CP Disabled Joshua Seeks Grant Money For WVTF Radio Reading Service

by Joshua Day
(Roanoke, VA, USA)

Here I am at work with a dear friend Phyllis Campbell, a longtime friend of the Radio Reading Service

My name is Joshua Aaron Day. I am 38 years old and single. I have no children. My parents are both retired and live in Floyd County, VA.

I have a sister in Lubbock TX, and another sister in Valley Center, CA. Their husbands have both served in the military. My youngest sister's husband has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; he is presently in Afghanistan.

My hobbies include reading (science, science fiction, history, historical fiction, current events), medieval re-enactment, and camping / hiking.

I was born with cerebral palsy, which affects mostly my legs and hips, (right hip is 1/16 inch displaced) and to a lesser extent my dexterity.

Limited are: small motor skills, ability to stand for long periods of time and ability to lift heavy objects, due to the palsy in the legs, and pain from the hip.

I am very limited in my ability to drive; I cannot drive interstates because of limitations caused by the palsy and reaction time on the road.

It has been difficult to find work because most jobs at the entry level require standing for long periods of time, or lifting which is very difficult for me to do.

I have lived on SSI from 1994 - 2003 exclusively, which was a monumental challenge.

Then, on May 15th, 2003 I was hired part-time as an operations and production assistant at WVTF Public Radio where I have been paid 20 hours a week for about 8 years.

When my mother retired I got a small Government stipend, which just about covers the apartment rent.

My job entails the production of audio for radio broadcast, primarily for the WVTF Radio Reading Service, which broadcasts for the blind and disabled. I am essentially assistant to the director.

I provide volunteer coordination for the reading service and I volunteer time there when I am off the clock as well.

Because of budget cuts I will lose my job at WVTF Public Radio effective June 30th, 2011. This job has become the majority of my income.

Other than the aforementioned small amount I receive from my mother's retirement, that is about it.

SSI requires me to report my income, and occasionally they will deliver a small amount of money, but that is usually unknown from month to month.

I am seeking a grant in hopes that WVTF will be able to keep me on staff.

I very much value my independence and want to avoid returning to subsidy only by SSI, as that has been very difficult on me financially and psychologically.

Thousands of blind and disabled people rely on the Radio Reading Service daily and an assistant is needed to assist in its operation.

Financial assistance would not only help me, but also help thousands of blind and disabled people in my area. Thank you for your consideration.