Sara Cummins, center, director of FUSE, chats with a vendor at the Inspiriting Abilities Expo in 2019. The annual expo brings together dozens of individuals and organizations aimed to serve families of children with disabilities. Last year’s expo was virtual, but it returns to J.B. Stephens Elementary School in Greenfield this Saturday, March 26.
Submitted Photo
GREENFIELD — The Inspiring Abilities Expo returns Saturday, March 26, after going virtual last year due to COVID precautions.
The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at J.B. Stephens Elementary School in Greenfield.
This annual expo was created 16 years ago by Families United for Support and Encouragement, a nonprofit which empowers families and individuals with disabilities and mental health needs by providing information, training, support and encouragement.
The expo offers families and professionals the chance to network with organizations and service providers who meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities, said Sara Cummins, executive director for FUSE.
Visitors can stroll through the exhibit hall to meet and talk with therapy and service providers, nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, recreation programs and other agencies serving adults and children with disabilities.
“Exhibitors will cover the whole life spectrum. We have agencies that do early intervention like First Steps all the way to estate and financial planning. There will be therapy and service providers, nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, recreation programs, case management companies and other agencies serving adults and children with disabilities,” said Cummins.
While she was reluctant to make last year’s expo a virtual event, knowing how much families benefit from the in-person connections they make each year, Cummins said the online 2020 expo was able to keep people safe while offering a diverse mix of speakers and other resources online.
“It was great to offer additional speakers and resources on so many topics at once, but it definitely lacked the unique and personal touches the Inspiring Abilities Expo always provides,” she said. “There is just something about being able to look into the eyes of a mom that feels alone and tell her, ‘I understand. Let me introduce you to exhibitors that get it and can support you, too.’”
As the parent of a disabled child herself, Cummins can relate to what a wonderful opportunity the expo is for families to discover and learn more about vital services.
It also helps introduce families to others like themselves, who may be facing many of the same challenges.
“As a parent, you can feel so isolated and lost when trying to navigate medical advice, insurance and providing the best life for your child,” said Cummins.
“The Inspiring Abilities Expo not only connects you to the very latest and greatest resources, but also a community that understands you in every way. It connects us to others that can cry with us and celebrate with us. You can find your ‘tribe’ at the Expo. It gives you a hope and reassurance you can’t get from a brochure.”
Dennis Porter, executive director of Arc of Hancock County, is among the many nonprofit directors who plan to be at the expo this weekend.
“The expo is a very important thing in the community. We’ve been there each year,” said Porter, who uses the opportunity to spread the word about his organization, which promotes and protects human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and advocates for their full inclusion and participation in the community.
More than 40 vendors had signed up for the upcoming expo by the start of this week, said Cummins, and more were continuing to register.
Cummins said the expo is a big deal for FUSE, which had to cancel several fundraisers and programs due to the pandemic over the past two years.
She praised individual donors and the Hancock County Community Foundation’s Heart for Hancock fund for keeping the organization afloat, enabling it to continue serving the community.
“We continue to face challenges with events and programs even as the climate of the pandemic gets better. We serve a vulnerable population and we put safety first at all times. This forces us to make decisions that really are heartbreaking, but we know we are doing the best by the families and individuals we serve,” she said.
“In 2021, FUSE was able to reschedule three major fundraisers in order to raise some of the general operating funds that are critical to providing to the disability community.”
Even as local COVID case numbers have dropped, many families of children with disabilities are still not able to gather due to safety concerns.
“This weighs very heavy on us as we plan our programs and events,” said Cummins. “Inclusion is always at the forefront as we plan and that is the reason we still offer virtual options for our monthly support meetings and small groups for our programs. We want to be able to provide safe and inclusive options to the community. I think we have been successful and will continue to do so into the future.”
The nonprofit’s next big fundraiser is the FUSE Casino Night, which is scheduled for April 29 at the Hancock County Fairgrounds. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. and gaming starts at 7 p.m. for the event, which is open to those 21 and older.
For more information about FUSE, this weekend’s expo or upcoming events, visit fuseinc.org.
