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Welcome to the Abundant Community
Our website reports on the social innovations that are changing the experience of neighbor and community. We are always interested in what you find
useful on the site and what you are creating in your own efforts.
— John McKnight and Peter Block
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“People who have been labeled disabled have made great strides in taking their place as full citizens in Canada and around the world,” says
Judith Snow, an international pioneer in the philosophy and practice of building circles of support, a relationship-based
approach to assistance for people with physical and intellectual challenges. “Many are included in every aspect of life in ordinary communities everywhere. Even though citizens who are called disabled face barriers to participation –– poverty, isolation, segregation,
lack of supports, and lack of information and education –– many continue on a daily basis to work at building positive and successful lives of contribution and fulfillment.
“People who are labeled disabled welcome and sustain positive relationships, embrace love and family, take part in local economies, have fun, are good neighbors, and participate in civic decision making. And –– not content to succeed
only for themselves –– these citizens often extend support to others to help them face barriers and reach their potential too.”
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Soon after she became the first person in Canada to receive individualized government funding, Judith Snow developed a circles-of-support model
that puts government funding directly into the hands of the people who need it. Since then some form of liberating individualized assistance has been adopted by most Canadian provinces for people with all sorts of disabilities.
In addition to writing and lecturing around the world, she has been a consultant and trainer with the National Home of Your Own Alliance, which
operated in 23 states in the US, resulting in hundreds of people living in their own homes with their own support systems. Now as a faculty member with the Northwestern University’s
Asset-Based Community Development Institute, she works to foster a fusion of community development and inclusion that allows citizens to benefit from diversity
in grass root community settings internationally.
In 2003 Judith developed the Laser Eagles Art Guild, which allows people with limited mobility to paint
and makes it possible for these artists to fully integrate into local arts communities. She has become a visual artist herself, with three showings of her own works.
Judith shows people that there really is no disability: “People are always contributing something. The work is to see the value and potential in what they are contributing and build that through relationships into community and economic
opportunities.”
She will be John and Peter’s special guest in their Conversation Call on October 21 at 1 pm Eastern. See Events for
details on how to participate.
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There are many more stories and blog posts on the website on building community, connecting with the people in your neighborhood and creating alternative
futures in local economies, education, health care and other domains of community life.
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Judith has led training and education programs for more than 30 years throughout the US, the UK, Europe, the Caribbean and Canada, and her models have resulted in thousands
of people with disabilities getting jobs, homes, new relationships and support systems that lead to full community participation and personal respect.
John, Peter and Judith will talk for about a half-hour about how people on the margin have contributions to make to the neighborhood and the way social policy sustains dependency
by putting the money in the hands of paid institutional staff, not the family of the individual.
Then they’ll open the conversation up for questions and comments from anyone who wants to stay around.
You can use the
comment form
on the website or go to our
Facebook page to post the questions and insights you would like to share in advance.
It’s easy to listen and participate. If you can’t listen live, the conversation will be archived for listening or downloading later.
To join the conversation
online:
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Click this link:
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/115124
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Click the big green circle with what looks like a “play” button to begin listening.
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Once on the site, you will see a big purple “JOIN IN!” button. Once you do that you can listen from this window and also participate in the chat room.
To join the conversation by phone:
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Dial in to TalkShoe at (724) 444-7444
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At the prompt, enter the Call ID: 115124#
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If you are not a member of TalkShoe, when asked for a PIN, follow the prompt to enter 1#.
Check the
Events
page on the website for more details.
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My Gifts List
Notes on the Gifts and Assets That People Who Are Vulnerable to Rejection Commonly Bring to Community
By
Judith Snow
One day, John’s old friend Judith Snow told him that what we call disabilities are often gifts miscast as part of the empty half of the glass half-full. When John asked
her to help him understand her point, she shared her Gift's List with him.
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John tells the story of traveling across Canada with Pat Worth, who had been labeled retarded as a child and was living on a park bench when he decided to organize people
who shared his experience. The organization he formed is now known as People First.
John learned an unforgettable lesson from something Pat said on that trip:
We don't need services; we need community.
Judith describes how the
Laser Eagles Art Guild
enables people labeled disabled to express themselves through art.
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When I was four years old they tried to test my IQ, they showed me this picture of three oranges and a pear. They asked me which one is different and does not belong; they
taught me different was wrong.
Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging.
Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream:
work.
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Continue the conversation
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