Economic Advancement Assembly aims to improve financial health for Louisville's disabled community

On May 13th, representatives from over 25 local and national organizations convened to discuss the prevailing economic climate of Louisville's disabled community. The assembly was a joint operation organized by Community Services and Revitalization, Bank On Louisville, and the LEAD Center (National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities) and featured a keynote address from Congressmen John Yarmuth, as well as a series of panels and break-out groups designed to strengthen and improve the financial stability of individuals with disabilities.

The event's central focus was to educate Louisville nonprofit and social service agencies about the specific and unique challenges facing disabled people: nearly one in three Americans with disabilities lives in poverty, and they are among the most vulnerable populations to economic downturns. Says Michael Morris, Executive Director of the National Disability Institute, "While the economy and the financial situation for many Americans have begun to rebound, individuals living with disabilities continue to feel the financial squeeze." The event's participants examined current opportunities for Louisville citizens with disabilities to access financial education and counseling, and worked together to suggest possible steps toward increasing that access. For more information on the Economic Advancement Assembly, read the full press release here.