Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities

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Independence First - The Resource for People with Disabilities THE resource for people with disabilities serving the Greater Milwaukee area. 20+ programs serving youth and adults with disabilities of all kinds.

✨ JUST 3 DAYS UNTIL WE LIGHT UP THE NIGHT! ✨The countdown is on! This Thursday, we'll come together at Boerner Botanical...
10/19/2026

✨ JUST 3 DAYS UNTIL WE LIGHT UP THE NIGHT! ✨

The countdown is on! This Thursday, we'll come together at Boerner Botanical Gardens for Independence First's 2026 Empower Gala!

It's going to be an unforgettable evening of celebration, generosity, and support for independence in our communities.

🌟 Great company
🥂 An exciting evening
🎁 Incredible auction experiences
💙 A mission worth celebrating

We can't wait to see everyone Thursday!

And don't forget... Our silent auction is already OPEN for bidding, even if you can't attend!

🔗 https://empower2026.ggo.bid

10/19/2026

Could everyone you know get through your front door? It's a question many homeowners have never considered.

"Visitability" means designing homes with basic accessibility features so people with disabilities can enter, move around and participate in everyday life.

Wisconsin's Independent Living Network supports defining minimum visitability standards for new housing, including:

At least one entrance without steps.
Doorways that are 36 inches wide.
A bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.

These features can make homes more welcoming to visitors with disabilities while helping residents adapt to changing needs throughout their lives.

Accessibility shouldn't be an afterthought. Learn more about WILN's housing priorities at the link in the comments.

10/16/2026

👖 Finding clothes that fit shouldn't be a challenge. But for many people with disabilities, it is.

For Shawn Smith, a double amputee who uses a wheelchair, finding comfortable pants can be especially difficult. Clothing that fits while standing doesn't always work for someone who spends much of their day seated.

That's one of the challenges students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design are working to solve through our adaptive fashion partnership!

This week, MIAD apparel design students visited Independence First for their first fitting session of the semester. Six models with disabilities are collaborating with pairs of students to create custom outfits that reflect their individual needs, preferences and personal styles.

We're excited to follow these collaborations as the students bring their designs to life throughout the semester!

For more information, check out these resources: Amputee Coalition, Disability Rights Wisconsin, United Spinal Association, Easterseals Southeast Wisconsin

Video Description for Accessibility:
Students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) meet with Independence First consumers during an adaptive fashion fitting session. Shawn Smith, a double amputee who uses a wheelchair, discusses his clothing challenges, while students Emma and Jackson work on garment designs. MIAD instructor Bonnie Chandek explains the importance of creating comfortable, accessible clothing that meets each person's individual needs.

👕✂️ Fashion meets accessibility!Today was fitting day at Independence First as we welcomed students from the Milwaukee I...
10/14/2026

👕✂️ Fashion meets accessibility!

Today was fitting day at Independence First as we welcomed students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design for another semester of creative collaboration!

Through our adaptive fashion partnership, MIAD fashion and design students are paired with people with disabilities to explore how clothing can better meet their individual needs, preferences and personal styles.

This semester, six models are working with teams of two students each to create custom adaptive outfits. Our models bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives, including a young child with mobility challenges, a double amputee and people with limb differences.

Throughout the semester, students and models will meet regularly at Independence First to brainstorm, take measurements, test ideas and refine their designs. Their goal is to craft clothing that doesn't just fit, but helps people feel comfortable, confident and able to express themselves.

The finished outfits will be presented at the end of the semester, with some potentially appearing in MIAD's annual fashion showcase in May!

We're excited to see what these talented students and their models create together. Stay tuned as their designs take shape!

10/12/2026

For 31 years, Chris Purdy has called her house home. And she wants to keep it that way. 🏡

A retired Wisconsin nurse, Chris spent decades caring for others. Now, as she approaches 80, she's facing challenges of her own. Health issues have made some everyday tasks more difficult, and her income puts her above the eligibility limits for certain assistance programs.

At one point, she nearly put her house up for sale.

But Chris doesn't want to leave. Her home is where she feels comfortable, independent and connected to her community. She can visit her doctor, shop for groceries, ride her bike and enjoy life with her little dog.

Her story illustrates an important issue facing older adults across Wisconsin: People shouldn't have to give up their independence simply because they need a little help.

At Independence First, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live in the home and community of their choice, with access to the support they need.

Aging shouldn't mean losing your independence.

For more information on aging in place in Wisconsin, check out these local organizations: AARP Wisconsin Greater Wisconsin Agency On Aging Resources Eras Senior Network Faith in Action, Milwaukee County Milwaukee County Aging Services Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations

Video Description for Accessibility:
Chris Purdy, a retired Wisconsin nurse, speaks directly to the camera about her desire to remain independent in the home where she has lived for 31 years. The video alternates between her interview and supporting footage illustrating her home and community. The video ends with an Independence First graphic emphasizing the importance of aging in place and personal choice.

🎁 The baskets are wrapped, the auction is live, and bidding is OPEN! 🎉We're getting ready for the 2026 Empower Gala, and...
10/08/2026

🎁 The baskets are wrapped, the auction is live, and bidding is OPEN! 🎉

We're getting ready for the 2026 Empower Gala, and today our wonderful volunteers were hard at work turning donated items into beautiful gift baskets for our silent auction!

A special thank you to Lori Ciesko and Laurie Lane for lending their time and creativity to prepare these fantastic auction packages! 💛

And there's plenty to get excited about! From a popular tequila-themed basket to a gift set from Cedarburg's Handen Distillery, there's something for everyone. You'll also find a signed photo of William Shatner 🖖 and a one-of-a-kind handmade elephant bag by local artist Kelley Levinson!

✨ The best part? You don't have to attend the Gala to bid! Our silent auction is open to everyone, and new items are still being added.

🔗 Browse the auction and place your bids at the link in the comments.

Every bid helps support Independence First and our mission to empower people with disabilities to live independently in their communities.

🌟 Empower Gala: Illuminating Independence
📅 Thursday, October 22, 2026
📍 Boerner Botanical Gardens

10/08/2026

Caregivers are the bridge that helps people with disabilities remain independent in their homes and communities. 💙

For many people with disabilities, personal care workers provide essential support with everyday activities like bathing, dressing and personal hygiene. But the impact of that support goes far beyond those daily tasks.

It means having the freedom to work, participate in the community and make choices about how to live your life.

In this video, Samantha Hudson, Director of Personal Assistance Services at Independence First, explains why personal care is so important and how our mission-driven approach puts people with disabilities in control of their own care.

As Samantha reminds us, “People are human beings and they get to be in charge of their care, their services, their life.”

That's what independent living is all about.

Video Description for Accessibility:
Samantha Hudson, Director of Personal Assistance Services at Independence First, speaks from the Voices of Independence digital media studio. The video features Samantha speaking throughout, with captions displaying her words on screen.

📸 Throwback Thursday: 26 Years of Advocacy!The year was 2000. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was celebrating ...
10/08/2026

📸 Throwback Thursday: 26 Years of Advocacy!

The year was 2000. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was celebrating its 10th anniversary, and Independence First was already hard at work advocating for the rights and independence of people with disabilities.

This photo finds Brian Peters working with consumers at Independence First. It was featured in Working: Ten Years and Counting, a photography and oral history project celebrating the ADA's first decade, created in collaboration with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD).

A lot has changed in 26 years, but one thing hasn't: Brian's commitment to disability rights and ensuring people with disabilities have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

And that work continues today!

📢 On Tuesday, October 13, at 11 a.m., Brian will join advocates from across Wisconsin for a virtual Disability and Aging Policy Forum.

Hosted by The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations and Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network, this nonpartisan forum will address critical issues facing older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers, including civil rights protections, access to care, accessible housing, and special education.

These are issues that deserve attention as Wisconsin prepares to elect its next governor.

We're proud to have Brian representing Independence First and bringing decades of advocacy experience to this important conversation.

📅 Tuesday, October 13 at 11 a.m.

See the comments for links to watch on Facebook or YouTube.

10/05/2026

How we talk about aging matters.

“Aging is a universal experience. We are all growing older every single day.”

At the Wisconsin Aging, Disability and Independent Living Network Conference, Hannah Albers of The National Center to Reframe Aging challenged us to think differently about the stories we tell about growing older.

Too often, aging is discussed as something that happens to a separate group of people, or through a narrative focused primarily on decline, crisis and loss.

But aging is something we are all doing.

Hannah explains that changing the way we talk about aging can change the way we think about the policies, programs and communities we need as we grow older. Instead of defining aging by its extremes or leading only with problems and crises, we can talk about solutions, possibilities and what helps people thrive throughout their lives.

Because aging services aren't just for “someone else.” Building communities where people can live, participate and maintain independence as they grow older benefits all of us.

We’re all aging every day. That’s something to celebrate, not fear or fight. 💙

Video description for accessibility:
Hannah Albers, Director of Program Development at the National Center to Reframe Aging, speaks from a conference room at the Wisconsin Aging, Disability and Independent Living Network Conference. Footage of Hannah presenting to conference attendees is shown throughout the video.

10/02/2026

For many people with disabilities, saving for the future can come with complicated questions about disability benefits. An ABLE account may provide another option.

ABLE accounts allow eligible people with disabilities to save and invest money for qualified disability expenses while maintaining eligibility for certain benefits, including Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Want to learn more? Join us for one of our FREE in-person ABLE Account Workshops featuring Elizabeth Campos Hamilton, Enrollment Specialist with Illinois ABLE.

📅 Thursday, October 8 | 5:30–6:30 p.m.
📅 Thursday, November 12 | 5:30–6:30 p.m.
📍 Independence First, 540 S. 1st St., Milwaukee

To RSVP or request accommodations, contact Andi Minster at (414) 226-8197 or [email protected].

Come learn how ABLE accounts work, what qualified disability expenses can include and what you should consider when deciding whether an account is right for you.

Video Description for Accessibility: Independence First’s Andi Minster speaking from the Voices of Independence digital media studio sharing why having the ability to save matters to her personally, while visuals of people with disabilities managing their finances are displayed.

Address

540 S 1st Street
Milwaukee, WI
53204

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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