Nancy Glynn
nancy@momsrising.org

Louis Esposito
louis@ablenh.org

January 13, 2025 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Granite Staters to Rally at State House in Support of Special Education Funding 

Concord, NH – With growing concerns about Special Education funding, people from across the state will gather outside the New Hampshire State House on Tuesday, January 14th at 11 AM, calling on leaders to protect the rights of students with disabilities by funding their fair share of Special Education supports and services. 

In November, New Hampshire school districts were informed that they should expect significantly less state aid for Special Education in 2025 due to budget shortfalls. The $33.9 million allocated for Special Education aid in 2025 falls far short of the $50.3 million needed to meet reimbursement requests from school districts. As a result, the state can only cover 67.5% of the funding it is constitutionally obligated to provide–a sharp decline from 87% in 2023 and 98.3% in 2022. Despite this gap, the New Hampshire Department of Education does not have a plan to request emergency funding, putting immense pressure on school boards to make tough decisions as they prepare their budgets ahead of town meeting season.

In response, New Hampshire residents are uniting to share a message about the importance of Special Education funding for building inclusive, equitable communities where all students can thrive. The rally will include remarks from students, local educators, parents, legislators, and advocates about the impact of Special Education services on their lives and communities.

“This is more than a call for funding, it’s a call for equity and access. Inclusive education is not a privilege, it’s a right. Adequately funding Special Education means ensuring that teachers, paraprofessionals, students, and their families have the resources, training, and support they need to provide inclusive and effective education. When we invest in Special Education, we empower educators to create classrooms where every student can thrive, and we uphold the values of access, inclusion, diversity, and community for all. Funding Special Education helps students with and without disabilities. When schools are more inclusive and fair, everyone learns and grows better together,” said Louis Esposito, Executive Director at ABLE NH.

“Budgets are moral documents, and Special Education funding must reflect our Granite State values. Without adequate support, the burden of this funding gap will fall on families who are already feeling the squeeze of skyrocketing property taxes and the high cost of living. If we want to attract young families to live, work and raise their families here, we need to listen. We heard them in Kearsarge, and we hear them now. New Hampshire families want to live in a state that values and invests in quality public education–NOT one where inequities deepen because the state fails to meet its obligations. The legislature has the tools to fix this–to prioritize Special Education funding and commit to funding the state’s constitutional responsibilities. Every day we delay is a day our students and schools are at risk,” said Nancy Glynn, New Hampshire Campaign Director for MomsRising.

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About ABLE NH

Founded and led by individuals with disabilities and their family members, Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH (ABLE NH) advocates for the civil and human rights of children and adults with disabilities, promoting full participation by: improving systems, connecting families, inspiring communities, and influencing public policy. Learn more at www.ablenh.org. 

About MomsRising

MomsRising is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all moms, women, and families in the United States. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s women and families including paid family leave, earned sick days, affordable childcare, and so much more. Learn more at www.momsrising.org. 

We’ve heard from you about your concerns for the disability community in 2025, and we are listening.

People with disabilities already face barriers to living full lives in their communities — barriers rooted in societal structures, policies, and attitudes. We work daily to challenge these barriers and advocate for a world where disability is recognized as a natural part of human diversity. We know that cuts to services and threats to the protections we’ve collectively fought for would only create more inequalities.

New Hampshire’s disability community has a long and proud history of partnering with diverse groups and lawmakers across all political parties to advance disability rights. ABLE NH will continue to build bridges with all decision-makers, foster open dialogue, share your powerful stories, and educate people about disability as a part of life we all share. Disability is not a personal tragedy. It intersects with every aspect of society, affecting people of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs. When people with disabilities thrive, New Hampshire thrives.

ABLE NH is free to speak up boldly about the right to full inclusion in our schools and communities. We are ready to partner with others who advocate for equity and justice, and we invite you to join us. We are committed to sharing accurate information and updates about issues that impact people with disabilities and their families as we look to make systematic changes through our policy work. Our strength relies on collective action and the power of lived experience.

As we start a new year, we want you to know we are here for you. Together, we will rise to meet any challenges that lie ahead. You are not alone.

In solidarity,

ABLE NH

We invite you to join us in our advocacy by becoming an ABLE NH member today. We offer both paid and in-kind membership options, so there are many ways to contribute to our work. Become a member: www.ablenh.org/membership

Our members play an essential role in advancing our work, and we’re launching a monthly series of member spotlights because their efforts deserve recognition! This December, we are excited to highlight Julie Lago, MSW, LICSW (she/her) of Seabrook, who has contributed her invaluable expertise to our efforts at the intersection of disability and mental health.

Julie is a lifelong disability advocate, a licensed social worker in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and a mom of two future ABLE NH advocates. She is also the Owner/Lead Consultant at Connections All Ways, PLLC, home to Bookends Therapy™. Their mission is to use proven strategies to help individuals and teams identify opportunities, broaden their perspectives, and work together to achieve success by fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, accountability, and inclusion.

Julie’s passion for person-centered approaches is evident in her work co-developing the Continuum of Collaborative Care. This model was created while in her role at a NH community mental health center, born out of a critical need for continuity of care for those who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and/or brain injuries in addition to mental health needs.

In 2010, Julie graduated from the NH-ME LEND Program and the NH Leadership Series, and also completed her Master of Social Work degree. She now works as an Adjunct Faculty and Field Liaison at the University of New Hampshire and enjoys challenging students in their experiential learning.

Julie joined ABLE NH’s Mental Health Task Force in 2024 to expand her advocacy efforts. She shared powerful insights on mental health awareness as a speaker at the 2024 Disability Justice Parade, and we were honored to have Connections All Ways as a sponsor of the 2024 Advocate NH Conference. Julie also played a vital role in facilitating a recent screening of the film Everything to Somebody, which follows the stories of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and highlights the importance of mental health services.

As an ABLE NH Member, Julie remains passionate about program development, training, and advocacy, fostering tools that allow for decreasing redundancy and improving efficiency in our systems of care.

Follow Julie’s work:
Instagram – @ConnectionsAllWays
Facebook – Connections All Ways, PLLC
LinkedIn – Connections All Ways, PLLC
Website – www.connectionsallways.com

Louis Esposito, ABLE NH Executive Director
louis@ablenh.org 

John F. Gabelus, Grants and Programs Associate 
jgabelus@carequest.org 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH receives $100,000 from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health

Concord, NH, November 13, 2024 – Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH (ABLE NH), an organization that advocates for the civil and human rights of children and adults with disabilities, received a $100,000 grant from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health in support of its diverse and outcomes-driven Oral Health Care Initiatives. ABLE NH accomplishes its mission by: improving systems, connecting families, inspiring communities, and influencing public policy. Generous funding from CareQuest Institute will help ABLE NH accomplish a key strategic priority for 2024-2025: undertaking a comprehensive and outcomes-based plan of work focused on helping dental offices better meet the needs of their patients with disabilities, while also working with individuals with disabilities to give them the training and support they need to become powerful self-advocates for quality dental care. 

“We’re grateful to the CareQuest Institute for supporting ABLE NH’s ongoing work to challenge barriers in dental care and promote true inclusion,” said Louis Esposito, Executive Director at ABLE NH. “This grant strengthens our efforts to ensure dental offices are better prepared to serve patients with disabilities and empowers individuals to be advocates for their own dental health. With this support, we continue to work toward a future where dental care respects the rights, dignity, and voices of people with disabilities as an essential part of health equity.”

Last year, CareQuest Institute awarded 96 grants in 37 states totaling more than $13 million. These grants address complex and upstream drivers of oral health disparities by investing strategically and providing collaborative, capacity-building support that leads to healthier communities.

“At CareQuest Institute, our goal is to partner with and amplify the voice and work of organizations dedicated to addressing systemic barriers to oral health access, championing structural change, supporting innovative solutions, and investing in community partnerships,” said Trenae Simpson, Senior Director of Grants and Programs at CareQuest Institute. “Maintaining a strong connection with our communities and organizations is crucial for the success of our future oral and overall health care system. By working collaboratively, we can drive positive change and ensure a healthier future for all.”

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About Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH
Founded and led by individuals with disabilities and their family members, ABLE NH organizes and builds power to serve its mission to advance civil and human rights for children and adults with disabilities. Our work to create positive systems change that eliminates ableism and promotes the rights of individuals with disabilities focuses specifically on improving systems of support, connecting families, inspiring communities, and influencing public policy. ABLE NH is free of public funds and facilitates and supports people with disabilities to shape policies and institutions that affect them.

About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders, to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit carequest.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

ABLE NH’s Annual Meeting is a time for us to share about the work we’ve done in the past year, seek community feedback on the direction of our advocacy, and elect members to positions on our Board of Directors. 

This year, we solicited your feedback on potential 2025 priorities through a pre-meeting survey informing our meeting agenda. Then, we narrowed down those priorities through voting at the Annual Meeting. This year, members voted that we prioritize:

• Establishing two new task forces — One to address challenges facing the direct support professional (DSP) workforce, and another to act as a “rapid response” team for policy developments that require advocacy action from our community.
• Developing trainings on topics including inclusive employment practices, accessibility, advocacy skills, and the intersections of disability and mental health.
• Special projects including establishing a Laconia State School historical marker, developing a training platform, building an infographic library for spreading important information to the community, and establishing a certification for professionals whose practices are conscious of disability access and inclusion.

We appreciate the valuable feedback and ideas we received from the community in this process. All of the issues you brought to us are important, and we will do our best to address as many of them as possible!

Beginning in 2013, the Advocate New Hampshire Conference was an annual networking and skill-building event by and for people involved in disability advocacy in New Hampshire. This event was a day for people with disabilities in New Hampshire, and their family members and other individuals who support them, to come together and join a network of advocates who care about making our communities inclusive and supportive.

In partnership with the Institute on Disability at UNH and with collaboration from People First of New Hampshire, we are thrilled to facilitate the return of the Advocate NH Conference on Friday, October 4th, 2024 in Concord. We have built an exciting lineup of presenters and will host breakout sessions on the topics of Housing, Employment, and Financial Fitness.

Event Schedule

Keynote Speakers

Patricia Vincent-Piet will be delivering the first of our two keynote speeches at the conference! You may know Patricia through her work with the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities or from her YouTube channel @JimandPat4Inclusion where she shares content about disability inclusion with her husband Jim.

Later in the morning, attendees will hear from Jessica Gorton, new Bureau Chief at the Bureau of Developmental Services, and Melissa Hardy, Director of the Division of Long Term Supports and Services. This is a unique opportunity for community members to engage directly with state government officials who directly influence our systems!

Breakout Sessions

Between keynote presentations, attendees with engage in breakout sessions on the issues of Housing, Employment, and Financial Fitness. You may also recognize the names of the beloved Granite State disability advocates leading these breakout sessions! Our Housing Breakout Session will be led by Jules Good, Founder of Neighborhood Access and disability policy expert, along with Michelle Schladenhauffen, a local watercolor artist and powerful community advocate. Our Employment Breakout Session will be led by Jane Brickett of our ABLE North Chapter and Jim Piet, a well-known New Hampshire expert on disability issues, and the other half of @JimandPat4Inclusion. The Financial Fitness Breakout Session will be presented by People First/SALT leadership Kathy Bates, John Fenley, and Nick Petersen.

Group Art Activity

After Lunch, local artist and advocate Maureen Rashifard will lead a collaborative art project, during which attendees will create signs for advocates to use in the Disability Justice Parade the following day. Maureen is the owner of Atomic Beet, where she creates beautiful block-prints. She is also Chair of the NH Universal Changing Station Alliance, where she advocates for the installation of universal changing tables across the state.

This group art activity is sponsored by our friends at People First/SALT.

Intersectionality Panel

To close out the conference, we look forward to hearing from a panel of NH disability and social justice advocates as they discuss the topic of intersectionality. This panel will be moderated by ABLE NH Board member Sophie Kellam, founding member of the Rainbow Connection support group for LGBTQ+ folks with disabilities and recipient of our 2024 Disability Justice Star of the Year Award.

Panelists include Owen Bastille of ABLE NH’s Seacoast Chapter, Deborah Opramolla of the Disability Rights Center – NH, Jules Good of Neighborhood Access and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and Yasamin “Yaz” Safarzadeh, local mixed media artist and community organizer.

We are ready for a conference jam-packed full of disability advocacy and community building before we gather as a community to march in the 3rd Annual Disability Justice Parade the following day. We hope to see you there!

Louis Esposito, ABLE NH Executive Director
louis@ablenh.org 

Alrie McNiff Daniels
alrie.daniels@point32health.org

July 25, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH receives $75,000 from Point32Health Foundation

Concord, NH – Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH (ABLE NH), an organization that advocates for the civil and human rights of children and adults with disabilities, received a $75,000, three-year general operating grant from Point32Health Foundation. ABLE NH’s accomplishes its mission by: improving systems, connecting families, inspiring communities, and influencing public policy. Generous funding from Point32Health Foundation will support the inclusion and participation of people living with disabilities in advocacy and civic engagement initiatives across the state. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Point32Health to enhance out advocacy efforts for New Hampshire residents with disabilities and their families, who are often underserved by systems and policies that overlook their unique needs. This grant will significantly impact our ability to advance ABLE NH’s training programs, advocacy initiatives, and overall organizational sustainability. By embracing principles of disability justice, we aim to foster an inclusive and equitable society where the rights and dignity of people with disabilities are fully recognized and upheld,” said Louis Esposito, ABLE NH Executive Director.

This grant is one of 31 new investments totaling nearly $3 million from Point32Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Point32Health and its family of companies, including Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Tufts Health Plan and Care Partners of Connecticut.  The grants support community-led solutions to advance healthier communities and equity in aging in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. 

“These organizations are increasing social connection, improving community approaches to mental health and making healthy, culturally relevant food accessible—while creating communities that promote equitable aging,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Point32Health Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Point32Health. “They are collaborative and committed to making communities work better for everyone.” 

About Advocates Building Lasting Equality in NH
Founded and led by individuals with disabilities and their family members, ABLE NH organizes and builds power to serve its mission to advance civil and human rights for children and adults with disabilities. Our work to create positive systems change that eliminates ableism and promotes the rights of individuals with disabilities focuses specifically on improving systems of support, connecting families, inspiring communities, and influencing public policy. ABLE NH is free of public funds, facilitates and supports people with disabilities to shape laws, policies and institutions that affect them.

About Point32Health Foundation
Point32Health Foundation builds on values of giving and service that were central to both Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and Tufts Health Plan Foundation. We work with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone. The Foundation advances equity-focused solutions in healthy aging, access to healthy food and behavioral health in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to ABLE NH’s members, friends, partners, board members, and especially the staff for the series of warm welcomes I have received during my first month. It is truly an honor to be entrusted with this important role within our state and growing community. I am humbled by your words of advice, encouragement, and expertise. These opportunities have provided me with the opportunity to establish a foundation to understand ABLE NH’s core values and mission. While our conversations have been positive, what has truly been remarkable is that they are not one-time exchanges. These conversations are the start of a longer dialogue and the foundation of relationships meant to further all of our shared goals of creating a more inclusive New Hampshire.

It’s no coincidence that my first day at ABLE NH coincided with the first day of National Disability Pride Month. This has given me an added opportunity to reflect on the history of ABLE NH and the movements and leaders that have paved the way for its creation and solid foundation. Without the dedication and passion of those who led these movements, we would not be where we are today. As we reflect on what came before, it is also appropriate to think about the challenges and goals ahead of us. To build a more inclusive society, we need strong leaders and advocates throughout our local communities, our state and our country to continue the progress in making our society more inclusive.

My background as a special educator, program director, and paraprofessional has taught me that learning and growth are lifelong journeys. My experiences are unique to me, and I recognize that no two people can walk through life with the same perspective. I am looking forward to a continuous flow of opportunities that allow me to learn through you. Whether you are a person with disabilities, a parent, a sibling, an educator, a professional, an employer, or any person with a vested interest, I am excited to learn of your journey and share my experiences in return.

I am determined to see the growth of individual advocacy, for voices that have previously been silenced to be amplified, and to bring long-ignored issues to the forefront. This is necessary to make inclusion everywhere, for everyone, every day. I look forward to supporting emerging leaders as they find their voice. Even though there has been a change in leadership at ABLE NH, our vision remains the same: “To live in a world where the social, emotional, economic, and human rights of people with disabilities are fully realized.”

I am seeking your support in several areas. First, please ensure we have your correct details by updating your membership information. If you are not yet a member, I encourage you to join us and make your voice heard. Additionally, I invite you to support and attend our task forces, where your input will help us collaboratively address key issues facing our community. Finally, I would love to meet you at one or all of our upcoming events: Fisher Cats game on August 25th, the Advocate NH Conference: Art of Advocacy on October 4th, and the Disability Justice Parade in Concord on October 5th.

I am excited to work together on the issues that impact our community and I look forward to continuing the journey of making New Hampshire a more inclusive state. Most of all, I am eager to meet and get to know all of you!

Sincerely,

Louis Esposito
Executive Director

Dear Community Members,

ABLE NH would like to publicly thank Kelly Nye-Lengerman, PhD for serving as one of our trusted advisors while in her position as Executive Director of the UNH Institute on Disability (IOD). We are saddened by her departure from the role, but deeply grateful for her contributions to our community.

Kelly has been an invaluable resource to ABLE NH, assisting us at numerous events and providing guidance on how to run them effectively. Through challenging times, Kelly offered us wisdom on how to move forward and grow. Her advice and passion on inclusivity in New Hampshire has been beyond influential for many of us here at ABLE. Kelly has always made herself available to support our organization, whether working with individual board members, staff or the disability community.

Alex Beauchner, ABLE NH Board Vice President shares:

“When I first met Kelly at an annual meeting, she was happy that we lived near each other. She has always been available to check in with me about personal things and professional issues. She has made me a better board member and is proud of me. When I first won the Annie Forts Award in 2023, she was the one that presented it to me and gave a nice speech about me”.

Katie Phillps, ABLE Board member recalls:

“When I was a Co-MC with her at the recognition night at UNH for the IOD, it was a very good event. She treated me like a peer, and like an equal and we did it together. This past year, Kelly was there when I won the Annie Forts annual leadership award. She told me congratulations and that it was very well deserved”.

Lisa Steadman, ABLE Board President commented:

“I am continually in awe of the support ABLE receives from its three advisors. Kelly has been incredibly busy in her role, but always made time for my questions. I counted on her for candid feedback, help figuring out how to say hard things nicely, the occasional reality check, and a steady flow of encouragement to ‘Pause Lisa, and take a minute to reflect on what has been accomplished’. She always knew what I needed to hear.”

While we are sad that she is leaving her role as Director, we want to express our sincerest gratitude for her guidance and advocacy. We thank her for what she does in this world as a strong leader. We hope that she will be able to continue to bring awareness and support to the disability community.

Sincerely,

ABLE NH Board and Staff