Resources, News, and Opportunities

Greetings from CIDA

Dear Members, Friends, and Collaborators of CIDA,

Spring is in full swing, and CIDA is also buzzing with excitement about new programs, partnerships, and opportunities. Expanding CoSpire’s thrift shop project to the greater flushing community, launching a new college readiness program through Step Forward, and kicking off the CIDA Parent Language Liaison program in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education are all in the final stages of preparation to be open to CIDA families and members.

Please join us for our monthly workshops and support groups and sign up for special programs in June. We can only do the work we do here because our families and community continue to support CIDA by participating in the events and making donations to CIDA.

We look forward to celebrating Mother’s Day and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May!

Kelly Hur, Assistant Director of Communication

News and Resources

Special education and disability services tips and information GALORE!
CIDA has a robust library of information on special education, transition, important laws, and conflict resolution. The information is available in both English and Korean. You can access the resources by visiting https://cidainfo.com/resources.

FREE College Readiness Bootcamp (Online)
CIDA will provide a new community program for all college-bound students including students with and without disabilities. The College Readiness Bootcamp is a three-day workshop series that is designed to help high school students get ready for college life. The workshops will cover a variety of topics including health, disability accommodation, wellness, financial and time management, and tips for academic success. This program is virtual and open to the public. Register for the camp via this link.

Summer volunteer and internship opportunities.
We are offering a few volunteer and internship opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Please click here to view openings and submit your application.

CIDA’s Step Forward on Instagram!
CIDA’s Step Forward program has its profile for our unique inclusive community programs for adults with all abilities to enjoy and engage in various life management and craft class activities. Follow what Step Forward students are up to by following @cida_stepforward on Instagram.

The new mental health support group cohort begins in May.
Congratulations to the first mental health support group cohort for completing the first season of the program with Joonjoa Park LMSW. Starting in April, the second cohort takes off and will have guided discussions and mental health sessions. The registration for the final season will be open in August for the final cohort of the year.

Events

As we recover from the COVID-19 epidemic, all events are now online. Please check our event calendar for event details and registration information.

• Transition & Exit Plan – May 5, Thursday at 10:30 am: Parents of high school students with disabilities Register here.
• May Support Group for Infant and School Age – May 19 Thursday at 10:30 am: HYBRID ZOOM & IN-PERSON meeting (CIDA Office) Register here.
• Managing Self-Direction Budget & Items – May 26, Thursday at 7:30 pm: Overview of OPWDD’s Self-Direction, how to manage budget & items. Register here.