program

Sponsor: Alcoa Foundation

The Community Partnership Program is a growing network of towns, cities, and counties committed to expanding the participation and contribution of people with disabilities at the local level. Americaís communities are where people with disabilities go about their daily lives, and where they most directly benefit from improved access, services, and opportunities. The Community Partnership Program spurs local leaders to promote the participation of people with disabilities alongside everyone else in the economic, social, and cultural vitality of their communities. The CPP and NPP will assume greater responsibility for communicating information on emergency preparedness and people with disabilities to its members in 2006.

Accessible America Competition

Sponsors: UPS Foundation, Wal-Mart

The Community Partnership Programís Accessible America Competition is a nationwide contest open to communities of any size to identify their best practices in becoming disability-friendly. The 2005 Accessible America winners represent models of physical accessibility, welcome, and opportunity for communities across America to emulate. While the winners shared many features in common, there were individual themes that resonated with the panel of contest judges.

The $25,000 top prize sponsored by UPS went to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cambridge has demonstrated its commitment to people with disabilities through emergency preparedness planning, information dissemination, public works projects, transportation opportunities, inclusion training, and outreach to religious organizations.

The $20,000 and $10,000 prizes sponsored by Wal-Mart went to West Hollywood, California, and Austin, Texas, respectively. West Hollywood, a small city of only 1.9 square miles, leverages civil servants such as postal carriers and trash collection personnel to assist people with disabilities. The City promotes accessibility and safety by retrofitting sidewalks, pedestrian walk signals, and traffic signals, and has made emergency preparedness a special focus.

Austin has focused its efforts on visitability, working with homebuilders and private developers to adopt building techniques that allow homeowners to age in place. The City also sponsored an accessible online survey to gather local input on a range of issues aligned to the participation areas measured by the 2004 N.O.D./Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities. As a host city to many Hurricane Katrina evacuees, Austin also promotes emergency preparedness and has trained law enforcement personnel to be responsive to the needs of people with disabilities.

Past Accessible America Competition winners include: Pasadena, California (2004); Phoenix, Arizona (2003); Irvine, California (2002); and Venice, Florida (2001).

National Partnership Program

Sponsors: Prudential Financial, Wal-Mart

Forty of the country's most prestigious and influential organizations participate in N.O.D.ís National Partnership Program. None of the National Partners have disability as their main mission but, by partnering with N.O.D., they make a commitment to advance the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in community life.

N.O.D. works with National Partners to support recognition of outstanding disability programs conducted by local affiliates and helps them increase outreach to people with disabilities in programs, employment, and volunteer opportunities.

Ten National Partners received awards for their work in communities that exemplified the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act as part of the 15th Anniversary of the signing of the civil rights law for people with disabilities:

National Partner Organizations

AARP
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
American Association of Museums
American Association of University Women
American Bar Association
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees
American Institute of Architects
American Lawyers Auxiliary
American Legion Auxiliary
American Library Association
American Red Cross
American Society of Association Executives
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Boy Scouts of America
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Camp Fire USA
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
General Federation of Women’s Clubs
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
League of Women Voters of the United States
National 4-H Council
National Assocation of Secondary School Principals
National Association of Counties
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Home Builders
National Association of Towns and Townships
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
National Foundation for Women Legislators
National School Boards Association
Older Women’s League
Pilot International Foundation
Sister Cities International
Telecom Pioneers of America
The American Legion
The Child Welfare League of America
The United States Conference of Mayors
Travelers Aid International
Women in Community Service
YMCA of the USA
YWCA of the USA

Religion and Disability Program

Sponsors: W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation

Several projects of the Religion and Disability Program, now in its 16th year, exceeded previous records in 2005. For example, the program co-sponsored 30 "That All May Worship" conferences across the country last year, and also held one in Alberta, Canadañour first international site. Record sales were achieved for the popular Religion and Disability Program four-volume guidebook series; nearly 3,000 copies were sold in 2005. That All May Worship, the bestselling volume in the series, is now in its seventh edition.

The program garnered unprecedented news coverage in 2005, receiving mention on 30 occasions in the disability and mainstream press. A Religion News Service article was published in 11 publications in July. The guidebook, That All May Worship, was noted in the July 21 issue of Parade magazine, in an "Intelligence Report" item entitled "How Churches Bar the Disabled." The program also received coverage in such major newspapers as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Boston Globe.

Other important Religion and Disability initiatives include the Accessible Congregations Campaign, which recognizes more than two thousand congregations that have committed to offering a full life of faith for people with disabilities, and which works to encourage even more congregations to make that commitment. Networking is facilitated through the Interfaith Directory of Religious Leaders with Disabilities, a voluntary listing of more than 100 leaders who are willing to serve as contacts and mentors. Continuing to add and support congregations and leaders is an ongoing priority for N.O.D.ís Religion and Disability Program.

2005 “That All May Worship” Conference Locations
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
Riverside, California
Erie, Pennsylvania
McLean, Virginia
Kingston, New York
Davis, California
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
New York, New York
Princeton, New Jersey
Lyons, Michigan
Metairie, Louisiana
Tampa Bay, Florida
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Washington, DC
Louisville, Kentucky
Fall River, Massachusetts
Dallas, Texas
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania Falls Church, Virginia

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CELEBRATING INCLUSIVENESS AROUND THE GLOBE

World Committee on Disability

Sponsors of the Presentation to Jordan: AIG, The Coca-Cola Company

Each year, N.O.D.’s international arm, the World Committee on Disability, partners with the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute to present the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award. The winning nation is selected for making noteworthy progress toward the United Nations World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons, which calls for the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life, regardless of their nation’s level of development.

In 2005, the Kingdom of Jordan was the recipient of the eighth FDR Award. Jordan was so honored because of its progress in raising the national consciousness about the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities and enhancing their full acceptance in society. Jordan has legislated for the rights, needs, and welfare of people with disabilities, and has established the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. In 1996, a Special Employment Office in the Ministry of Special Development was established in order to increase the employment of persons with disabilities. Jordan also demonstrated itself to be an international leader on disability when it hosted the first Pan Arab Sports Games for Persons with Disabilities in 1999.

The FDR Award is presented in a ceremony at the United Nations, followed by a luncheon in honor of the head of state receiving the Award. The Award consists of a $50,000 cash prize from the Roosevelt Institute for a nongovernmental disability organization in the winning nation. Honored countries also receive a bust of President Roosevelt by the distinguished sculptor Jo Davidson.

FDR Award Winners
Republic of South Korea
Canada
Ireland
Republic of Hungary
Kingdom of Thailand
Republic of Ecuador
Republic of Italy
Kingdom of Jordan

Since it was established in 1995 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, this award has highlighted the shared endeavour of Governments, the United Nations, civil society, and the private sector to improve the lives of disabled people everywhere.

-United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan

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SUPPORTING N.O.D.'S SUCCESS

Without the strong support of contributors who believe in our work, none of N.O.D.’s efforts could succeed. We thank the following supporters who make it possible for us to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

New Millennium Leaders
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
BusinessWeek
Henry H. Kessler Foundation
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Sprint
Patrons
Alcoa Foundation
Altria Group, Inc.
AstraZeneca
The Coca-Cola Company
Charles Engelhard Foundation
Bruce & Lueza Gelb
Stephen & Ellie Hammerman
The UPS Foundation
Wal-Mart Foundation & Diversity Relations
Benefactors
American Express Company
American International Group, Inc.
Phillip E. Beekman
Michael & Jane Deland
Richard & Helen DeVos
Stephen Feinberg & Susan Foote
Michael & Helen Hughes
JC Penney Company Fund
Harold McGraw III
Laurie & Michael Paternoster
Jeffery P. Reich
John & Pat Rosenwald
Verizon Communications
Frederick Whittemore
Sponsors
CIT Group Inc.
Eastman Kodak Company
Roger S. Firestone Foundation
Ted Frankenbach
National Structured Settlements Trade Association
New England Patriots Foundation
Northrup Grumman Corporation
Pepco Holdings, Inc.
Prudential Financial
Kenneth & Ellen Roman
SMS Data Products Group, Inc.
Whitehead Foundation
Partners
Blum-Kovler Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Burnes
Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation
CNA
John & Gail Hughes
Marriott International
Microsoft Corporation
Primedia/MotorTrend
Pfizer, Inc.
Sony Corporation of America
Xerox Corporation
Associates
Ernest & Kathleen Abrahamson
Aetna, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Clarion Management Resources, Inc.
John Dangora
Frank S. Deland, III.
John & Linda Derrick
W.R. Grace Foundation, Inc.
Heartfelt Charity Cards
Hilton Hotels Corporation
I. King & Linda Jordan
Martin & Elizabeth Keane
Ingrid Kirkland
William P. Kupper, Jr.
The May Department Stores Company
Merchants Distributors
Lee Miller, Esq.
Netherlands-America Community Trust, Inc.
Northeast Utilities System
Towers Perrin
The Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation
State Farm
Steelcase Inc.
Charles J. Queenan, Jr.
Peter B. Reich
Rockwell Collins
David Roosevelt
Nancy Starnes
Humphrey Taylor
Pitney Bowes Inc.
W. Reid Thompson
Lucy Waletzky
Worthington Industries
Friends
Louise P. Abernathy
Roger Adelman
Arlene & Philip Anns
American Association of People with Disabilities
Michael & Kathryn Basile
Richard & Doris Bishop
Robert & Renae Cohen
Yoshiko Dart
Gregory & Susan Dixon
David & Judith Drexler
Craig & Denise Dubow
Nancy Duncan
Marcel & Charlotte Durot
Thomas & Ellen Dwyer
Bert & Susan Edwards
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Carolyn C. Hall
John & Maggie Hager
Richard & Involut Jessup
Arthur Judson
Young & Kay Kang
Charles & Mary Kemp
John & Zenia Knebel
Daniel & Barbara Krabill
Jane Kushma
Paul & Susan Lancaster
Min Se & Duk Ja Lee
Wayne Lerner
Dorn C. McGrath, Jr.
Peter Ford McSpadden
Mercedes M. Miller
Mitsubishi Electric America
Claire Paulson
Carol E. Rabin
Bernard & Sandra Richman
Margaret Roffee
Alan & Elizabeth Rubin
Slade Gorton & Co., Inc.
Moira M. Shea
Terrence & Patricia Sheehy
Ellen Sher
Laurence A. Short
Bennett M. & Bonita Stein
Alfred & Elizabeth Taylor
Brewster Thackeray
William Thomas
Victor & Virginia Trautwein
Andrew R. Timmerman
Mary A. Toman
Cedric & Ann Tuohy
John and Carolyn Twiname
Cecil & Jeanette Walker
Washington Partners, LLC.
Daniel & Lucy Wong

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Special Giving Opportunities

N.O.D. welcomes planned giving. These are special donations where the gifts of assets may provide the donor with particular advantages. Planned gifts should always be made with the advice of an attorney or financial advisor. If you are interested in giving to the National Organization on Disability through a bequest, charitable lead trust, charitable remainder trust, or in donating life insurance, please contact the President of N.O.D. at 202/293-5960 or TDD 202/293-5968.