Independent Perspective 1710 with guest Chaunci Hinton on WNYIL's Community Outreach "Pop-Up" Event.

Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Chaunci Hinton, Director of Independent Living Services at WNYIL, and I'm your host Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program Chaunci.

Guest:  Thanks for having me.

Host:  It's our pleasure to have you. You are here because you're in overall charge of an exciting new event in the community that we haven't had it's like in quite some time, the Community Pop-Up Outreach Event, which sounds intriguing. What is a pop-up outreach event?

Guest:  A pop-up event is an event where we are someplace we’re typically not, so we're invited by members of the community to do a presentation about the services that WNYIL offers.

Host:  And is it pop-up because it's not necessarily connected with a particular occasion? You just kind of there saying, hey, here we are, find out more about us. Something of that nature?

Guest:  Absolutely. We want the community to get to know us better.

Host:  Alright, and what are some of the things that people who attend this event will find when they get there?

Guest:  They’ll find about various services that WNYIL Center offers that maybe they didn't know about previously, and the expansion of some of our services. An example of that would be our loan closet, where we loan out gently used equipment to members of the community and that equipment is durable medical equipment.

Host:  That sounds like another type of new technology that's happening in your background there but the show must go on so and I think that you are also going to be offering those ultimate draws of the public, free food! Can you tell us about that?

Guest:  Yes, we will have hot dogs, chips and water, along with some free, bagged giveaways that we're offering members of the community

Host:  And I think there's going to be something in the in the way of entertainment I believe you're going to have somebody there that at least at some point during the proceedings who’ll offer some little goodies for the kiddies?

Guest:  Yes, we are going to have one of our colleagues do balloon animals for the kids and we'll also have a live DJ playing music for the event as well.

Host:  Well, what more could one ask? I gather that Professor Asa Blow Hard might not be there right at the very beginning, but he should be able to crank out a number of things while there's still people there, so hang around and see if he shows. What are some other things that people will find that the pop-up event?

Guest:  They’ll find out information about various programs, our Mental Health PEER Connection program, they'll be offering free Narcan training, WNYIL has several job opportunities posted so one of our HR representatives will be there. If people are looking for aid service in home in the community, they'll also find out about our CDPAS program. If people are looking for assistance with certifying for Medicaid, that is available for the aged, blind and disabled, we do provide assistance with that as well. And then we have other programs.

Host:  And for people that don't talk disability service speak, what is Narcan?

Guest:  Narcan is a training that is offered for someone that suffers an overdose. So, it's how you can save a life by knowing the proper procedure and the way to implement Narcan to save someone's life.

Host:  Alright, and if you don't have an overdose, the spray will not harm you. And CDPAS is of course Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services or homecare aids in the home. When and where will this take place?

Guest:  Everyone will be joining us, our WNYIL colleagues and representatives on September 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Host:  Great. You all just come on down. Thanks so much for being with us Chaunci.

Guest:  Thank you for having me.

Host:  You’ve been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today has been Chaunci Hinton, Director of Independent Living Services at WNYIL and I've been your host Ernie Churchwell.