David Carey will receive East Valley NAACP 2014 Humanitarian Award for empowering African Americans with disabilities.
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Sept. 24, 2014): David Carey, an Advocacy Specialist with Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABILITY360), will receive the East Valley NAACP 2014 Humanitarian Award for outstanding work in advocating for the empowerment of African Americans with disabilities.
Carey will be recognized along with Renaldo Fowler of the Arizona Center for Disability Law for their collaboration in developing the African-American Symposium on Disabilities. They will be presented with their awards at the 40th Freedom Fund Gala Awards Banquet on Oct. 4 at the Crown Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort in Chandler.
“Providing an enriching environment where those with disabilities, their family members and the general public can learn about the various resources that can improve their quality of life and add value to not only their well being, but to all of us as a community is a worthy mission,” said Floyd Galloway, chair of the Freedom Fund Committee.
Carey, who also serves as the chair of the Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition, provides one-on-one advocacy to individuals with disabilities, coordinates ABILITY360 Advocacy Workshops and mentors youth and adults with autism.
“David helps individuals with disabilities problem-solve, understand service systems and teaches self-advocacy skills so they can navigate the system on their own,” said ABILITY360 CEO Phil Pangrazio. “He brings incredible value to not only the disabled community but to the community at large. We’re extremely proud of him and the difference he has made in countless lives.”
The black-tie Freedom Fund Gala Awards Banquet will feature keynote speaker Dr. Barbara Williams-Emerson, daughter of Rev. Hosea Williams, a close confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For information, visit www.eastvalleynaacp.org.
For information about ABILITY360, go to www.ABIL.org. For information about the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities (SpoFit), an ABILITY360 program, go to ability360.org/sports.
Contacts:
• Loren Worthington, Arizona Bridge to Independent Living, (602) 386-4278
• Steve Carr, The Kur Carr Group, Inc., (602) 317-3040
ABOUT ARIZONA BRIDGE TO INDEPENDENT LIVING: Arizona Bridge to Independent Living offers and promotes programs designed to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so that they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community. The independent living philosophy states that people with disabilities should have the same civil rights, options, and control over choices in their own lives as do people without disabilities. ABILITY360 is located at 5025 E. Washington St. Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85034, www.abil.org, 602-256-2245. For more information on the Sports & Fitness Center, visit www.spofit.org. ABOUT THE VIRGINIA G. PIPER SPORTS & FITNESS CENTER (SpoFit): The Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities (SpoFit) is a 45,000-square foot, state-of-the-art facility located in Phoenix, Arizona. The SpoFit offers a wide variety of amenities to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. We have a fitness center with wheelchair accessible weight machines, an aquatic area equipped with lifts and elevators, accessible locker rooms, and more! For more information, visit ability360.org/sports.