Announcements

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Need Food Assistance?

There are several local programs available to help individuals and families in need of food support.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank also offers an online Food Finder tool to locate food resources near you: https://foodfinder.brafb.org/

  • Meals on Wheels – (540 )949-7141
    • This program will still be delivering food to those who are home-bound. All delivery drivers, staff members, and volunteers are being screened before working. Physical contact is being limited to prevent the spread of the virus

Harrisonburg:

  • Our Community Place – (540) 208-7552
    • Monday through Friday, breakfast will be served at 9 am, and lunch will be served at noon. However, the number of people allowed in at one time will be limited
    • On Fridays, OCP will be offering boxed lunches for take-out or delivery for $10, with free delivery by trained staff.
  • Patchwork Pantry through Community Mennonite Church – (540) 466-4173 On Wednesday evenings, doors will open at 6 pm and distribution will begin around 7 pm. Patchwork Pantry provides USDA foods, non-perishables, produce, and toiletries. 
  • Hope Distributed – (540) 578-3510 – On Thursday evenings, one can begin to line up no earlier than 3:30 pm and until 6 pm to pick up. Food bank services will also be provided on the first Thursday of every month beginning at 9:30 am until 11:30 am. The same service will also be provided on the first, second, and third Saturday of every month from 9 am to 11 am
  • Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church – Contact: Barbara Warns at bcwarns@comcast.net – Hours: 10 am to 2:00 pm Tuesdays through Fridays.
  • No one is to be allowed inside the church, so if you are to come for this service, look for a canopy outside the food pantry entrance to pick up your food.

Verona:

  • Blue Ridge Food Bank – 540-248-3663 – 96 Laurel Hill Road P.O. Box 937 Verona, VA 2448
  • Verona United Methodist Church – 540-248-7777 – Location: 406 Lee Highway Verona, VA 24482
    • Hours: Tues: 9 am – 11 am; Thurs: 6 pm – 7 pm (Second and fourth Thursday)

  • Verona Community Food Pantry
    • Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 am to 11 am; Tuesday hours are from 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm

Rockingham:

  • Hope Distributed – (540) 578-3510
    • This food pantry has shifted to a drive through method.
    • Hours: Saturday mornings, no earlier than 8:30 am, and Thursday evenings no earlier than 3:30 pm.

Staunton:

  • Marquis Memorial United Methodist Church – (540) 886-1176
    • Hours: the second Wednesdays only from 9 am to 11 am.
  • First Baptist Church – (540) 886-8333 – 406 W. Frederick St., Staunton VA 24401
    • Hours: every Thursday morning, from 9 am to 11 am.
  • Valley Mission – (540) 886-4673 – 1513 W. Beverley St., Staunton VA 24401
    • Food boxes will be provided at this pantry every Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 10 am, or 1 pm to 3 pm. Those receiving a food box will have to come inside in order to fill out an application prior to receiving food.

Stuarts Draft:

  • Calvary United Methodist Church – (540) 337-2980 – 2179 Stuarts Draft Hwy, Stuarts Draft VA 24477
    • Hours: Monday and Thursday from 2 pm to 5 pm

Waynesboro:

  • Main Street United Methodist Church – 601 W. Main St., Waynesboro VA 22980
      • Hours: 9:30 am to 11 am, Monday through Thursday.

Weyers Cave

  • Bethany United Methodist Church – 3700 Lee Hwy, Weyers Cave, VA 24486
    • Hours: almost every Monday from 4 pm to 5:30 pm
    • Pat Lynn (234-8546, patm.lynn@gmail.com) or Kathy Frizzelle (540-421-0941) if you have questions.

Linville

  • Mt. Zion Church of the Brethren – 540-383-8655
    • Hours: 4 pm to 6 pm on Wednesdays, and 10 am to noon every Saturday.
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ADA Awareness Event – Open to the Public

Monday, July 28 | 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

VAIL Conference Room

Join us for a special afternoon as we commemorate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We’ll be screening the powerful PBS documentary, Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act (runtime: 1 hour), followed by a group discussion on the impact and future of the ADA.

Event Details:

📍 Location: VAIL Conference Room

🕐 Time: 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

🎥 Film: Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act

🗣️ Group discussion and proclamation to follow

RSVP is encouraged but not required. For more information or to RSVP contact tessa@govail.org, 540-433-6513 voice, 1-888-242-VAIL Toll-Free.

All are welcome to attend!

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Training – The Basics

July 30, 2:00-3:30pm, ADA Everything Else

Join us for this basic training in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the ADA. The Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living will facilitate the training. The Mid-Atlantic ADA Center will conduct the training.

The training will be virtual using Zoom. Preregistration is required to participate virtually. Preregister at https://us02web.zoom.us/…/register/ESpPFYcrQzmT5lJ1aTjj3A

After registering, a link will be sent to you for the event. You only need to preregister once. The same registration will give you access to both the July 16 and July 30 training.

Sign language interpreting and captioning will be provided virtually.

If you would prefer to, you are welcome to join us at the Valley Associates for Independent Living Center to participate in this training. For more information contact tessa@govail.org, 540-433-6513 voice, 1-888-242-VAIL Toll-Free.

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Now Hiring – Full-Time Community Living Specialist

Valley Associates for Independent Living, Inc. (VAIL) is hiring for a full-time Community Living Specialist. Duties include performing home visits, developing plans of care, monitoring services according to program guidelines, using a person-centered approach to assist individuals in accessing needed services, maintaining quality documentation and data entry to meet state, federal, and other requirements, typing, filing, and coordinating with outside entities.  This individual may also provide one-on-one independent living skills training with individuals in their homes and in the community on an as needed basis.  Pay range: $18.00 and up depending on experience.  Benefits included.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Two years of direct experience of working with individuals with disabilities preferred.
  • Previous experience should include working knowledge of Adobe, Word, Excel, Outlook, and web-based applications.
  • Safe and reliable vehicle to meet the duties of this position.  Clear driving record and adequate vehicle insurance.
  • Ability to pass all background checks.
  • Minimum of 2 positive recent employment references.
  • Ability to travel in and throughout the Commonwealth of VA, primarily a 10-locality service area, and comfortable meeting with individuals in their homes.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

  • Knowledge of physical assistance typically required by people with physical disabilities or elderly persons and the approximate time those activities normally take
  • Knowledge of the types of Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and support that may be needed to ensure independence in the home and community
  • Knowledge of the equipment and environmental modifications commonly used and required by people with physical disabilities or elderly persons which reduces the need for human help and improves safety
  • Knowledge of various Medicaid long-term program requirements, including nursing home and adult care residence placement criteria, Medicaid waiver services, and other federal, state, and local resources that provide personal assistance services
  • Knowledge of DMAS consumer-directed personal attendant services program requirements, as well as the administrative duties for which the recipient will be responsible
  • Knowledge of conducting assessments (including environmental, psychosocial, health, and functional factors) and their uses in care planning
  • Working knowledge of services for persons with disabilities
  • Ability to communicate effectively with individuals both in person and in writing
  • Ability to develop a rapport and communicate with different types of persons from diverse cultural backgrounds
  • Knowledge and ability to teach and model independent living skills ie: budgeting/grocery shopping/social skills/cooking/utilization of the bus systems where available
  • Ability to work independently and use independent judgment
  • Ability to record and deliver information and maintain appropriate records
  • Ability to travel throughout Planning District 6
  • Ability to attend functions throughout the Commonwealth as needed
  • Knowledge of the independent living movement & philosophy

Submit cover letter and resume to vail@govail.org.
Individuals with disabilities encouraged to apply.
Position open until filled.

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Reminder: Submit your application for IFSP-Funding

DBHDS My Life, My Community

Last day to access, create, and submit your application:
Wednesday, November 13th at 11:59 p.m.

Before you begin, here are a few reminders:

  • To be eligible to apply, all applicants must be on the Developmental Disability Waivers Waiting List AND be living in their own home, or in their family’s home.
  • Applicants with a priority 1 Waitlist status may apply for up to $1,000. Applicants with a priority 2 or priority 3 Waitlist status may apply for up to $500.
  • ALL applicants in priorities 1, 2, and 3 will be able to apply at the same time. You will NOT need to know your Waitlist priority status in order to apply.
  • Please remember that submitting an application does not guarantee you will be awarded funding. Determinations are made based on application criteria located in the IFSP-Funding Program Guidelines, linked on My Life, My Community.

To access the application, please visit https://dbhds.virginia.gov/IFSPOnline (-> 6hrdjh6ab.cc.rs6.net).

Submit your application in 3 easy steps

  • Complete your application, then click the “Save Changes” button.
  • Double-check your application to make sure all your information is accurate. This includes the contact information for the responsible party (the applicant and/or the custodial family member), and the amount of funding that is being requested per category.
  • Click the “Submit” button, then click on “Continue” to confirm. Your application will be marked as “Pending Approval”, and you will receive a system-generated email at the responsible party’s email address. This email will contain an assigned Application ID number. (If your application has NOT been submitted, it will be marked as “In Progress”.)

To make changes to a submitted application before the funding application period closes, click on the “Withdraw” button, make any needed changes, save the application, and resubmit.

If you no longer wish to be considered for IFSP-Funding, please discard your application. For instructions, please refer to our Funding Portal User Guide or our Funding Portal Quick Reference Guide, which are linked on My Life, My Community.

IMPORTANT: The expiration date for funds that were issued as of December 2023 is fast approaching! If you were approved for IFSP-Funding and received a Way2Go debit card in December 2023, please be sure to activate your card and withdraw your funds by December 31st, 2024. Failure to activate these cards and withdraw the funds may impact an applicant’s eligibility for future funds. To activate a card, please call Conduent’s automated customer service toll-free number at 800-961-8423, or call the My Life, My Community toll-free helpline at 844-603-9248.

For general assistance with navigating the IFSP-Funding Portal and application, please contact our toll-free My Life, My Community helpline (operated by SeniorNavigator) by phone at (844) 603-9248.These operators are trained to assist IFSP-Funding applicants. They can also connect you with additional support as needed. Wait times may be longer during times of high call volume — so please be patient! If the line is busy, please leave a message and operators will return your call.

To learn more about the IFSP, visit Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services – IFSP