1. CLIENT SUCCESS STORY
JEVS Human Services
Making Hope Happen for
Setting a Strong Example for Parents of Children with Disabilities
Armindelis
t’s important for single mothers to know you can
“I
have a career and be successful. We can all get
up from that couch and turn that TV off and get
a job, no matter the age.” That’s what Armindelis
Toledo says about being a working mom to six
children, the oldest of whom is age 12 and living
with severe disabilities.
Armindelis Toledo came to JEVS Maximizing Participation
Project (MPP) in July 2006. She wanted to work, but finding services
for her oldest son was difficult. Alex is tube-fed and in a wheelchair,
and she was skeptical about leaving her children every day.
MPP helps Philadelphians receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families) to find work. MPP clients have a medical exemption
and do not have the same work requirement that other welfare-to-
work clients have. In this case, Armindelis’ main barrier to finding
“ steady employment
was finding childcare,
particularly for Alex.
“I don’t want
my kids to look Thanks to help from
the staff at MPP,
back and say, Armindelis was
hired as the bilingual
‘My mom never did intake coordinator
anything, so I don’t on the Special
Education Help
have to.’” – ARMINDELIS TOLEDO Line at Philadelphia
HUNE (Hispanos
Unidos Para Niños
Excepcionales).
HUNE is an organization providing free bilingual training, technical
assistance and individual assistance to parents of infants, toddlers,
children and youth with disabilities. The position is a great fit with
Armindelis’ skills and experience.
Armindelis established the help line, but she does more than just
answer questions. She finds resources for callers, posts information
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO HELP OTHERS
about HUNE on the Internet, and speaks in public about HUNE’s
Family is very important to Armindelis, both hers and that of her clients.“If I have
services. “I know it’s hard to get what I need, and I speak English. to work and spend time away from my family, it should be doing something that
Many of our parents only speak Spanish. I want to help them; that’s benefits families, and my job does,”she said.
why I’m here,” she said. PICTURED: Armindelis with her son Jay.
Two years after MPP case coordinator Carmen Cruz helped
Armindelis find her job at HUNE, she still visits Armindelis to see persistence in reaching her goals, and is looking forward to her kids
if she can be of assistance. Cruz says, “For her to get out there, find a going to school. “I would change some choices I’ve made, but never
job and hold it down while dealing with a severely disabled my kids. They all have their own character and bring something
child is huge. Other people use their kids as an excuse not to work, different to my family.”
but not her.”
Thanks to MPP, Armindelis no longer feels trapped in the welfare For more information
cycle. She recently won the JEVS Inspiration Award for her Maximizing Participation Project / 267.238.3100
INSIDE JEVS PG.6