Cindy's Bi-Weekly Letter 3/20/23

Good Morning Members, I hope to find you well. We are approaching are last week of March and it came in here so fast and is leaving us so fast. Tomorrow is the first official day of spring, YAY! I did hear the weather and they said there is a chance of rain starting tomorrow and there is a change of snow on Thursday. So, we aren’t done yet with possible snow. We will also be approaching Easter. I am excited because I will be on vacation for Easter and I also have plans to visit Chicago with a friend. I will plan on also going to the Milwaukee Zoo, spending time with family, and trying new restaurants. I tend to work over my vacations and I am going to not be doing that this time because I really need to focus on my time off and give myself a break. I know I say this every time I take a vacation, but I am really going to work on it this time. Everyone needs time off and it is important for me to stay true to that. I respect when others have time off and I need that to be true for when I am on vacation too. I hope the weather is going to be nice, so that I can got out every day and do something. There is so much to around Milwaukee and the news shares that nightly after the 6 o’clock news. I am just so thankful that I am able to get out while I can. Life is too short and I suggest you all take advantage of the time you have to get out. I know we are all over the state, but you can visit a zoo in your area. April 4th there is another opportunity to vote, so get out and vote! You can take a friend to go with you if needed or do an absentee ballot. We need everyone voting. I don’t understand everything about the supreme court so do your research and pick the person that you see is the best person for the position. I can’t tell you who to vote for, but I can tell you how important it is to use your right to vote. The next election is on Tuesday, April 4th. Here is helpful information from The Disability Vote Coalition: Voting in Person? If you are voting in person, make sure you are prepared to vote!

Check your polling place as it may have changed: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place

View your ballot and review candidate information: https://www.vote411.org/wisconsin

Bring your photo ID. Information is on https://bringit.wi.gov/

If you have questions, contact the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline at: 1-844-347- 8683 or email: info@disabilityvote.org I know there are a lot of changes with the food share programs, but I am going to look into food pantry options and keep an eye on what is going on with this. If you have questions, please reach out to me. If you see me at disability advocacy day we can also touch base on this and we can see what we can do. Churches are a good place to look for food panties, I know my church has an option and there are stock boxes for people that are older. I know it can be a struggle to have to choose paying rent over buying food, but it is important to keep yourself healthy and to eat. Don’t forget to check out our website for People First Wisconsin for events coming up! We have the meet-up tonight from 4:30pm-5:30pm and Thursday is from 6pm-7pm. If there is anything I missed please look at our website for updates: http://www.peoplefirstwisconsin.org/ I know it can be hard out there and I know we all struggle at times. Be there for each other and reach out to someone that is a friend or family member. You can call my cell phone @ 414-852-6462 8:30am - 5:00pm, Monday - Thursday. If I am unable to take your call, I will call you back. You can reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or 988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States. This is the website: https://988lifeline.org/ Here is a quote today from Maya Angelou: “I am never proud to participate in violence, yet I know that each of us must care enough for ourselves that we can be ready and able to come to our own defense when and wherever needed. - - Maya Angelou Sincerely, Cindy Bentley Executive Director People First Wisconsin