Press Releases
October 19, 2005
Florida Hosts National Disability Mentoring Day Kickoff Celebration
National Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) was kicked off in Tallahassee, Florida on October 19 to celebrate Disability Employment Awareness Month. The Florida statewide planning committee hosted the Florida DMD National Kickoff Celebration at Florida State University’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory for local student and job seeker mentees, business mentors, sponsors, volunteers and disability community leaders. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) chose Florida to be the national kickoff site for this annual event because of the increased participation across the state over the past few years.
Commencing the national kickoff event was a VIP breakfast honoring DMD sponsors, participants and volunteers. Special guests included Andy Imparato, President and CEO of the AAPD, Woody Simmons of Verizon Communications and Florida Lt. Governor Toni Jennings.
In Florida, over 600 students and job seekers were paired with local business mentors to participate in DMD. Mentors, representing a wide variety of fields, allowed their mentees to spend the day with them learning about that particular career field. As a result of DMD, several students were offered employment, an internship or to continue the mentoring process throughout the year.
Mentees and mentors were matched in Florida by over 100 community liaisons across the state who volunteered to facilitate the mentee/mentor matchmaking process to create positive career experiences for the students and job seekers with disabilities.
A great deal of appreciation goes out to the Florida DMD Major Sponsors: The Able Trust, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Clear Channel Radio, Volunteer Florida and the Florida Mentoring Partnership. Special thanks to all the other DMD sponsors, volunteers, mentees and mentors for making this such an amazing event.
Florida DMD has continued to grow immensely over the past few years. The Florida statewide planning committee is excited to see the success of DMD and looks forward to a continuation of this growing trend.
To see photos from DMD 2005, click here.