The Schowalter Foundation of Newton, Kansas, and Everence of Goshen, Indiana, have each awarded grants to Anabaptist Disabilities Network to support the work of coordinating increased accessibility services for persons with disabilities attending the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Orlando in July.

Kathleen Nofziger Yeakey, Executive Director of Anabaptist Disabilities Network, is additionally pleased to announce that Elizabeth Vendley of Richland, Pennsylvania, will serve as the Accessibility Coordinator at the MCUSA convention in Orlando. Elizabeth will coordinate and schedule volunteer Accessibility Hosts at the convention. She will also assist persons who need accessibility services such as assistive listening devices, wheelchair rental assistance, American Sign Language translation, or other services.

Linda Christophel, a board member for Anabaptist Disabilities Network, will also assist as resource coordinator at the convention to make print materials more accessible.  Print resources include large-print versions of written materials, printed copies of songs for worship services, and large-print maps of the convention venue including accessibility services and facilities.

Accessibility Hosts will serve in various ways at the convention to assist persons with disabilities of mobility, vision and hearing impairment, intellectual disability, and others as needed. Hosts may serve as guides to accessible seating in worship venues, assist with getting food at meal times in the exhibit hall, provide American Sign Language translation for the deaf, provide visual descriptions and commentaries for persons with vision loss, etc.

Accessibility Hosts will be easily identifiable by wearing royal blue accessibility host vests. Grants from the Schowalter Foundation and Everence have provided funds for the accessibility host vests, print materials, and other resources to offer accessibility services at the convention.