Earlier this summer, Independent Living of Genesee Region (ILGR) hired two new people.
Melissa Golpl is the new full-time outreach specialist/disability rights advocate. She has experience as an advocate for policies which serve to eliminate discrimination and promote inclusion using the "Independent Living Philosophy."
She is very active in local and statewide advocacy. Golpl comes to ILGR from Independent Living of Niagara County, where she served as disability rights advocate. She has also been a community advocate for the Mental Health PEER Connection.
Golpl will coordinate systems advocacy for Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. In addition, she is trained as a certified trainer of the American with Disabilities Act and is available to train people upon request. As an outreach specialist, she will work on a program in Niagara and Orleans counties that seeks to identify individuals living in nursing homes who are able to move back into the community.
Edna Painter was hired as a full-time, temporary outreach specialist. Most recently, she has served as a program aide at Stepping Stones Day Treatment in Warsaw and as a meal site manager for the Wyoming County Office for the Aging. She received a diploma from the Olean Business Institute.
As the outreach specialist, Edna will arrange community activities for the agency, including support group development and targeted outreach to various agencies. Painter is available to speak to individuals, groups and organizations about how ILGR can assist individuals with disabilities.
Independent Living of Genesee Region (ILGR), part of the WNY Independent Living Inc., Family of Agencies is located in Batavia at 113 Main Street, Suite 5.
The agency provides individuals of the Genesee Region with four "Core Services; Information & Referral, Peer Counseling, Independent Living Skills Training and Individual and Community Advocacy."
For more information about ILGR or to begin receiving services, please call (585) 815-8501, ext. 400, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
