Does COVID-19 have you wondering how to meet your basic needs and still pay your bills? If so, you’re not alone. One-third of adults in Wisconsin said it was difficult to pay for usual household expenses in a recent U.S. Census survey. The anxiety you may be feeling is normal, especially if your employment or income has been affected by the …
COVID-19 Money Struggles? Some Resources to Help
Money struggles happen during ordinary times, and these are no ordinary times. COVID-19 disrupted life as we knew it in 2020, creating new challenges for people with disabilities to meet their short and long-term money goals. Fortunately, we’re all in this together. Federal, local, and grass roots organizations have come together to provide useful resources to help people with disabilities …
COVID-19 and Taxes: Free Help to File
Although 2020 was difficult year for many of us, there were a few silver linings to the cloud. Stimulus checks, expanded unemployment benefits, the ability to work remotely, and tax relief packages enabled many of us to meet our basic needs and make it through an extraordinarily challenging time. These same silver linings may cause your taxes to look a …
Setting Goals for 2021: It All Begins with Attitude
After 2020, your approach to setting goals for the new year may be different than in years past. 2020 was tough, so this may be the year to give yourself permission to go easy on yourself with setting employment and financial goals. It may also be the year that you explore and tap into new opportunities for employment and financial …
Take Small Steps to Take Care of Yourself this Holiday Season!
This holiday season, more than any other, may not live up to expectations of what the holidays “should” be. We are, after all, in the middle of a pandemic, and health officials are strongly urging we adjust our holiday celebrations to protect the health of ourselves and those we love. Many people have felt stressed and isolated during these past …
Clubhouses: Offering Hope to People with Mental Illness
As we navigate the challenges of COVID-19, it is especially important to have a place where we feel like we belong, people we feel connected to, and to know we’re needed and valued. For people who experience mental illness, Clubhouses can help meet those needs. Clubhouses empower people with mental illness opportunities to lead more fulfilling, productive lives. Through working …
Creativity and Health: Need a Jumpstart?
Can being creative lead to better health? Science says yes. Really? Really. Many studies in recent years link creativity to improved overall and mental health. Benefits of engaging in creative activities can include: Reduced stress and anxiety Relief from depression Increased feeling of well-being Improved immune system You Don’t Have to Be an Artist to Be Creative You don’t have …
Veterans and Substance Abuse: Recovery is Possible, Help is Available
Do you know a veteran who might be using alcohol, tobacco, or prescription drugs to cope with anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or homelessness? If so, they’re not alone. The rate of substance abuse reported by service members who served since 2001 has tripled since before Vietnam. In 2015, 1 in 15 veterans had a substance abuse disorder. Recovery is PossibleRecovery from …
10 Steps People with Disabilities Should Take to Prepare for an Emergency
2020 has been the year of the unexpected, and you deserve a big high five (and the reward of your choice!) for adapting to the changes COVID-19 required you to make in your personal and work life. Take some time and do something nice for yourself. You’ve earned it. Then, do something that could give you big benefits in the …