The Link

Printed Newsletter

The LINK is our printed newsletter with information about disability topics, Disability Network’s programing and upcoming events. To receive the The LINK by mail or in an alternative format, contact us at communications@dnswm.org or call (269) 345-1516.

The e-LINK

The e-LINK is divided into shorter monthly email publications making it easier and faster to read. As a BONUS, the e-LINK contains an article each month focused on the business community and how businesses can become accessible and welcoming for people with disabilities.


The LINK Archive:

e-LINK – Sept 2022 (e-LINK): ALICE in Focus; Rev Up to Vote; Back To School Checklist; Make it Safe for Employees to Disclose a Disability.

e-LINK – Aug 2022 (e-LINK): 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge; Paving the Way to Self Determination; Advocacy Academy; How Inclusive are your Job Postings?

e-LINK – July 2022 (e-LINK): Access for All Celebration; Accessibility Scavenger Hunt; Hope’s story; RAMP-A-THON; 21-Day Disability Equity Challenge Returns.

e-LINK – June 2022 (e-LINK): Spirit Club – New Schedule; Birdability; #SayTheWord; Access for All Celebration – save the date.

e-LINK – May 2022 (e-LINK): New Office in Battle Creek; Supporting Employees with Chronic Illness; Access For All Celebration; Advocacy Academy.

e-LINK – April 2022 (e-LINK): Advocacy Academy; Advocating for Appropriate Education; Removing Barriers to Finding Talent; Nothing About Us Without Us Film Festival.

e-LINK – March 2022 (e-LINK): Find Your Path Forward with Options Counseling; Words Matter; Be Intentional; Nothing About Us Without Us Film Festival.

e-LINK – February 2022 (e-LINK): Something Old/Something New; Vaccine Assistance; New Online Publication Options; Best Practices for Disability Language.

e-LINK – January 2022 (e-LINK): New Faces on Leadership Team; We’re Switching It Up Online; Ed Roberts Day; Disability Inclusion at Work.

LINKJanuary 2022  (pdf) (audio): Old & New in 2022; New Leadership; Ed Roberts Day; Vaccine Assistance; e-Publication Changes; upcoming events, and more.


October 2021 (e-LINK) (pdf) (audio): 21-Day Equity Challenge; Removing Barriers Opens New Doors; Volunteers of the Year; Retirement note from Joel Cooper; upcoming events, and more.

July 2021 (e-LINK) (pdf) (audio): ADA Celebration; Vaccination Assistance; Youth Benefits Planning; Enjoying the Outdoors; RAMP-A-THON; Tribute to Joel Cooper; upcoming events, and more.

April 2021 (e-LINK) (pdf) (audio): Michigan Clean Slate Act; Expungement Clinic; Business Community Resources; New Programs; Disability Advocacy Film Festival; upcoming events, and more.

January 2021 (e-LINK) (pdf) (audio): Reflecting on the Past 40 Years; Celebrating Ed Roberts Day; Ableism in Law Enforcement; Supporting People with Challenges of COVID-19; Welcome new Board Members; AT Video Series; upcoming events, and more.

October 2020 (e-LINK) (pdf): Ready, set, VOTE; Voting webinar; CARES Act funding provides relief during COVID-19; Agency Operations & Customer Contact; NDEAM: Increasing Access & Opportunity; Jamar’s Path to Employment; upcoming events, and more.

July 2020 (e-LINK) (pdf): ASA 30th Anniversary; Meeting with Customers Again; 2020 RAMP-A-THON; New Ways of Getting the Job Done; Clear Face Masks Assist Communication; upcoming events, and more.

March 2020 (e-LINK) (pdf): Ableism; Smart 9-1-1-; Advocacy Academy; Meet Alex; 2020 Census; Patient No More Reception; Save the Date for our ADA Anniversary Celebration; upcoming events, and more.

January 2020 (e-LINK) (pdf): Alternatives to Guardianship; October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Pre-ETS is Back to School; Newest Staff Members; What is Student Earned Income Exclusion; KNOWvember is Coming!; It’s Election Season; upcoming events, and more.

October 2019 (e-LINK) (pdf): Alternatives to Guardianship; October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Pre-ETS is Back to School; Newest Staff Members; What is Student Earned Income Exclusion; KNOWvember is Coming!; It’s Election Season; upcoming events, and more.

July 2019 (e-LINK) (pdf): Annual ADA Anniversary Celebration; RAMP-A-THON; Meet Chris; Ableism workshop series; Internet access for low income households; annual report; Accessible Computer Lab; upcoming events, and more.

April 2019 (e-LINK) (pdf): Accessible Outdoor Recreation; Berrien County Transportation Forum; Meet James; ADA Celebration; Advocacy Academy; MiABLE Accounts; Volunteer Appreciation; Upcoming Events; and more.

January 2019 (e-LINK) (pdf): Accessible Computer Lab Comes to Kalamazoo Office; Make Emergency Preparedness Your New Year’s Resolution; 2018 by the Numbers; January 23 is Ed Roberts Day; Assistive Technology Resources; Peer Support Groups in Southwest Michigan; Upcoming Events; and more.

October 2018 (e-LINK) (pdf): Renovated Community Building; Volunteer of the Year; AT Loan Fund; Community Transition Services Program; Charting the Course: Meet Calvin; National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Emergency Preparedness Focus Groups; Upcoming Events; and more.

July 2018 (e-LINK)(pdf): ADA Anniversary Celebration; RAMP-A-THON; Charting the Course: Joyce; Say YES to Seniors in Kalamazoo County; Seeking Board Members; Meet the Newest Members of our Team; Upcoming Events; and more.

April 2018 (e-LINK)(pdf): Connect to Your Community; Upcoming Events; Annual ADA Celebration Scheduled; Advocacy Academy: Preparing for the next generation of disability rights activists; Senior Millage vote in Kalamazoo; Youth in Transition programs are a big success; Charting the Course: Meet Bradley; Upcoming Events; and more.

January 2018 (e-LINK)(pdf): Winter: Snow Removal; Ed Roberts Day; Highlight: Andrei is Living the Dream; New Staff Member; Beware of Social Security Phone Scams; AT Loan Fund; ABLE Account Cap Raised; Free Tax Preparation Resources; Upcoming Events, and more.

October 2017 (e-LINK)(pdf): National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Volunteer of the Year; Michigan Disability Summit; New Accessible Voting Machines in Michigan; What You Need to Know about HR620; Home Heating Bill Assistance; Upcoming Events, and more.

July 2017 (e-LINK)(pdf): ADA Anniversary Celebration; Ramp-A-Thon; Advocacy Academy; Meet Our Newest Staff; STAR Award Recpient: Patti Townsend; Upcoming Events.

April 2017 (e-LINK)(pdf): Be Heard! Your Voice Counts!; Preparing the Next Generation: Youth & Young Adult Programming; Financial Assistance for AT Devices; Upcoming events; and more.

January 2017 (e-LINK)(pdf): Emergency Preparedness/Home fires; Information & Referral Services Meet Gretchen; Disability Pride Workshop; Volunteer of the Year; Upcoming events; and more.

October 2016 (e-LINK)(pdf): Your Vote Matters; Disability Employment Awareness Month; NFT Program; Upcoming events; and more.

July 2016 (e-LINK)(pdf): ADA Anniversary Celebration; ADA Compliance Services; Ramp-a-thon; AT Loan Fund; Upcoming events; and more.

April 2016 (e-LINK)(pdf): Disability Pride workshops; Ramp Up program; Self Advocacy workshop; Book Club; and more.

January 2016 (e-LINK) (pdf): Peer Support; ABLE Act Update; 2016 Leadership; Upcoming Events; Volunteer of the Year; and more.

October 2015 (e-LINK) (pdf): Disability Employment Awareness; Exercise Your Right to Vote (AutoMARK); KNOWvember is coming; Employment & Disability Workshop; AmazonSmile; and more.

July 2015 (e-LINK) (pdf): ADA 25th Anniversary Celebrations, Disability Visibility Project, Assistive Technology: Health Monitoring Apps; Emergency Preparedness, and more.

April 2015 (e-LINK)(pdf): Advocacy Academy, ADA 25th Anniversary Celebration, MI Health Link, Nursing Facility Transition Program, Advocacy Update, and more.

January 2015 (e-LINK) (pdf): New Accessible Icon, 25th Anniversary of ADA, Tennis Anyone, WatchMinder, New Brain Injury Support Group, Upcoming Workshop,Hearing Loop

October 2014 (e-LINK) (pdf): SSI Wage reporting goes high-tech, calendar of events & workshops, 1st annual Ramp A Thon update.

July 2014 (e-LINK) (pdf): Advocacy makes a difference: What Every Driver Must Know now in accessible format, NFT program needs donations, AT Emergency Fund, Walkability Audit, ADA Celebration, and more!

April 2014 (e-LINK) (pdf): Myths and Facts about Social Security and Work, Find Help Paying for Out of Pocket Medicare Costs, Assistive Technology Loans, Kalamazoo Growlers Tickets, ADA Workshop Information & more!

January 2014 (e-LINK) (pdf): Introducing our Disability Guide program, fragrance free policies are about accessibility, workshops and events.

October 2013 (e-LINK) (pdf): Employment workshop announcement, advocacy workshops with Michigan Family Voices, Emergency Preparedness website, Annual Meeting & Membership information, CJ Jones performing in Kalamazoo, and Affordable Care Act presentations.

July/August 2013 (e-LINK) (pdf): Michigan Deaf Association Conference information, ADA & Websites, Volunteer of the Year, Advocacy Academy updates, and more.

May 2013 (e-LINK) (pdf): Mental Health Parity legislation, Rally in Lansing, Psychiatric Advance Directives, Sharon DeHaan wins STAR award, AT Demonstration Project, and Advocacy Academy applications.

January 2013 (e-LINK) (pdf): Disability Language and Etiquette Lunch & Learns, Movie and Discussion events, Winter Emergency Preparedness tips, Snow Removal reminders, Self-determination workshop announcement and Membership information.

November 2012 (e-LINK) (pdf): Disability & Employment issue! Articles include disclosing a disability, requesting an accommodation, how working could impact your benefits, and more!

July 2012 (e-LINK) (pdf): Celebrating freedom & independence, upcoming events, ADA anniversary, and more.

April 2012 (e-LINK) (pdf): Respect accessible parking spots, online orientation at Michigan Rehabilitation Services, membership information & more!

January 2012 (e-LINK) (pdf): Why not to do disability simulations, Legacy Fund initiative, the ADA and Segway devices as mobility aids, more.

October 2011 (e-LINK) (pdf): Social Security Overpayments, Disability Roundtable Discussions, ask the advocate, Volunteer of the Year.

July 2011 (e-LINK) (pdf): Home Help Chore Provider services will end, Pride Workshops, telling our story at the Capitol.

April 2011 (e-LINK) (pdf): Do You Have Disability Pride?, volunteers needed for Whirlpool product testing, ramps are springing up, help us reach our annual campaign goal & more!

January 2011 (e-LINK) (pdf): 2011 is our 30th anniversary, Social Security eliminates paper checks, Food Assistance dates change, more!

October 2010 (e-LINK) (pdf): Michigan Youth Leadership Forum, voting using the AutoMark, member spotlight, more!

July 2010 (pdf): 20th Anniversary of the ADA information, Berrien/Cass Open House, end the 2-year wait for Medicare.