Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi everybody, My name is Melinda. This is Jacob Plue. We live here in Union County,
North Carolina and we are here today with a message for Governor McCrory. Jake is my
brother-in-law. My husband and I have been legal guardians of Jake since 2005 and Jake
has intellectual and developmental disabilities and he is a recipient of the North Carolina
Innovations Waiver. We are here with a message today to implore you Governor McCrory to please
fund more Innovations Waiver Slots. Because of the services of the Innovations Waiver,
its allowed my family to do things for Jake which would not be possible. First of all,
in 2009, when Jake made it off the waiting list, after several years, we used the community
transition funds to be able to move Jake from a group home into his very first little house.
We set him up with the things that he needed. Deposits and household items. That was something
that my husband and I could not afford at that time. And so with the services, we were
able to do that for Jake. Right? Right! Since that time, Jake has moved a couple of times
and we are here today in Jake's very own apartment. Jake has this two bedroom half of a duplex.
It is right across the street from our home. My husband and I and our two children live
across the street. And Jake has his very own place. This is his apartment not my house.
He comes and goes as he pleases. There is food here that's his to cook and his to eat.
He does his own laundry. He can have guests here. He can have company and he has staff
that comes in and helps him about fifteen hours a week to make him more independent
with things that I and my husband don't always have the time to remind Jake to do. So those
things are possible only because of the Innovations Waiver and it is the difference in our family
between Jake living in a group home and Jake living completely and independently and inclusively
in our community here in Monroe. We are very, very grateful for these services. We know
that they are simply thousands of thousands of people waiting to get these services and
we recognize what a gift they are to have. So I implore you, Governor McCrory, please
fund more waiver slots for all the many needy families in this area and by needy I mean
developmental disability needs. Who desperately need to be able to access these services so
their children and their loved ones and their brother-in-laws can be as independent as this
guy right here. Thank you so much for watching and have a great day!