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Monthly Update

Feb 16, 2024

The February Update

Welcome to February, friends of Easy Does It,

We’re only a month into the new year and already have much to show. We were excited to table at two events in January to connect more Alameda County residents with our affordable safety net services. We shared a remastered version of a documentary produced by Ed Roberts and are also excited to have brought back monthly EDI Team Lunches. In February, we have an important announcement regarding changes to how clients are expected to make their co-payments. We appreciate you working with us to ensure that co-payments are made at the time of service and that past-due account balances are paid in full.

Regarding your Co-Payments

During previous years, some of our clients have been told that they don’t have to pay at the time of service and will receive a bill via e-mail. Starting this year, our Team Members are being asked to collect payment at the time of service. Even if you’re using our transportation program, we’re still required to collect ride vouchers from you when the ride is finished. If it’s a paid service, we accept all major credit/debit cards and checks made to Easy Does It Emergency Services. We’re a cashless business.

In the event of severe financial hardship, we are more than happy to work with you to settle your past-due balance in a manner that accommodates you. But Easy Does It is contractually obligated to collect Co-Payments by the City of Berkeley, and doing so helps ensure that we can continue to provide Emergency Support Services to all of the Berkeley residents who need them. If you are instructed to wait for a bill in the future, please let us know via the grievance form or by calling our office line. Thank you for understanding and working with us to keep Easy Does It available to everyone who needs it.

Celebrating Black History Month in 2024

Infographic reading, African Americans and the Arts, Black History Month.

Black History Month is a time to honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans in various fields of art, culture, science, and society. The theme for 2024 is African Americans and the Arts, so we will explore some of the influential figures and movements that have shaped the history of Black Arts, from the blues to hip hop to Afrofuturism.

Read the Article

Another EDI Website Accessibility Audit from C4AT

We just finished up another Accessibility Audit with the Center for Accessible Technology. Although Easy Does It’s website did quite well during the audit, it didn’t receive a perfect score, so we’re now hard at work addressing some of their concerns to ensure that anyone with a visual impairment can access its resources.

A huge thank you to C4AT for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure that our website and many others are accessible to all persons with disabilities. We look forward to improving the EDI website so that the community we serve can continue to live as they choose.

Discovering Interdependence Remastered

For Ed Roberts Day this year, we were pleased to release a remastered version of a Documentary with Ed Roberts, and we also believe that he produced this video. Discovering Interdependence, which was focused on a Summer Camp for young persons with disabilities that was revolutionary for its time. They taught disabled and non-disabled students to work together and depend on each other to accomplish extraordinary things.

Using artificial intelligence, we have upscaled the dated video footage to high definition and worked with multiple AV tools to enhance the video further with color correction and audio restoration. The result ensures that Ed’s work will look as excellent as possible on modern high-definition displays and mobile phones.

Accessibility Awareness Day at CRIL In Hayward

Trevor and Levan enjoyed representing Easy Does It at the Community Resources for Independent Living’s Accessibility Awareness Day. Created in honor of Ed Robert’s Day, CRIL’s event connected their community with other non-profits that can help them, as well as free food and activities. We were there to connect their clients with our Wheelchair Roadside Assistance program and offer free tune-ups on their power wheelchairs and other assistive tech. From the moment we got there, Levan had many clients who needed work done on their power chairs. He fixed multiple walkers, properly mounted a client's joystick, and much more.

Thank you to CRIL for organizing this event and empowering us to help many individuals with their power chairs. We look forward to returning to their offices regularly to continue offering much-needed support to Hayward’s wheelchair users.

EDI at Lunar New Year in Oakland

Trevor at the outreach booth on day 2 of the Lunar New Year Celebration.

Shortly after Accessibility Awareness Day, we were happy to be able to attend the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce’s Lunar New Year Celebration. We tabled Saturday and Sunday to connect potential clients with our Affordable Wheelchair Repair Program and Roadside Assistance Program for Oakland Residents. At the event, we were very excited to debut our new Mandarin Flyers, Merch, and Tablets, which allowed patrons to learn about our work in any language and apply for service at the booth. We look forward to returning with Cantonese literature and enough merchandise next year to make it through the weekend, as our tote bags and Lunar New Year-inspired snacks were in high demand at this event.

Team Lunches are Back

Trevor at the outreach booth on day 2 of the Lunar New Year Celebration.

Shortly after Accessibility Awareness Day, we were happy to be able to attend the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce’s Lunar New Year Celebration. We tabled Saturday and Sunday to connect potential clients with our Affordable Wheelchair Repair Program and Roadside Assistance Program for Oakland Residents. At the event, we were very excited to debut our new Mandarin Flyers, Merch, and Tablets, which allowed patrons to learn about our work in any language and apply for service at the booth. We look forward to returning with Cantonese literature and enough merchandise next year to make it through the weekend, as our tote bags and Lunar New Year-inspired snacks were in high demand at this event.

Alert: Landline Service at Risk of Being Cut

AT&T is seeking to discontinue landline telephone services and end federal financial assistance programs for low-income customers throughout the State.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold two virtual public meetings on March 19, 2024, for the public to comment. If you rely on landline service as your only means of communication for phone service and emergencies, mark your calendar to participate in these meetings.

Comments can be submitted now at Proceedings Tab5 - Public Comments (ca.gov).

This is an essential service for low-income people with disabilities, seniors, and rural California residents who do not (or cannot) use cellular devices because they live in poor cellphone reception areas.

Given our recent storms and power outages throughout California, now is not the time to cut off landline service for many whose lives may depend on it. Visit the CPUC website for instructions on how to participate in the public meetings on March 19th

Meeting Link

https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/proceedings-and-rulemaking/cpuc-public-participation-hearings

Support Oakland First Fridays

As you may have heard, Oakland First Fridays has been on hiatus and has shifted its focus toward fundraising. They are launching an Every Dollar Counts campaign to rally support and ensure the continuation of Oakland First Fridays! We kindly ask for your help spreading the word about their fundraising efforts by sharing Every Dollar Counts graphics with your followers, friends, and family! Or by supporting them via cash app/PayPal. 

Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network Disaster First Aid Course on Feb 29

Join Barbara Morita, P.A. as she teaches critical life-saving measures with an earthquake focus. This offering from the Berkeley Disaster Prep Neighborhood Network (BDPNN) will cover triaging victims, controlling bleeding, shock, simple splinting, and moving victims. It will be held on Thursday February 29 at 6:30 pm at the BFUU Church at the corner of Bonita and Cedar in Berkeley.

Register for Event

The American Dream Employment Network Podcast Series

Join Barbara Morita, P.A. as she teaches critical life-saving measures with an earthquake focus. This offering from the Berkeley Disaster Prep Neighborhood Network (BDPNN) will cover triaging victims, controlling bleeding, shock, simple splinting, and moving victims. It will be held on Thursday February 29 at 6:30 pm at the BFUU Church at the corner of Bonita and Cedar in Berkeley.

Stream Podcast

The American Dream Employment Network Podcast Series

Join Barbara Morita, P.A. as she teaches critical life-saving measures with an earthquake focus. This offering from the Berkeley Disaster Prep Neighborhood Network (BDPNN) will cover triaging victims, controlling bleeding, shock, simple splinting, and moving victims. It will be held on Thursday February 29 at 6:30 pm at the BFUU Church at the corner of Bonita and Cedar in Berkeley.

That’s all we have for you in February. We’re looking forward to another month of providing Seniors and Persons with Disabilities with the services they need to live independently.

We thank you for working with us to ensure that we can continue to provide these services by making your co-payments at the time of service and by settling any past-due EDI payment balances.

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