SpecialSaathi is thrilled to announce that the month of May was dedicated to celebrating Mother’s Day.
We wanted to honor all the super-awesome mothers who have been the driving force behind their family’s success.
During this special month, we featured a series of interviews, ChangemakerSathi माँ stories, and ParentSaathi talks, showcasing some amazing mothers who have overcome challenges and achieved greatness.
● To start off the month, SpecialSaathi had a privilege to share an exclusive interview and ChangemakerSathi story of Mr. Aditya Tiwari, a visionary and exceptional leader who has proven that motherhood is not restricted to one gender. As a single adoptive parent in India, Mr. Tiwari has set an inspiring example for all parents.
●Next, we featured an exclusive interview and ChangemakerSathi story of Ms. Indrani Basu, an Autism Interventionist who has changed the face of Parent-child training programs in India. Her work has helped numerous families overcome the challenges of raising children with autism. Read Changemakersaathi माँ: Indrani Basu here- https://specialsaathi.com/2023/05/07/changemakersaathi-%e0%a4%ae%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%81-indrani-basu/
●We were honored to feature an exclusive interview and ChangemakerSathi story of Ms. Akila Vaidyanathan, Founder and Director of Amaze Charitable Trust. Her tireless efforts have helped improve the lives of countless children with special needs. “Tempered with love”- journey of Akila Vaidyanathan, read it here- https://specialsaathi.com/2023/05/13/changemakersaathi-%e0%a4%ae%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%81-akila-vaidyanathan/
●We at SpecialSaathi were privileged and honored to feature Ms. Merry Barua as a ChangemakerSaathi on the special occasion of Mother’s Day, we acknowledged Ms. Merry Barua’s immeasurable contributions to the Autism community in the Indian subcontinent and beyond, in our small little way. She is a remarkable woman and a strong mother who has been instrumental in helping millions of individuals with disabilities and their families. Read her inspirational story “The Revolutionary Merry Barua” https://specialsaathi.com/2023/05/14/the-revolutionary-merry-barua/
●In addition to that, we featured some super Mothers who not only made it for themselves and their kids but also helped the society and the fellow parents in this journey. We have the privilege to feature Ms. Jaya Sudhakar, an Autism Advocate, and Ms. Gouri Ganti, Founder of Maasi, as ChangemakerSathi माँ.
We hope that by sharing these inspiring stories, we could celebrate the remarkable achievements of so many mothers and tried to inspire millions of others to follow in their footsteps.
●Recognizing the importance of inclusive education, SpecialSaathi, in association with Satyam College of Education Noida, conducted the Schoolsaathi Awareness Program on their campus.This program focused on two significant topics: the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and effectively dealing with students’ diversity in the classroom.
SpecialSaathi expresses deep gratitude to the Principal, Industry placement head, coordinators, and authorities of Satyam College for providing this valuable opportunity. SpecialSaathi also extends heartfelt thanks to the esteemed guest speakers and resource persons, Dr. Sonali Kataria, Founder Head of Sunrise Learning Foundation, and Ms. Sonia Jaitley, Founder and Director of Orane Kids Noida. A special acknowledgment goes to Mr. Praval Yadav, Founder and Director of Margshree Inclusive Society, for creating this opportunity.
Schoolsaathi Awareness Program-Empowering future Teachers for Inclusive Education. Read it here-
●We conducted a ParentSaathi Webinar on the topic “Communication beyond speech” the guest speaker and the resource person being Ms. Anjana Sathyabodha- Co-founder and lead Speech and Language Pathologist at Subodha. View the recording of the webinar- https://youtu.be/xX1AhbOGL84
●The best part and initiative of the month of May –
Specialsaathi launched the “100-Day Self-Care Quest“on Mother’s day, specially designed to help all the lovely Mothers to prioritize their mental, emotional, and physical health. This quest running successfully was especially meant for everyone willing to invest a minimum of 40 minutes each day in indulging in self-care activities. There is reward and motivation.
Rewards 🏆 ● Eligible for a rank in the Daily leaderboard tally ● Eligible for a prestigious Certificate of appreciation from SpecialSaathi.
Around 20 mothers are competing and taking out me-time for themselves daily, amidst their challenging work schedule and challenges which comes along being a parent of a specially-abled kid.
They are making each day count in these 100 days and determined to create a life-changing impact. We can’t wait to celebrate their progress and achievements along the way!
Remember, investing in self-care is a priceless gift these mothers have given to themselves this Mother’s day!
●MySuperSaathiYuvi and his friends May comic strip was dedicated to the amazingly superb mothers.
● Our awesome Bloggersaathis wrote some superb blogs and some new bloggersaathis joined our task force which included – Dr. Indu Manicketh, Jaya Sudhakar, Subha Rajesh, and a guest blogger Peter Blake from USA.
● Our extremely talented CreativeSaathis worked hard as usual to meet daily deadlines of creating beautiful artworks for our daily blogs. New addition to the CreativeSaathi team was talented Siddhanth Palaparti who designs graphics for his mother Jaya Sudhakar’s blogs every week.
Let’s Welcome the Month of June: Father’s day special month.
SpecialSaathi is thrilled to announce that the month of June will be dedicated to celebrating Father’s Day. We want to honor some of the superbly amazing fathers out there who have been the driving force behind their family’s success.
During this special month, we will be featuring a series of interviews, ChangemakerSathi पिता stories, and ParentSaathi talks, showcasing some amazing fathers who have overcome challenges and achieved greatness.
We hope that by sharing these inspiring stories, we can celebrate the remarkable achievements of fathers and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Let’s celebrate this special month. More details will follow soon.
At SpecialSaathi, we are committed to making a positive impact in the lives of individuals with disabilities, and we will continue to work towards this goal beyond one particular month. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you in the monthly newsletter in the future.
Childhood is the foundation of future life. The role of the mother is the main and important to strengthen this foundation and make it an ideal child of the future. A conscious, wise mother can teach her child to be a proper person. A child’s greatest friend is his mother. A mother is not only a birth mother, but also an artist of creating children with beautiful character.
From the time of being in the mother’s womb, the child perceives and imitates his mother’s nature. All actions, thoughts, feelings, behaviour and values of the mother affect the child. Because the child stays with the mother 90% of the time during education. The child’s first and true teacher and mother. A child’s education comes directly from the mother. Mai first introduces the child to parents and relatives. Mother talks to her baby all the time while learning to talk. Teaches names of different things including body parts. In a joint family the work is much easier but in a single family the mother has to fulfil the responsibility.
The mother’s mouth is the first language that the child begins to grasp. Even from infancy the child learns to imitate every behaviour and speech of the mother. Because children are very imitative. He loves to imitate everything. So the mother has to take care of the baby very carefully at this time. It is through the mother that the child becomes familiar with his family and surroundings. So the role of mother is very important in the mental formation and character development of a child.
No one else can do the care and education of her child with the devotion, sincerity and affection of a mother. In fact, there is no alternative to the mother. It is possible only for the mother to prepare a bag with all the necessary things including books, notebooks and pens and to reach the school on time with hair cut and tidied up. Excessive affection also makes the tender child self-willed. The mother should be aware of that. A child should never be over disciplined. Punishment for minor sins often makes the child more stubborn. If the mother tries to correct the child with compassion, that effort brings much more benefit than physical punishment.
The responsibility of forming the child’s character is mainly to be fulfilled by the mother. In the family, the mother has to set an example in front of the child by showing devotion and respect to the elders and affection to the younger ones. They should not accept unfair obligations with excessive affection. The habit of only wanting to fulfill needs makes the child stubborn. Therefore, the child’s needs should be met according to their own ability. Every mother must spend some time in shaping the child’s character in spite of her busy schedule.
The mother’s role in guiding the child in the right direction with the help of the heart and the guidance of the eyes is immense.
Author Sradhanjali Dasgupta
Consultant Psychologist, Speaker , Learning Developmental Coach, Teacher and trainer Miss. Sradhanjali Dasgupta has been extensively working in the field of Counselling and education for the past few years in several Clinics, Hospitals, NGOs and educational sectors. She also contributes her writings and blogs in various newspapers, magazines and e- magazines Her training and workshops are both for the corporate as well as for the educational sector and are geared up for learning and development,upgradation and capacity building. She have actively taken part in many debates
Yuvaan is an energetic and a happy 5+ year old child studying in grade 1. • He loves his academics, coloring, computers, maths, reading books and writing stories. • He loves visiting new places, and leisure activities like swimming, running and playing • He’s amongst the top rankers in Genius Cerebrum International Olympiads of all the subjects. • He has bagged number of awards, certificates and medals in academics, sports and co-cirruclar activities. • He is a self learner.
A blog submitted by Peter Blake PR Coordinator | Marasco & Nesselbush website: http://www.m-n-law.com
Guide to Social Security Disability Benefits The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers disability benefits to people in need of financial assistance due to a life-altering injury or mental condition that prevents them from holding a full-time job and supporting themselves.
The two major programs, SSDI and SSI, provide a financial benefit on a monthly basis that covers basic living costs. In order to obtain benefits, you have to apply to the Social Security Administration SSA for either program, provide the required information, and wait for the agency to make a decision. However, qualifying for SSDI or SSI can be difficult for various reasons, and help from a lawyer to get approved for benefits may be necessary.
What is SSDI?
Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is a federal government benefits program funded by payroll taxes. It provides financial aid to qualifying adults with disabilities if they have earned 20 work credits in the last 10 years. People who can prove they have a mental or physical condition that resulted from an injury and restricts or prevents them from working are usually eligible for SSDI.
What is SSI?
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is also a federal benefits program but is funded by general taxes instead of payroll taxes. It helps children and adults who meet one or more of the following criteria: ● Disabled ● Blind ● Age 65 or older with no work history The program is open to those with little to no income who are limited in their ability to hold down regular employment. It’s similar to Social Security benefits, but qualifying is based on disability as opposed to income.
Who qualifies for each?
Both programs provide benefits to people who are unable to work through disability, but SSDI is intended for adults who were able to work until they became disabled. SSI is for those who have been unable to hold a job for any length of time throughout their life.
Social Security Disability InsuranceSSDI
SSDI is for people who have worked up until recently and have been employed in positions that are covered by Social Security. The disability must meet the SSA’s definition of a disability, and it has to prevent you from working for at least a year.
Work credits earned from wages or self-employment are also required, but the income needed for SSDI changes every year. You can earn up to four work credits each year, and you can get all four credits after you’ve earned more than the minimum income for the year. For example, in 2021, a credit was awarded after a worker earned $1,470 in wages. After earning $5,880 in 2021, a worker received all four credits.
Supplemental Security IncomeSSI
SSI is for those who are over the age of 65 or unable to work due to disability or blindness. You must have income from earnings or pensions and have little in the way of resources to help you survive. The program is not funded through payroll taxes, unlike SSDI, and you’re not required to have work credits when applying.
Application process
The application process for both SSDI and SSI requires information that proves you are unable to work in your field or unable to work at all due to disability. Getting approved for either type of disability is a difficult process due to strict criteria and the requirements to prove your eligibility. You’ll have to obtain medical records that date back to the moment you were injured or diagnosed with an illness that impaired your ability to work.
The qualifying criteria for SSDI include working in jobs that contributed to Social Security and having a medical condition that meets the SSA’s definition of a disability. You must also be unable to work for at least a year after receiving your disability.
How to apply?
The applications for SSDI and SSI are the same and are available on the Social Security Administration’s website. Follow the instructions and fill out the form to the best of your abilities. It’s better to complete as much of the form as you can than to leave areas blank.
What information is needed?
In order to apply for SSDI or SSI, you’ll need the following information: ● Date and place of birth ● Marriage and divorce ● Names and dates of birth of children who are disabled prior to age 22 or are under 18 and unmarried or attending school full time ● U.S. military service ● Employer details for the current year and two years prior, excluding self-employment ● Self-employment details for the current year and two years prior ● Direct deposit information ● Alternate contact ● List of medical conditions ● Information about doctors, healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics ● Related medical records from non-medical sources ● Job history ● Education and training
The checklist provides further details about the type of information you need for the application.
In further blogs, we will be discussing more on Social Security Disability Benefits and what if your application is denied?
AuthorPeter Blake
PR Coordinator | Marasco & Nesselbush [ TOP RATED INJURY ATTORNEY Firm of USA]
