In 1987, President Reagan recognized March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to increase “public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities” and to provide the “encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”
This year, communities and organizations across the United States are joining together to celebrate people and work together to remove obstacles. The goal is to build a community that’s committed to creating a world where everyone can do well and succeed. At Pathways, we create pathways to education and opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities every day.
Here are three ways you can help Pathways during Developmental Disability Awareness Month:
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- Volunteer with Pathways – help Pathways enrich the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by volunteering! You can be a Guest Teacher and share about your job, hobby, or passion with our students. You can also be a classroom volunteer and help our teacher prepare for class, engage students, and build relationships with students. Or become a mentor and spend an hour a week with a student, helping them with reading, math, life skills, and social skills. Learn more about volunteering at Pathways here.
- Share Pathways Social Media posts – social media is a great way to share with your network of friends and family and raise awareness about developmental disabilities. By sharing, you can help amplify the voices of people with disabilities. Pathways is on Instagram and Facebook @PathwaysOK. You can find other posts about Developmental Disability Awareness Month by looking for posts with the hashtag #DDAwareness2024.
- Wear Orange – Orange is the official color of Developmental Disability Awareness Month. One of the easiest ways to recognize Developmental Disability Awareness Month is to wear orange and invite others to join you.
