What We Do

How We Are Different

Disability Network Northern Michigan is led by a board and staff made up mostly of people with disabilities. We serve people with any type of disability, including those with "invisible" barriers such as learning disabilities. Instead of focusing solely on the disability, we address the needs of the whole person to achieve a more balanced life. And unlike many organizations, we are here to support the community as well as the individual.

How We Work

We help individuals find resources and learn to advocate on their own behalf.
We partner with businesses, governments and other organizations to drive strategic community changes that benefit people with and without disabilities.
We expand the community leadership of people with disabilities.

Organizational Ends

Individuals with disabilities set goals and achieve outcomes relating to increased independence in significant life areas.
Disability Network’s community activities increase equal access, equal opportunity, independence, full participation and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities.
Disability Network’s advocacy network expands to secure the financial and volunteer support needed to achieve our vision.

Shwano Lunch 2019

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Mission

Building Communities that work.

Support Our Work

Disability can occur at any age and at any moment—in fact, 80% of us will have a disability at some point in our lifetime. Your support will help us to continue promoting personal empowerment and positive social change for individuals with disabilities. For every dollar invested in Disability Network, $13 is returned to our region. Our programs boost the economy, create a more inclusive community, and offer tax savings for Michigan residents.

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About Us

Most people equate disability with limitations. It’s our job to change the perceptions and realities that prevent people with disabilities from sharing in the community. We provide training, mentoring and referrals to help people with disabilities and their families live productive lives. We also work on a larger scale, helping governments and businesses make changes that benefit everyone in the community.

Accessibility Statement:

Disability Network Northern Michigan is committed to making its website accessible to the widest possible audience. This website has been developed to comply under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which was enacted to eliminate barriers to information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities and to encourage the development of new technologies to help achieve these goals. This law requires that all individuals with disabilities have access to information and data comparable to that which is available to individuals without disabilities.

DisabilityNetwork.org is regularly monitored to ensure that it meets the requirements of Section 508, along with the best practices outlined by the W3C’s (World Wide Web Consortium’s) Web Accessibility Initiative, specifically WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) Level A Compliance. We are diligently working to reach and maintain a higher standard of accessibility, which is Level AA Compliance of W3C’s WCAG standards. Because technology changes rapidly, this is an ongoing process.

If you experience any accessibility issues in relation to this website, please contact us. Let us know which page or item you need help with and we will provide a solution that works for you within a reasonable period of time. Questions, comments or complaints about the accessibility of our website, videos or documents can be sent to Jennifer Hutchinson at jen@disabilitynetwork.net.