One facet of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds awarded to the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities is for Community Experiences. This funding is available to support community activities, ensuring affordability for people with disabilities and their support staff. These activities could be as simple as a trip to the movies or the local fair, or bigger, like traveling to a destination for a couple of days. For Stephanie Parsons, it was a trip to Holmes County with her provider, Janice Kentner, which would not have been possible without the Community Experiences funds.
Stephanie has always had an interest in Amish culture, consistently reading books and researching the day-to-day life of the Amish. It was an easy decision to travel to the heart of Amish country once hearing about the opportunity available through the ARPA grant. The trip was fully funded by the grant, allowing Stephanie to pick what she wanted to do without the worry of expense or making tough decisions. “The process was very easy and accessible,” said Janice, “Stephanie’s SSA reached out to let us know this was available. I talked with Stephanie and mom, and then just applied.”
Stephanie and Janice enjoyed three days packed with fun and adventure. They stayed at an inn infused with Amish culture and tradition, visited an operational farm home to see day-to-day life and experienced a drive-through safari where they were able to feed animals. “Stephanie planned everything, what she wanted to do, where she wanted to go, what she wanted to eat, everything was Stephanie,” said Janice. Stephanie added, “Too many things happened on the trip to pick a favorite. The food was one of the best parts, the buffet we went to.” They ate at many delicious spots, like the Der Dutchman and Dutch Valley restaurants. Another memorable moment of the trip was Stephanie and Janice attending the ABBAFAB (an ABBA tribute band) concert at the local theatre where Stephanie won a prize!
Moments like these are ones Stephanie will hold close to her heart forever. Stephanie’s mom, Marsha, shared the same sentiment. “From my perspective as mom, I know this is something she always talked about yet I wasn’t able to do for her. This grant made it really nice. Janice is like her second mom and I had no worries because I knew she was in good hands and it was awesome that she got to have that opportunity,” Marsha shared. “It’s awesome that it’s available for individuals to utilize and experience things they otherwise would not have been able to.” The Community Experiences fund opened up the door for a trip that was stress-free and memorable for Stephanie. Stephanie’s final words about the trip were this: “I thought it was awesome because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities is proud to work with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities to bring opportunities like this to the people they serve. All facets of the ARPA grant aim to make Allen County more accessible and inclusive for all, through physical changes like the installation of universal changing stations, and through experiences like the one Stephanie had. Stay tuned for more updates about the ARPA grant and other Community Experiences.
Funds are still available for the Community Experiences. Contact Melissa Ricker at 419-221-1385, ext. 3270 or mricker@acbdd.org
