A message from our Executive Director for July

To Our Community and Friends,

It’s July, which means it’s Thrive Together Today’s 23rd birthday — and also the 33rd birthday of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When the ADA was passed on July 26, 1990, it was a watershed moment in history. It helped pave the way for so many things, including the founding of what is now Thrive Together Today. Even so, there continues to be much work to do. We continue to fight for our rights, and we continue to provide training and education to so many individuals and groups across the state.

It is now my 16th year of leading Thrive. In 2007, when I came onboard, I was the only employee for what was then Deaf Iowans Against Abuse. In 2023, we have five employees along with many volunteers, and we served over 700 survivors and their families last year alone! In addition, we changed our name to Thrive Together to ensure we were inclusive, forward-looking and representative of the work that one person cannot do alone.

While our $250,000 in grant funding may seem like a significant amount of money, it’s not sufficient for the sheer number of people we serve, which amounts to nearly 500,000 individuals with hearing loss in the state along with hundreds of first responders, state agencies, the judicial system, the legal system, healthcare facilities and providers, and so much more. Even with the amazing work, support, and goals Thrive has, we have so much work to do. That’s where you come in.

Any financial or in-kind donation you can provide is deeply appreciated and will help Thrive continue its services and programs for the communities we serve for the next 20 years — and beyond. To donate, there are two options: through our website or you may send us a check directly to our address. Our website: https://www.thrivetogethertoday.org/donate

Our Address: Thrive Together Today 1660 42nd St. NE Suite R Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together, we can do so much.” This is our slogan, and we invite you to help us help the community. Together, let’s fight for deaf and hard of hearing people’s rights. Together, let’s uplift each of our communities. Together, let’s make sure our communities thrive together.

All my Best,

Jennifer