American Association of People with Disabilities

Verizon Provides Lead Sponsorship for 2005 Disability Mentoring Day

Program to be Commemorated Tomorrow in National and International Locations

(WASHINGTON, DC) October 18, 2005 — The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), national host of Disability Mentoring Day – which provides job-shadowing and career exploration opportunities for students and job seekers with disabilities – acknowledges the sponsorship of Verizon for this year’s program. Verizon is serving as lead national corporate sponsor of the 2005 Disability Mentoring Day program.

In addition to the support received from Verizon, several major corporations are also providing sponsorship support. AAPD is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, the major public sponsor, and the Social Security Administration. Please visit the AAPD website (www.aapd.com) for complete sponsor information.

DMD will be commemorated tomorrow in every state around the country, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and almost 20 international locations, including Argentina, China, Israel and Kosovo. DMD promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities. With national coordination from AAPD as National Host, local communities organize their own activities that bring students and employers (both public and private) together for informational sessions about career opportunities and one-on-one mentoring.

AAPD’s coordination of Disability Mentoring Day is made possible by the tremendous support received from the program sponsors.

For further information, contact AAPD at 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 all 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). AAPD members have access to a full range of financial services through a federal credit union, a discounted mail order prescription program, and a quarterly AAPD newsletter. For additional member benefits, or to learn more about AAPD's advocacy efforts and major program areas, visit the AAPD website.