Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre, Inc.

PJ is a former DHCC colleague who now works at FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency focusing on making sure emergency management is inclusive and accessible. His post below FOR PHILADELPHIA RESIDENTS explains how the Philadelphia Convention Center will be used for vaccinations. Thanks for your continued work making our community safe, PJ!

We're always on the lookout for Deaf dogs up for adoption locally. Here's one in the boss's backyard! Thanks to Home at Last Dog Rescue for taking care of Brody! Come on, how cute is this little puppy???

Today is National Pizza Day! No better place than Eat Mozzeria in DC to teach us the LIS (Italian Sign Language) signs for different ingredients and feelings around pizza. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find some pizza for dinner.

ICYMI: WAWA's World - Warren "Wawa" Snipe's performance of the Star Spangled Banner was AMAZING!! DID YOU KNOW: Wawa was born right here in Philly!

TONIGHT: WaWA performs the national anthem at the Super Bowl!

We won't bore you with more stuff about "unprecedented times". We are here for the Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing communities because of the support of people like you. Please make a donation today. www.dhcc.org/donate

Our friends across the Delaware River are on top of making sure vaccination efforts in New Jersey are accessible. We hope our colleagues in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Public Health Departments will improve their efforts to ensure accessibility and access to vaccines in the coming weeks.

As our office closes early today so our colleagues can start the holiday with their families, we want to wish all of our friends and supporters a very very happy holidays. Please stay safe for the remainder of 2020 so we may be together again in 2021! As always, our emergency interpreting services are available for medical or legal emergencies.

As we reach the end of 2020. we are working to reach our calendar 2020 goal. In case you need some inspiration, here is a slide show of some of the pictures from the past two weekends. Our Signing Santas visited almost 100 children in PA, New Jersey and Delaware! If you cannot support us, would you help us spread the word? You, and people like you, make what we do possible! www.dhcc.org/donate

Some amazing volunteers out and about this weekend as Signing Santas!! Thank you for your time and energy to bring smiles to the faces of Deaf kids in our area!

Michael Ralph was a longtime friend of Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre, Inc.. A regular at our events, and former Board member, he spoke at our anniversary gala several years ago about the value and importance of DHCC in his life growing up in the region. DHCC sends its condolences to Mike's wife, Annette Lin and daughter, Olivia Grace. OBITUARY: "On Thursday, December 17, 2020, Michael P. Ralph, loving husband and father, passed away peacefully at age 67....Continue reading

It Is Not Too Late! This weekend, December 19th & 20th are the last days for a visit from Signing Santa ! If you would like Signing Santa to come to your house with a gift for your Deaf child or children, please sign up here:... https://forms.gle/jfnmaDkiW2waqRjj8 Deadline for sign up is Tuesday December 15th at 5pm Thank you to the Dapplecroft Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation for so generously underwriting the Signing Santa program! About Philadelphia Foundation Founded in 1918, Philadelphia Foundation strengthens the economic, social and civic vitality of Greater Philadelphia. Philadelphia Foundation grows effective philanthropic investment, connects individuals and institutions across sectors and geography, and advances civic initiatives through partnerships and collaboration. A publicly supported foundation, the Philadelphia Foundation manages more than 1,000 charitable funds established by its donors and makes over 1,000 grants and scholarship awards each year. To learn more, visit philafound.org.

A quick reminder that TOMORROW (October 19th) is the last day to register to vote in PA before the election next month. Visit VOTESPA.COM to register online!

VERY IMPORTANT! The Supreme Court decided that the Census must end today. Today is the last day you can be counted. Remember, millions of dollars of federal aid is lost when our area is undercounted. Head over to the link below and fill out your census if you haven't already.

We all know that Pennsylvania has a historic choice in the upcoming elections. Not only are we electing the President, but we're also electing members of congress, state representatives and other state elected officials. But because of COVID-19, we're seeing a big increase in Mail-In Ballots. We want to make sure our #Deaf, #HardofHearing and #DeafBlind community knows how important it is to NOT vote naked! #DressYourBallot #NoNakedBallots Check it out!... For more information about elections in PA: http://votespa.com To become a poll worker - visit: http://www.powerthepolls.org

Today is Indigenous People's Day. We recognize and acknowledge the area DHCC serves is on the Indigenous territory known as Lenapehoking, the traditional homelands of the Lenape, also called Lenni-Lenape or Delaware Indians. These are the people who, during the 1680s, negotiated with William Penn to facilitate the founding of the colony of Pennsylvania. ... Their descendants today include the Delaware Tribe and Delaware Nation of Oklahoma; the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, Ramapough Lenape, and Powhatan Renape of New Jersey; and the Munsee Delaware of Ontario. Our thanks to the University of Pennsylvania and their Alumni Group - The Association of Native Alumni for the language above.

SHARING: On Saturday morning, Glenn Hoshauer, husband of one of DHCC’s founders, passed away after a brief illness. If you saw Lillian anywhere at a DHCC event during the past 48 years, you knew that Glenn was somewhere nearby, helping with things that needed to be done, or chatting with folks who were nervous about being there. It wasn’t long before he became your friend too. Our condolences to Lillian and family for their loss.

TONIGHT: You can watch the debates in ASL over at DPAN.tv!

Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind Folks in PA should download a new app that's designed to let you know if you may have been near someone who tests positive for COVID.

If you caught the livestream with Charity Navigator and DHCC Executive Director Neil McDevitt, and you want to support the work of the Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre, please click here: www.dhcc.org/support

Today, Kevin Scally, Charity Navigator's Chief Relationship Officer, is pleased to host Neil McDevitt, Executive Director of The Deaf-Hearing Communications Centre, a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The DHCC is an advocacy organization working on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, providing ASL classes, interpreting, sensitivity training, and workshops.

TOMORROW AT NOON: Join DHCC Executive Director Neil McDevitt as he talks with Charity Navigator about the impact of COVID-19 on organizations that serve the Deaf and hard of hearing community. We'll also highlight DHCC's perfect score on Charity Navigator's Encompass Rating System and how support from donors like you help us maintain our operations!

Are you still looking for something fun to do this fall? Sign up for one of our online ASL classes! All of our classes are taught by experienced Deaf instructors who look to not only teach American Sign Language, but also will cover key ideas and stories about Deaf Culture. Check out the schedule then register over at: https://dhcc.org/resources/asl-classes/

Before we sign off for the Labor Day weekend, we want to spotlight two cool deaf-owned restaurants that are opening up (kinda-sorta) near our area! They join the amazing Wake Coffee Roasters in Ambler, PA as two deaf-owned places on the East Coast! Crepe Crazy in Texas is opening a brand new location in Baltimore - that'll be in September! https://www.southbmore.com//deaf-owned-business-crepe-cra/... And today, in Washington DC, Eat Mozzeria opened their new location on H Street NE, a few blocks away from Gallaudet University. I'm hungry already! Remember, Labor Day isn't just the unofficial end of the summer, it's also a time we thank the workers who make our lives possible. Thank you! We'll be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday.

Thanks to our friends at Disability Rights Pennsylvania - a reminder as we enter election season, that there are many accessiblity resources for voters available through the VOTESPA.com website!