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The pandemic has certainly forced everyone to do things differently.\u00a0 In February, people were thinking that this might last a couple months.\u00a0 By April, the only certainty was that there was no end in sight.\u00a0 The crisis caused businesses to close and the travel industry to come to a halt. May showed some promise, but Memorial Day activities created another spike in infections.\u00a0 Like many businesses, Rehab Agencies were serving their clients remotely and Community Service Providers were doing as much as they could do, albeit virtually.\u00a0 But how much can you do when everybody is sheltering in place and there are no employers hiring the clients that we serve?<\/p>\n
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The summer months began to show some promise.\u00a0 Some of the essential businesses were hiring, and it provided some opportunities for employment.\u00a0 Although our Hyatt partners are still struggling, many of our business partners started opening up their doors, and hosting our Vocational Explorations students.\u00a0 Hillsborough County, Caspers Company, A-Ability Medical, Mastro Subaru, Tampa Bay Vets Animal Hospital, and other local businesses were like the Calvary, coming to save the day.\u00a0 VR Counselors and Technicians were processing referrals and doing whatever they could do to provide services that would benefit their clients.\u00a0 The Rehab Community was coming together, and everyone was focused on our mission.\u00a0 Are we back to Pre-Covid Normal?\u00a0 Not even close.\u00a0 But there are signs that there is light at the end of this very dark tunnel.<\/p>\n
As we push forward, we must try to stay positive and take solace knowing that we are not alone. Let us be kind to one another, and thank the essential workers for their service and the sacrifices they are making for the common good. Many people may want to put 2020 behind them, but we still have three months left in this calendar year. I suggest that we continue to make the best of a bad situation, and focus on the people that we proudly serve.\u00a0 Individuals with disabilities are counting on us to help remove barriers to employment.\u00a0 So let us hold our heads high and march on to a different beat on a different drum.\u00a0 And remind ourselves that Different does not mean Deficient.<\/p>\n
John Ficca, Director<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The pandemic has certainly forced everyone to do things differently.\u00a0 In February, people were thinking that this might last a couple months.\u00a0 By April, the only certainty was that there was no end in sight.\u00a0 The crisis caused businesses to close and the travel industry to come to a halt. May showed some promise, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n