Newsletter – July 2025

ADA Anniversary + Disability Pride = Celebration of Diversity

This month commemorates 35 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The first of its kind in the world, this landmark, life-changing civil rights law protects individuals with disabilities against discrimination and grants them full participation in their communities. The ADA covers public accommodation, employment, transportation, and state and local government services. First Place AZ honors the ADA through diligent daily efforts to foster a supportive, sustainable community where adults with autism and/or intellectual/ developmental disabilities can flourish with greater independence, purpose and possibilities.

July is also Disability Pride Month in honor of the ADA.

First Place AZ celebrates the achievements and diverse experiences of all people with disabilities. We invite you to support our ongoing efforts to create a world that opens doors for people with autism and/or intellectual/developmental disabilities. Learn more and donate.

Community Life: water, water everywhere—and paella, too!

It’s summertime…and time for First Place–Phoenix’s annual “Water Games!” There’s no better way to beat the heat than to join a team for some cool competition.

Check out this quick video for a reminder of the wide variety of fun and engaging community life activities residents enjoy year-round!

Thanks to the K2 Adventures Foundation’s K2 Kitchen health and wellness program—and with Chef Titina on hand to guide the chopping and peeling and oversee the simmering and stirring—residents and staff didn’t need to go all the way to Spain to enjoy an authentic bowl of paella deliciosa.

Follow “Love, Courage &” film series to Dimensions™ 2025.

The “Love, Courage &” film series from the First Place Global Leadership Institute continues with the tireless, trailblazing Denise D. Resnik, founder and president/CEO of First Place AZ and Matt’s mom. She and other courageous leaders in this series represent the kinds of voices you’ll hear in October at Dimensions 2025, First Place Global’s annual symposium. Register now to take advantage of the early-bird discount through Thursday, August 14!

Informative Global Leadership Institute webinar delves into the future of HCBS waivers.

The First Place Global Leadership Institute recently hosted “The Road Ahead for HCBS,” a webinar featuring a panel of national and state leaders, along with trusted collaborators, to explore the future of home- and community-based services. The examination of issues and exchange of ideas were timely given the growing need for affordable, supportive housing and concern over federal funding. Special thanks to everyone who made this an empowering discussion, especially our esteemed presenters: Jeff Cross, Senior Development Advisor, Benchmark Human Services; Nicole LeBlanc, Policy Assistant, Human Services Research Institute; Lilia Teninty, Principal at Burns & Associates, a division of Health Management Associates; and Brenda Smith, Parent/Family Member, Person-Centered Thinking Mentor, Trainer and LifeCourse Coach. As always, stronger together!

Denise D. Resnik featured in Mesa’s Accessibility Travel Guide.

As the first-ever Autism Certified City in the world, Mesa, Arizona is demonstrating how inclusivity can strengthen every dimension of a community—including tourism. For the recently published Accessibility Travel Guide, Visit Mesa invited Denise D. Resnik, First Place AZ founder and president/CEO, to share her thoughts on how “creating a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of ability, is a shared responsibility that extends from neighborhoods, schools and workplaces to places of worship and recreational spaces.”