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Welcome to the California Hands & Voices Blog!

We are delighted you are here! We will use this site to keep our members up to date on what’s happening within California Hands & Voices and other related news. Check back often! In addition to this site, our CA Hands & Voices Facebook group is a great online community where you can network with professionals and families raising Deaf and Hard of Hearing children throughout California. We also invite you to visit the Hands & Voices Blog.

Want to join us in supporting a good cause? We are raising money for our ASTra (Advocacy program) and your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps in reaching our goal of $5,000 for the month of October. Thank you for your support.

Our ASTra advocates have been hard at work to bring Educational Advocacy Services to Parents & Professionals throughout the state. Since February of 2019 we have served over 200 families,
professionals and community members. 

With funding we could exponentially increase our impact. Presently our team can provide individualized 1:1 IEP advocacy services to roughly 20 families a year. We would love to reach 45 families during 2021.

Your donation to ASTra will allow us to serve more families in 2021.

On behalf of our entire organization we thank you for your support!

Donations can be made to our Birthday Fundraiser at: https://www.facebook.com/donate/344813690089107

Visit our website to make a donation by Check or PayPal: https://cahandsandvoices.org/get-involved/make-donation 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the CA H&V Giveaway! We hope it brought JOY to many!

Congratulations to the Winners!

Christiana Viayra
Sonia Nunez
Sherry Fretis
Lana Riley
Lanna Cervantes
Maria Guzman
Deniux Anguian
Kimberly Nguyen
Lindsay Jack


Goal of the giveaway. This has been a challenging year. We hope that the giveaway brings JOY to everyone who participates. 

 

Official Rules. 

  • To qualify you must live in the state of California and be a Parent of a DHH child, a DHH adult or a Professional serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing children.    
     
  • To participate do one of the following three options. 

    First Option: Members, Let's see where you placed your UV Window Sticker. Post a Photo of your CA H&V UV Window Sticker on our Facebook Page under the Giveaway Announcement using the hashtag #MyCaHandsVoices. (the CA H&V window sticker was mailed to paid members at no additional charge in July 2020). 

    Second Option:     Comment on our Facebook Page under the Giveaway Announcement and tell us a FUN FACT about your family using the hashtag #MyCaHandsVoices 

    Third Option:     Not on Facebook? No problem! Email us at info@cahandsandvoices.org to show your CA H&V UV Window Sticker or share a Fun Fact about your family. 

  • Some of the giveaways were donated by individuals or organizations that support our work. We appreciate their support and thank them for their donation. The donations were received from San Diego Family Magazine ( A Selection of four Children's Books, a  Parent's Guide to Playful Learning for Children Age 2-5 Book and a ADCO Clear Window Mask.), From Karen Putz (The Parenting Journey Online Course. Purchased items also include; a Tote-bag and Upwrapping Your Passion Book by Karen Putz and the Hands & Voices Educational Advocacy For Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Book. Complimentary item given away: California Hands & Voices 1 Year Membership.

  • The giveaway winners will be randomly selected and announced on September 9th. 
     
  • The winners will be notified by email, announced on our social media platforms and also mentioned on our website.    
      
  • Each participant will have an equal chance to win regardless of how many times they participate. No purchase is necessary. 

  • California Hands & Voices will pay the shipping fees to mail the giveaways to the winner. 

  • Winner must provide their mailing address to California Hands & Voices via our website at  https://cahandsandvoices.org/get-involved/mailing-list-signup so that we can mail the gift to the winner. 

  • Personal data including the mailing address, email and phone number is collected and then stored on our database. All members of the database receive e-blast messages from CA H&V from time to time. Individuals can unsubscribe at any time.

  • CA H&V Board members and their family members do not qualify. There are no age restrictions.
  • California Hands & Voices has the right to shut down or adjust the contest at any time. 

  • California Hands & Voices may use the winner's image and likeness in advertising. 

  • The giveaway is void where prohibited.

  • For our members who are not on Facebook you are welcome to email us at info@cahandsandvoices.org to show your CA H&V UV Window Sticker or share a Fun Fact about your family. 

  • California Hands & Voices is sponsoring and administering the contest; not Facebook.

  • Facebook is not in anyway responsible for this giveaway. 

 

An Update!

A huge heartfelt thank you to the Assembly and Senate for continuing to stand with California’s deaf and hard of hearing children and including the hearing aid program in their budget and sending it on to Governor Newsom for his signature.

Today, the Senate and Assembly voted to include the Governor’s January proposal to establish a program that provides hearing aids and related services to children up to 600 percent of the federal poverty level. The main budget bill which passed today (SB 74) includes $1 million for DHCS to make necessary system changes this budget year in order to implement the program for families beginning July 1, 2021. It assumes that there will be $10 million in the General Fund in ongoing annual costs beginning in 2021-22.

The legislature sent the Governor SB 74 tonight, and there are additional negotiations between now and the deadline by which he must sign the bill, July 1st. We will remain vigilant to ensure there are no subsequent changes to this vital program before the Governor signs the final set of bills.

With hearing aids, California’s children regardless of their background or socioeconomic status will have an opportunity at a bright future. With hearing aids, a baby aided by six months of age can develop the same rate as their hearing peers; a toddler will hear their loved ones talk, read, and sing to them to lay the foundation for their brain development; and school aged children can attend school and now classes held online. We are hopeful that Governor Gavin Newsom will keep California’s deaf and hard of hearing children in his heart when finalizing the state budget. #LetCAKidsHear

Questions? Contact 

Dear Administrator,

As we begin the discussion of what school looks like Post-COVID-19, we are proactively sharing anticipated accessibility barriers, in hopes that districts, SELPAs, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and their families can work together collaboratively to educate and find solutions. The California Hands & Voices Advocacy, Support, and Training (ASTra) program has developed this flyer to assist you in developing accommodations for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students during the COVID-19 crisis. The flyer has been endorsed by the California Association of the Deaf (CAD), the California Educators of the Deaf (CAL-ED), and the Language Equality & Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) organization. We are asking that you distribute this flyer, endorsed by parents, professionals, and the Deaf community, to every school that is attended by one or more Deaf or Hard of Hearing child(ren), and that the six areas outlined in the flyer are discussed and implemented, in order to ensure the school setting remains accessible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. More information and questions to help guide your discussion are on our web site at cahandsandvoices.org/COVID-19-resources.

Sincerely,

Rosabel Agbayani, MPH
President, California Hands & Voices


Johanna Wonderly
ASTra Coordinator, California Hands & Voices

More Articles ...

  1. Call to Action - AB #598 Update
  2. Letter from CA H&V Re: AB 1850 and AB 2257
  3. Letter to Governor Newsom re: AB 598 (Bloom)
  4. CA H&V letter to Professionals
  5. 2020 ASTra training in Sacramento
  6. Changing of the Guard Letter from the CA H&V Executive Team

About CA Hands & Voices

California Hands & Voices is dedicated to supporting families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in a respectful and non-judgmental manner regarding language opportunities, communication tools or educational approaches. We’re a parent-driven, non-profit organization providing families with the resources, networks, and information to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children.

Support ♥

California Hands & Voices is a non-profit organization that depends on the support of its members to succeed. Please consider donating or becoming a member.

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Contact Us

 

California Hands & Voices
c/o Kat Lowrance
2844 Gunn Ct.
Redding, CA. 96001-5484, USA

 

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