Your April news and resource guide has arrived!

Dear Families, Friends, and Partners,

Spring…don’t you love the start of spring? I enjoy watching tulips and my hostas sprout, and how fresh and new everything around me seems…and I don’t even mind the rabbits trying to eat my new plants! And, as a former banker, I get excited about National Financial Capability Month and the opportunities it presents to share information about money management to our youth with disabilities.

So, I’m thrilled that we are hosting a six-part series starting April 23rd on Financial Empowerment for Youth with Disabilities. This training series will help youth and their families learn how to manage finances and make informed decisions, and we’re very grateful to our series partners for their help bringing this information to a population who remains underserved in this area! Don’t miss out on this opportunity – register today!

We are also entering prime IEP season, so it’s a good time to welcome many of you to our Northern Oregon Special Education Summit! Join us in Hood River on April 27th as we dive into special education together!

April is always a busy month for families and for FACT Oregon. Thank you for letting us be a resource to you now and throughout the year and for being part of our amazing community.

Christy Reese, Executive Director

April Events

Spanish Community Virtual Drop-In Hours

First Wednesdays. April 3 | 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Families navigating disability and special education can meet with bilingual staff to receive support, information, and community connection in Spanish. Bring your questions! Click here to join by Zoom.

Getting Ready for Your Child's
Move to Kindergarten from
Early Childhood Special Education

Thursday, April 4 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Sessions in English and Spanish | Virtual

New Plan! New Team! Kindergarten brings new opportunities for every child, including those moving from Early Childhood Special Education Services (ECSE). This session will help families understand:

What to expect as your child moves to school from an IFSP to an IEP.
The purpose of special education services.
The important role families play in decision-making.
How to prepare for your transition meeting.

Download Flyer: English | Spanish

Three children smiling behind a wooden rainbow.

Financial Empowerment for Youth with Disabilities

Tuesdays from April 23 – May 28 | 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Virtual

SERIES FULL - JOIN THE WAITLIST

IN ENGLISH (a series in Spanish will be scheduled next fall)

The Financial Empowerment for Youth with Disabilities training series helps young people with disabilities and their families learn how to manage and make smart choices about money. We encourage youth (14+) and families to attend together. Participants will learn:

Why it's important for youth to make their own decisions about money.
How to set goals, create budgets, and make plans to spend wisely.
About bank accounts, digital wallets, and mobile payments.
How to be safe with money.
How credit - or borrowing money - works
How having a job can affect SSI/SSDI benefits.
Financial and benefit counseling resources available to get more help.

Join the waitlist

Download Flyer

This series is presented in partnership with The Division of Financial Regulation and OnPoint Community Credit Union, and with support from Believe in Me.

Northern Oregon Regional Summit:
Dive Into Special Education

Saturday, April 27 | 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Hood River Valley High School, 1220 Indian Creek Rd, Hood River

Join us as we explore special education and the IEP, share strategies to communicate with your child’s school, and talk about how to resolve disagreements. Learn more and register.

Download Flyer: English | Spanish

Presented with support from Oregon Health Authority, The Ford Family Foundation, and Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace.

Breaking Barriers:
Life Beyond Labels Conference

Wednesday, April 24 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Deschutes County Expo Center, Redmond

FACT Oregon will be presenting at Breaking Barriers! The vision of Breaking Barriers is to learn how to support people experiencing disability across all areas of their life by hearing directly from self-advocates and others with expertise to share. Register here.

April is Financial Capability Month!

Managing money is a vital skill for anyone to have, including people with disabilities. Understanding personal finance is not just about dollars and cents; it's about gaining independence, making informed choices, and securing a brighter future.

Here are some other resources to further support your journey into financial empowerment:

Understanding Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources.
Social Security Administration: When People Need Help Managing Their Money: Often, people on SSI designate someone to help them manage their payments, like a family member.
Oregon ABLE Savings Plan. This savings and investment account is for people with disabilities! It’s your ticket to saving for your youth’s future while maintaining their disability-related benefits such as Medicaid and SSI.

Financial Wellness Partnership Spotlights

We’re thrilled to be a 2024 Statewide Outreach Program partner with the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR). DFR is home to free consumer support for financial and insurance-related products and services. If you have an insurance or financial services question, need to file a complaint, or check a license, we can help. Check out their consumer education tools and resources!

DFR Resources:

We are also excited that OnPoint Community Credit Union is partnering with us to expand access to financial education this month through the Financial Empowerment for Youth with Disabilities series. Learn more about building financial knowledge and cultivating healthy money habits by visiting OnPoint Community Credit Union’s Financial Education page.

Dream Big Dreams Online Auction: We Need Your Help!

Dream BIG Dreams is an annual event that raises unrestricted dollars and builds collective energy and capacity for disability justice.

The online auction will run June 14-20, and we invite you to join us in the spirit of creativity and generosity by donating an item or service to our auction or helping us approach your company to sponsor.

Together, let’s help more families navigating disability Dream BIG Dreams and get the support they need!

Sponsor or donate an item.

Just for Youth

Ready to take charge of your financial journey and make decisions about money?

Come to the Financial Empowerment for Youth with Disabilities series! (see above!)
Financial Resources for Students: Explore these resources from OnPoint Community Credit Union for youth and young adults.
Check out Susan Trough's Understanding ABLE Accounts. This lesson helps you understand ABLE accounts and make informed decisions about your financial future.
Watch Rachel Mast talk about how she uses her ABLE Account.
Getting ready for your first job? Don't miss DFR's Starting Your New Job brochure. It's packed with valuable tips and information to help you enter the workforce with confidence!

Your financial empowerment journey starts now!

Take our survey!

It's time for our annual survey!

This anonymous survey helps us understand more about you, how you connect with FACT Oregon and rate our services, and how you support youth with disabilities to live whole, full lives.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey!

FACT Oregon gratefully accepts tax-deductible gifts from people like you who are passionate about family support and disability equity. Donate today and help us reach and serve more families across the state!

DONATE