Festival of Inclusion Returns, Serving the Intellectual Developmental Disability Community
The Golisano Foundation, Special Olympics and Best Buddies are joining together to host the second annual
Festival of Inclusion on Saturday, March 4.
The event will have interactive fun, games and education is free and will be held at the Golisano Training Center at Nazareth, 4245 East Ave in Rochester from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Festival of Inclusion is part of the Spread the Word campaign started in 2009 to focused on ending the use of the word "retard(ed)" and creating a new reality of inclusion for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The campaign/organization is committed to empowering grassroots leaders to change their communities, schools, and workplaces, now through a call to their peers to take action for inclusion.
"We’re very excited to be bringing back the Festival of Inclusion for its second year,” said Ann Costello, Golisano Foundation Executive Director. “It’s a great opportunity to get to know the dozens of dedicated agencies in our region that will be showcasing their inclusive services and inspiring acceptance and advocating for respectful words and actions in all aspects of our lives."
Community inclusion stations featuring interactive and creative activities and demonstrations will take place inside the Center from the following regional organizations:
Abilities Movement, Inc
Aceing Autism
Al Sigl Community of Agencies
Alzheimer's Association
AutismUp
Bella's Bumbas LTD
Best Buddies Friendship Walk
Best Buddies WNY
BOCES Monroe One - Project LIFE
Catholic Charities Family and Community Services
Challenger Miracle Field of Greater Rochester
CP Rochester-SportsNet
Dancing with Diverse Abilities
David's Refuge
Disability EmpowHer Network, Inc.
Disability Rights New York
EPI
EquiCenter, Inc.
Erie Canal Boat Company Inc
Genesee Valley Audubon Society
Golisano Institute for DD Nursing
Golisano Restorative Neurology & Rehabilitation Center/ Rochester Regional Health
Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
HealthPozitive
Heritage Christian Stables
Hillside
Homesteads for Hope
Irondequoit Public Library
Lifetime Assistance
Mary Cariola Center
Music Education Centers
No Lemons Equine Inc.
NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation
Parent to Parent of NYS
Parents Helping Parents Coalition of Monroe County
Person Centered Services
Pittsford Challenger Baseball
Princess of America
Project SEARCH
RIT LiveAbility Lab
Rochester Accessible Adventures
Rochester EOC
Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
Rochester Rookies
Rochester Special Hockey
SAGE Rochester
Special Olympics New York
Special Olympics Young Athletes
Starbridge
Tastefully Simple with Cathy White
The Arc GLOW
The Arc of Chemung-Schuyler
The Arc of Monroe
The Hochstein School
TIES (Together Including Every Student)
Town of Perinton Recreation
Town of Victor Dept. of Parks and Recreation
URMC Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
WXXI Public Media
More Festival of Inclusion Event Highlights
Sports activities
Adaptive equipment demonstrations
Virtual reality
Information resources
Free t-shirts and tote bags to the first 500 attendees
Games and prizes
DJ
A photo booth for fun photo ops
Food trucks located outside the Golisano Training Center entrance
This year's Spread the Word Day of activation is Wednesday, March 1. The campaign was created and reimagined by youth, and is intended to engage schools, organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support of inclusion and to promote respect and acceptance of people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For more information on the Festival of Inclusion and Spread the Word Inclusion Campaign or to make the pledge to Spread Inclusion, visit www.golisanofoundation.org/Inclusion.aspx.
For complete details of the event visit golisanofoundation.org.
