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LIFE Mower County requests your support in our upcoming Taste of Mower County fundraiser, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center. This will be the 11th year that LIFE Mower County has held this wonderful fundraiser where people can enjoy unlimited tastings of signature items from the finest home and restaurant chefs in Mower County and the surrounding area.

There will also be silent and live auctions, wine and craft beer tastings, doors, prizes, games, and a cash bar. It is a fun evening that raises much-needed funds for programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which could not continue without your generous support!

Every dollar raised through this event is used to provide programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy a better quality of life in our community. These programs include Special Olympics, Our Place Recreation Center, Advocacy and Family Support, and People First Aktion Club.

To make this event as exciting and extravagant as we can, we will need your help. You can help us by donating to this event. We are seeking donations for the silent and live auctions such as gift certificates, home furnishings, vacation packages, catered parties, artwork, theme baskets, or any item you believe would attract bidders. It is a great chance for you to receive exposure as a supporter of LIFE Mower County and help out some great people.

Thank you so much for considering being an auction donor. If you have any questions, please call 507-433-8994, email info@lifemowercounty.org or visit www.lifemowercounty.org/tomc2021.

Take action! Act now

Passage of the Better Care Better Jobs Act to fund expanded access to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) for people with disabilities on waiting lists and to address the direct care workforce crisis, including raising wages. This effort will also allow unpaid family caregivers who have been filling in the gaps of service for far too long to re-enter the workforce.

A national paid leave program. The pandemic forced millions of people to choose between their own health, the health of their families, and their livelihood. We must invest in our care infrastructure and pass a national paid leave program that guarantees paid leave to family caregivers.

Improvements to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The lowest income people with disabilities who rely on SSI receive extremely limited benefits and cannot have more than $2,000 in savings, an amount that has not been updated since 1984. SSI benefits, asset limits, and other program rules must be updated to lift people with disabilities out of poverty.

Committee holds hearing on building wealth and fostering independence

On July 15, the Senate Special Aging Committee held a hearing on building wealth and fostering independence for people with disabilities. Chaired by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), the committee discussed the success of the ABLE Act, which has helped people with disabilities save for retirement. Senator Casey spoke about the need to pass the Able Age Adjustment Act (S.B.331), which would provide six million Americans with disabilities with the opportunity to save.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday: Summer Bash Dance, 6 p.m.

Wednesday: Freeborn County Fair and Oak Ridge Boys, 6 p.m.

Thursday: Special Olympics Softball, 6 p.m.

Friday: Virtual Supper Club, 5 p.m.

Saturday: Deer Creek Speedway, 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 10: Virtual The Best of Broadway, 6 p.m.

Aug. 11: Virtual Game Night, 6 p.m.

Aug. 12: Special Olympics Bocce, 6 p.m.

Aug. 13: Virtual Nashville Tour, 6 p.m.