For 40 years, Penn-Mar Human Services has stood as a steadfast advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their loved ones. We have grown from our early days of 12 founding families fighting for basic opportunities for their adult children with IDD, into a community of over 600 families and friends, who continue to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable world. With your help, and by joining our stories and efforts, we can create momentum.
The goal of the Penn-Mar Advocacy Collective (PMAC) is to advocate for an increase in funding for IDD services that will translate to proper compensation of Direct Support Professional (DSP) wages. This is critical for inclusion and equity within the greater community, and for gainful employment, opportunities, and acceptance of people with IDD.
Learn more by reading the PMAC Overview
Your voice is needed to ensure that changes are made that benefit our family members. Without our voices many of the changes that have taken place over the years would not have happened.”
Denise Coil
Claudia Summerson – “Without Penn-Mar and the DSPs Abbie would not have an active life and the opportunity to live as independently as possible. Knowing someday we will no longer be here, we have the comfort knowing she will be taken care of . . . We need to focus on bringing awareness on how important and essential our DSPs are to the everyday lives of our individuals (keeping them safe/healthy) and why they deserve higher wages.”
Victoria Blankenship – “I do not believe in limits around ability for anyone. People can do amazing things when someone says ‘OK, I don’t know how we’re going to do that but we’ll figure it out.’ It might mean that we have to find someone to write computer software or find an engineer to build an adaptive device that doesn’t exist on the market. It might mean that it might take years to achieve a goal, but it’s still an achievement. The small achievements along the way are of no less value.”
Denise Coil – “Your voice is needed to ensure that changes are made that benefit our family members. Without our voices many of the changes that have taken place over the years would not have happened.”
Click the links below to easily access additional information and resources:
Find Your Elected Officials
For Maryland Residents
For Pennsylvania Residents
Resources
Organizations to Know
Fun & Informative Advocacy Resources
Join us!
For more information on how to be involved in our advocacy efforts, please contact Tina Chan Sweenie, Manager of Volunteer and Donor Engagement: tinachansweenie@penn-mar.org or 443-491-9638.
Your voice is needed to ensure that changes are made that benefit our family members. Without our voices many of the changes that have taken place over the years would not have happened.”