Voices for Independence

Voices for Independence is a Center for Independent Living celebrating 30 years of service, empowering people w/ disabilities and promoting independent living.

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

📣 We are THRILLED to announce the return of the VFI No Limits Adaptive Fitness Challenge! Join us on Saturday, August 22nd, 2026, at 10am for a multi-station fitness challenge– right here at our Erie office (1432 Wilkins Rd, Erie, PA 16505)!

♿️ This is our 6TH ANNUAL No Limits challenge, and for those of you who aren't familiar, this event is for individuals of ALL abilities, so you can take part at YOUR level of comfort! Dedicated fitness staff will be on hand, working to ensure that you get the most out of the challenge.

🎟️ Registration includes participation in the fitness challenge, event t-shirt, a finisher medal, goodie bag, and raffle basket entries! Photo opportunities with a dedicated backdrop and hydration stations will be free to all participants. Music will be provided by the always entertaining Erie Encore Entertainment, and there will be food available for purchase from the always delicious A Waffle Miracle, following completion of the event!

📝 To register yourself (or a team of up to eight), simply visit https://t.co/Gej80HJMW5 for easy & secure online registration-- REGISTER NOW to receive a 20% early bird discount, only available until mid-July!

❗️ *PLEASE NOTE* Due to supply chain issues, in order to ensure that you receive your event t-shirt on the day of the challenge, your registration MUST be received no later than August 2nd. Any registrations submitted after the cutoff date of August 2nd will be accepted, but may result in delayed receipt of the event t-shirt.

We hope to see you there! 💪

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

⚠️ Due to a planned power outage scheduled for the entirety of the work day, our Erie office is planning to be closed tomorrow, Friday, June 5. HOWEVER, please note that we will still be holding our regularly scheduled Wiffle Ball and festivities outdoors! Restrooms will still be functional, with lighting.

📞📧 Office staff will still be available by phone/email, working from home. If anything changes or the outage is rescheduled, we will keep you all informed via our social media channels.

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

💪 Are you interested in supporting our 6th annual VFI No Limits Adaptive Fitness Challenge, but you're unable to join us for the event?

🤝 You can STILL help support this incredible event by clicking the following link, where your donation will directly impact not only the event itself, but also our Fitness Center, which allows individuals with disabilities the ability to utilize adaptive equipment and have access to dedicated fitness staff, year-round.

🔗 CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY: https://t.co/UiaEgqhJ1h

🙌 We can't thank you enough for all of your support!

#VFICIL #VoicesForIndependence #NoLimits #NoLimitsAdaptiveFitnessChallenge #AdaptiveFitnessChallenge #AdaptiveFitness #Fitness #AdaptiveAthlete #Athlete #AdaptiveExercise #Exercise #Workout #DisabilityCommunity #DisabilityRights #Disability #IndependentLiving #EriePA #Erie

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🏌️🏌️‍♀️ ERIE-AREA GOLFERS-- we are now just 2 MONTHS AWAY from the VFI 2026 Annual Golf Outing in Erie! For full details on sponsorship tiers and how to secure your foursome TODAY, simply visit us at https://t.co/I8qBHZ1Gc6

⛳️ We hope to see you all on Monday, July 27 (9:30am registration | 10:30am shotgun start | ceremony & dinner to follow play), when we will once again be holding this year's event at the prestigious Lake Shore Country Club! Established in 1929, Lake Shore Country Club has been a staple of the community for nearly 100 YEARS, and we couldn't be happier to be partnering with them again in 2026.

🤝 Sponsors-- our golf sponsorships allow for more flexibility this year, ensuring that companies can take part at every level. Please visit https://t.co/I8qBHZ1Gc6 to view a PDF of our sponsorship levels for this event and to pledge your support!

❓ For more information, please contact Chief Development Officer, Nick Consoli, at [email protected] or [phone], to answer all of your questions regarding the event!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🗓 With May nearly in the rearview, we're happy to present the VFI June 2026 Activities Calendars, featuring all activities through our group peer support programs in our Erie office! Check out the direct link below for a full-size image, to see what the Erie office has planned!

✅ Please note any RSVPs, office closings, and all additional info within the sidebar on the left.
• Large-format Image: https://t.co/jeBOMjW9cX

📝 If you'd like a text-based version of the calendar, please visit: https://t.co/mUNNfzMTqo

We hope to see you all soon! ☺️

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🇺🇸 A friendly reminder that the VFI offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026 for Memorial Day. As always, our 24/7 emergency on-call will still be available for consumers. We will reopen for regular business on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 8:30am.

We wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend.

#MemorialDay #MemorialDay2026 #MemorialDayWeekend #MemorialDayWeekend2026 #VFICIL #VoicesForIndependence #CenterForIndependentLiving #CIL #IndependentLiving #DisabilityCommunity #DisabilityRights #Disability

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🗓️ Don't forget to SAVE THE DATE-- We are now officially less than 3 months away from this year's Erie Gives! All day long on Tuesday, August 11, you can participate in Erie Gives by visiting https://t.co/QNX63qdpWA and making a donation to Voices for Independence.

🙌 Your support means the world to us, and will directly impact programs and services for individuals with disabilities, right here in our community. As a Center for Independent Living, Voices for Independence has proudly served Erie for over 30 years, providing home care, nursing home transition, home modifications, and much, much more-- but we couldn't do it without your help. Save the date and thank you for your consideration & support!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🩺💙 Join us in celebrating our VFI nurses as part of National Nursing Week! Whether it's their commitment to providing the very best training to our caregivers, or going above & beyond for the consumers we serve (throughout 27 counties!), our nurses do it all.

🙌 From all of us here at Voices for Independence, we celebrate our skilled, compassionate, and courageous nursing staff as part of National Nurses Week. To the nurses here at VFI, and to all of the great nurses across our country, we say THANK YOU.

#NationalNursesWeek2026 #NationalNursesMonth #VFICIL #VoicesForIndependence #CenterForIndependentLiving #IndependentLiving #DisabilityCommunity #DisabilityRights #Disability #EriePA #Erie #WashingtonPA

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🎉♿ WASHINGTON, PA FRIENDS-- you didn't think we forgot about you, did you? We are thrilled to announce that in 2026, we will be hosting the first-ever Disability Pride Washington in addition to the Erie celebration! Voices for Independence is proud to be partnering with Disability Pride Pennsylvania to bring this event to the disability community in Southwestern PA. Disability Pride Washington will take place on Tuesday, July 14, from 10am-2pm in Washington at the Downtown Community Pavilion, featuring speakers, resources, entertainment, and refreshments for Washington's disability community!

🗓️ Save the date and check out our event page on Facebook for more information! Stay tuned for registration details for attendees, as well as vendor opportunities, both coming soon-- We hope you’ll join us in making this inaugural celebration a powerful example of disability-led community and access done right. Together, let's make Disability Pride Washington 2026 an event to remember!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

📣 ICYMI: Voices for Independence CEO Shona Eakin was recently featured in GoErie's op-ed section, speaking on the dire need for Pennsylvania to invest more in home care and to increase the reimbursement rate for Home and Community-Based Services, which would allow for caregivers to receive a higher wage. Click the shared link to read more, and thanks again to @GoErie!

[GoErie @GoErie]

Opinion: Why investing in home care is a fiscal and moral imperative | Opinion https://t.co/iir8kP7WzG

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🎉♿ We are thrilled to announce that in 2026, we will be hosting the first-ever Disability Pride Erie! Voices for Independence is proud to be partnering with Disability Pride Pennsylvania to bring this event to the disability community here in Northwestern PA. Disability Pride Erie will take place on Tuesday, July 7, from 10am-2pm in Downtown Erie at Perry Square, featuring speakers, resources, entertainment, and refreshments for Erie's disability community!

🗓️ Save the date and check out our event page on Facebook for more information! Stay tuned for registration details for attendees, as well as vendor opportunities, both coming soon-- We hope you’ll join us in making this inaugural celebration a powerful example of disability-led community and access done right. Together, let's make Disability Pride Erie 2026 an event to remember!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🗓️ We're already nearly halfway through April, which means that we are quickly approaching our first April activities scheduled for our Washington office-- but since we've combined Washington's activities calendars for April & May into one graphic, we thought that we might as well share our Erie activities calendar for May as well!

🏢🏢 Check out all that we have to offer at both locations (and a bit earlier than usual) via our group peer support programs! Click the direct link below for a full-size image, to see what both offices have planned!

✅ Please note any RSVPs, office closings, and all additional info within the sidebar on the left, and ensure that you are viewing the correct calendar for your location by confirming the address on the graphic.
• Large-format Image for Erie's May 2026 calendar: https://t.co/7sP0d4Ddrv
• Large-format Image for Washington's April/May 2026 calendar: https://t.co/a7mOZ5soI8

📝 If you'd like a text-based version of the calendar, please click below (if you're already on our mailing list, text-based calendars will be sent out momentarily)!
• Text-based Word doc for Erie's May 2026 calendar: https://t.co/5I89jVaC3B
• Text-based Word doc for Washington's April/May 2026 calendar: https://t.co/4swlUH6nqP

Hope to see you all soon!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🏌️🏌️‍♀️ ERIE-AREA GOLFERS-- REGISTRATIONS & SPONSORSHIPS ARE NOW LIVE for the Voices for Independence Erie Annual Golf Outing! For full details on sponsorship tiers and how to secure your foursome TODAY, simply visit us at https://t.co/I8qBHZ1Gc6

⛳️ We hope to see you all on Monday, July 27 (9:30am registration | 10:30am shotgun start | ceremony & dinner to follow play), when we will once again be holding this year's event at the prestigious Lake Shore Country Club! Established in 1929, Lake Shore Country Club has been a staple of the community for nearly 100 YEARS, and we couldn't be happier to be partnering with them again in 2026.

❓ For more information, please contact Chief Development Officer, Nick Consoli, at [email protected] or [phone], to answer all of your questions regarding the event!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🏌️🏌️‍♀️ ERIE-AREA GOLFERS-- WE ARE LESS THAN "FORE" MONTHS AWAY from the Voices for Independence Erie Annual Golf Outing! We are happy to announce that registrations and full sponsorship opportunities will open later this week-- Stay tuned for the big announcement!

⛳️ In the meantime, save the date for Monday, July 27, when we will once again be holding this year's event at the prestigious Lake Shore Country Club! Established in 1929, Lake Shore Country Club has been a staple of the community for nearly 100 YEARS, and we couldn't be happier to be partnering with them again in 2026.

🔜 Keep an eye out for registration and sponsorship opportunities, coming later this week-- For more information until then, please contact Chief Development Officer, Nick Consoli, at [email protected] or [phone].

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🟪 ATTN Erie followers: A reminder that our friends at Grand Canyon University will be visiting our Erie office once more to discuss enrollment, scholarship opportunities, and more!

🗓️ Join us tomorrow (Tuesday, March 31) from 11am-1pm in the VFI Erie office conference room to learn more! For additional information, please contact GCU's Nick Brewer at [email protected] or [phone].

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

📣 We are proud to announce our first spotlight post for VFI's Caregiver(s) of the Month! Today's post actually features TWO of our dedicated caregivers for last month in February-- one for the north region and one for the south.

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS to Josiah Horton in Erie, and Brandon Cohen in Washington, PA. Both of these caregivers provide exemplary service and have gone above & beyond multiple times for the consumers they serve. We are so thankful to have you on our team-- your hard work and dedication mean the world to us, and to those you serve.

📞 If YOU would like to be considered for the Caregiver of the Month award, or if you're a consumer and would like to nominate your caregiver, simply call and speak to your assigned PAS Supervisor directly (if you have already messaged us here, your nomination has already been forwarded to the appropriate parties).

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

⌛ ATTN CALIFORNIA, PA FRIENDS: Time is almost up! Voices for Independence staff will be at the 2026 Disability Awareness Summit for just about 1 more hour, at the PennWest California Natali Student Center (805 3rd St, California, PA 15419)!

💼 This event, brought to you by IU1, is targeted toward 9th-12th grade students, with the goal of enhancing understanding of career opportunities, encouraging secondary students to pursue special education, and promoting disability awareness.

🤝 Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to meet with our own Valkyrie Williams (Lead Employment Specialist and Benefits Counselor, pictured), and Curt Lute (Independent Living Specialist)-- we hope to see you before 1:30pm!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

📅 ATTN d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Washington friends: Voices for Independence is proud to announce our very first SILENT STRENGTH event! Silent Strength is a resource fair and community building event for the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing, scheduled for Monday, April 27, from 1pm-5pm at our @VFIWashington office! This event will feature presentations from members of the d/Deaf & Hard of Hearing community, along with resource tables, where you can share any unmet needs you may have.

🤝 With limited resources available for the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in Washington County, we're excit­ed to start a networking group that will bring community members together, share resources, & build connec­tions.

🤟 For more information, please call Anissa Thompson at [email protected] or [phone]-- Join us and see what Voices for Independence can do for you!

[Voices for Independence @VFICIL]

🗓 Can you believe that we're halfway through March already? While we still have some incredible events in the coming weeks, we're happy to present the VFI April 2026 Activities Calendar a bit earlier than usual, featuring all activities through our group peer support programs in our Erie office! Check out the direct link below for a full-size image, to see what the Erie office has planned!

✅ Please note any RSVPs, office closings, and all additional info within the sidebar on the left.
• Large-format Image: https://t.co/vvXFX82GQC

📝 If you'd like a text-based version of the calendar, please contact [email protected] and we'll send one over in your preferred format (PDF, Word doc, etc). Hope to see you all soon!