FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mariana V. Nork
(202) 457-0046Fifteen Major Corporations Providing Sponsorship For
2004 Disability Mentoring Day (DMD)Funding Makes it Possible for DMD to be Commemorated in Every State on October 20, 2004
(WASHINGTON, DC) August 17, 2004 — The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) announces that fifteen (15) corporations are participating in Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) 2004 as National Corporate Sponsors. To be commemorated on October 20, DMD provides job-shadowing and career exploration opportunities for students and job seekers with disabilities. AAPD is partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor Office (DOL) of Disability Employment Policy to host the sixth-annual Disability Mentoring Day.
"We believe that Disability Mentoring Day is a great experience for both the mentees and the participating organizations," says AAPD President and CEO Andrew J. Imparato. "Not only do the students gain insight into possible career paths and job opportunities, but the organizations have the opportunity to meet and interact with a largely-untapped group of prospective employees. Disability Mentoring Day has paved the way for many internships, job offers, and a more diverse workforce."
DMD has expanded from a small DC-based event for three dozen students, to a national event with a rapidly growing network of volunteer local coordinators all across the country and more than 6,000 mentees. In its role as National Host, AAPD recruits volunteer local coordinators in various regions in every state, promotes the event nationally, and provides resource materials and technical assistance to its substantial corps of participating volunteers.
In addition to DOL, which is National Public Sponsor, these fifteen National Corporate Sponsors are playing a significant role in making DMD a truly effective public-private partnership. Through their support, they are helping to tackle the longstanding problem of unemployment and underemployment among people with disabilities:
• American Airlines • Microsoft • American Online Inc. • Oracle • BellSouth • Pitney Bowes • Cingular Wireless • SAP • Darden Restaurants • SunTrust • Hewlett Packard • U.S. Cellular • Honeywell • Verizon • Independence Technology "Both economic empowerment and improving employer attitudes are at the heart of civil rights for people with disabilities,” explains Andrew J. Imparato, AAPD’s President and CEO. “By building relationships between students with disabilities and mentors working in fields that interest them, Disability Mentoring Day helps to create a pipeline of qualified workers for participating employers and gives disabled students greater direction and motivation to pursue their career goals. DMD also makes private sector employers more aware of the vast and largely-untapped talents and skills that people with disabilities possess. We applaud and thank these fifteen National Corporate Sponsors for embracing and helping to further this important national mentoring program.”
AAPD encourages employers, educators, disability advocates, parents, and students and job seekers with disabilities to get involved with Disability Mentoring Day in their area. For further information regarding DMD involvement, contact AAPD by telephone: 800-840-8844 (V/TTY); by email; or visit the AAPD website.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, promotes the economic and political empowerment of the more than 56 million children and adults with disabilities in the U.S. It was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For additional information and to learn about AAPD member benefits, visit the AAPD website