IMPACT for People with Disabilities

Participant practices an eyestrike

Mal Malme, an IMPACT Boston grad, ran the Chicago marathon to raise money to train IMPACT Chicago instructors to teach IMPACT:Ability, a nationally recognized safety program for people with disabilities developed by sister organization IMPACT Boston under the leadership of Meg Stone.  Through crowdrise and direct donations, Mal raised the $6500 needed to cover the training costs. Thank you, Mal, for doing the run and thank you to all who donated!

Mal in the yellow shirt with some of the supporters who cheered her on

 Five IMPACT instructors will travel to Boston in April for training in the IMPACT:Ability curriculum in which people with disabilities learn and develop their ability to recognize unsafe situations and respond with effective self-protective behaviors. Participants in IMPACT:Ability learn to advocate for themselves in everyday situations as well as learn skills to deal with dangerous situations, such as bullying, harassment, attempted abduction, and sexual violence.  Research by the Institute for Community Health found that the program increases participants’ knowledge, self-confidence, and self-protective behaviors. 

Thank you to all those whose donations have made it possible for IMPACT Chicago to receive the IMPACT:Ability training.

George Anastos
Bettie Ashbee
Amy Blumenthal
Patricia Broughton in honor of Martha Thompson
Julie Char
Rita Christeler
James Cloonan
Brian David
Robyn Dobrozsi
Carmel Drewes
JoAnn Eisenberg
Emily Gelb
Ann Gerbin
Sarah Gibson
Christopher Giles
Marilynn Grais
Lynn Gryll
Adriana Gutierrez
Rose Hanig
Kimberly Hoff
Wendy Kinal
Greg Lanza
Ginger Lazarus
Patricia Lotterman
Gillian Mackay-Smith
Homa Magsi
Mal Malme
Katherine Manners
Priscilla McRoberts
Debra Mier
David Mogolov
Meryl Lyn Moss
Grace Newton
Phoebe Nitekman
Ronna Nitekman
Lisa Rafferty
Pearl Rieger
Ellen Sack
Susan Seigle
Sarah Shepherd
Yehudit Sidikman
Katie Skibbe
Jeffrey Smithson
Aren Stone
Carole Stone
Margaret Stone
Michael Susman
Martha Thompson
Gillian Watson
Amy West
Sharlene Young