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Read about SUFU's History by monthly summary updates. Each page contains monthly summaries covering a 3 year timeframe. Follow the links at the bottom of each page to read about different years.
2000 January: SUFU holds a training for new Board members and continues with quarterly meetings to keep things going.
2000 February: Conference planning begins for the year 2000.
2000 Spring: Several self advocates and supporters attend People First of New Hampshire’s 10 Anniversary Conference Celebration ‘Harmony Through The Arts’.
2000 May: SUFU holds its annual retreat for two days in Blue Hill. Goals and Objectives are developed for the coming year.
2000 May: SUFU collaborates with Maine Parent Federation and other parent groups to apply for two family support grants to increase opportunities for training and education for self advocates and their families.
2000 July: Funding through BDS allows self advocates to hire Dixie Leavitt
2000 September: Almost 20 SUFU members and supporters attend national self advocacy conference, Ride the Wave, in Providence, RI. One group presents a workshop on overcoming the challenges of community living.
2000 September: Seventh annual Speaking Up for Us Conference, Choosing for Ourselves, is attended by 350 People.
2000 December: Self advocates present at TASH in Miami on Person Centered Planning.
2001 January: Kristin Aiello from the Disability Rights Center shares information about voting rights of individuals with a diagnosis of mental illness under guardianship.
2001 February: SUFU holds a statewide ‘Voting Rights’ Rally speakers share why they want to keep their constitutional right to vote.
2001 February: SUFU office moves out of BDS to new space at Uplift in Gardiner.
2001 April: Self advocate leaders meet with States Attorney General Steven Rowe
2001 September: SUFU Board hires new part-time Project Coordinator, Jodie Benvie.
2001 September: Four self-advocates present at the annual direct service conference on what self–advocacy supporters need to know about attending conferences.
2001 October: Laurie Kimball resigns after eight years as SUFU’s Project Director. SUFU is undergoing the first of many changes to come.
2001 October: SUFU’s “Speaking Up and Speaking Out ‘ Conference is held in Bethel Maine with over 400 self advocates and supporters attend.
2001 November: Officers attend SABE regional meeting in Lake Sunnapee, NH with self-advocacy groups from New England and NY.
2002 January: Maine Public Broadcasting Network premiers “Picture This,” a documentary about the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Two SUFU members are profiled in this program.
2002 February: Resource library opens at Gardiner office.
2002 February: SUFU members write letters and testify before the legislature to oppose budget cuts to BDS.
2002 April: Three self-advocates speak at the first annual Community Inclusion Conference, sharing their experiences of inclusion.
2002 April: DDC (Developmental Disabilities Council) hires a consultant and grant writer to develop business plan and apply for grants for SUFU.
2002 May: Officers attend SABE regional meeting in Lake Sunnapee, NH with self-advocacy groups from NE and NY. SUFU begins partnership with Alpha One to work on a grant to teach people about the Americans with Disabilities Act.
2002 June: Planning meeting is held to determine goals and objectives for coming fiscal year. Members engage in long term visioning for the coming five years. Partnership with Disability Rights Center (DRC) is strengthened through working on issues of employment and guardianship. DDAC (Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee) is formed to guide DRC in their work with people with developmental disabilities.
2002 August: Members of SUFU & BDS begin to meet in regions 1 & 2 to share ideas & improve BDS services.
2002 September: Fifteen self-advocates and supporters attend national SABE conference, “Shuffle off to Buffalo” in Buffalo, NY. Six self-advocates present two workshops, “A Voting Rights Story from Maine” and “A Place to Hang My Hat,” a workshop on how to live independently in different settings.
2002 September: Five self-advocates, along with SUFU advisors, attend DRC 25th anniversary celebration.
2002 September: Three SUFU members participated in a focus group for one of the Olmstead (Technical Advisory Group) TAG groups on community inclusion and person-centered residential support.
2002 September: SUFU board invites representative from Senator Collins office to talk about voting and concerns of people with disabilities.
2002 October: Over 400 people attended the annual SUFU conference, “You & Me Equals Community.” SUFU members present a variety of workshops, including the first presentation of “ADA Rights in the Community.”
2002 October: SUFU Project Director position increases to full time as a result of increased funding from Developmental Disabilities Council.
2002 November: Twelve self-advocates attend the second annual Community Inclusion conference at which SUFU members present two workshops: “How to Become Part of a Spiritual Community,” and “Access Can Lead to Inclusion,” a workshop which helps supporters increase independence and inclusion for the people they support. SUFU member Marie Fearon wins the annual David D. Gregory Community Inclusion Award, presented by Commissioner Lynn Duby at this conference.
2002 November: SUFU sends three officers and another member to meet with SABE Region 8 self-advocates in New Hampshire for 3 days.
2002 December: Eight self-advocates and supporters attend the national TASH conference in Boston. Three members present on independence and guardianship to 30.
You are on the 2000 - 2002 Timeline, follow the links to read more