Mission Statement
DIG empowers Deaf and Hard of Hearing government employees to overcome communication barriers, resolve accessibility issues, and promote a fully inclusive work environment through networking and fostering professional growth.
Purpose
DIG is a national non-profit organization whose purpose is two-fold. It serves as an employee support group for local, state and federal employees who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, Deaf Disabled, and Late Deafened and as a resource for the government.
DIG coordinates and collaborates with external organizations such as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Congress, White House, Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), National Association of the Deaf (NAD), State Associations for the Deaf, State Commissions for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and other entities. DIG is an active member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN).
Founded in 1992 after a successful conference in Austin, Texas, Deaf Seniors of America, Inc. (DSA) emerged to serve the unique needs of Deaf seniors nationwide. Spearheaded by advocate Ralph White, DSA quickly evolved from a grassroots vision into a national organization. By 1997, DSA adopted its current name and launched New Horizons, a quarterly magazine for Deaf seniors. Since then, DSA has hosted biennial conferences across the U.S., providing education, community engagement, and advocacy. Despite setbacks, such as the cancellation of conferences in 2011 and 2021, DSA has remained resilient, embracing virtual outreach and returning stronger with its 2023 gathering in Florida. Through leadership, community spirit, and a commitment to inclusion, DSA continues to empower Deaf seniors to live vibrant, connected lives.
Community Access and Empowerment
Community Access and Empowerment (CAE) was founded in November 2023 with the mission of empowering Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals, to thrive in communication, career, and life. Recognizing the critical need for services that provide accessible communication, career opportunities/development, and life skills for the Deaf community, CAE was established to bridge gaps and create pathways to success. The organization is driven by a team of experienced educators, community leaders, and industry partners dedicated to fostering independence and positive outcomes for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals with unique strengths and challenges.
Signs of Fun originated as a summer camp in the Fredericksburg, VA area to provide a supportive and engaging environment for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafDisabled children who had limited summer camp opportunities. Recognizing the broader needs of families, we expanded into an online resource center and advocacy group, specializing in supporting military families navigating the challenges of frequent relocations. Additionally, we launched a Deaf-led ASL Parent Program during camp week, equipping parents with sign language skills and fostering active participation in Deaf Advocacy Day (DAD). More information about our camp can be found here: http://www.signsoffuncamp.org/ .
The program we run for parents and professionals to give a better understanding of language deprivation and the need for language acquisition can be found here: www.deaflab.org. It serves as an online resource for educational purposes.
As our director’s spouse's military service brought us to Hawai‘i, we proudly expanded our reach to serve families on both the East and West Coasts of the United States.
Ethiopian Deaf Community in USA
The Ethiopian Deaf Community in USA is a nonprofit organization established in 2017 to support and empower Ethiopian deaf individuals residing in the United States EDCUSA is dedicated to promoting inclusivity accessibility and equal opportunities for members of the Ethiopian deaf community With more than 70 active members the organization serves as a hub for advocacy education and community development Mission EDCUSA s mission is to bridge the gap in communication foster unity and provide vital resources to Ethiopian deaf individuals By addressing the unique challenges faced by this community EDCUSA aims to enhance their quality of life and ensure they have equal access to education employment and social services Vision EDCUSA envisions a society where Ethiopian deaf individuals are empowered valued and included in every aspect of community life The organization strives to create a world where linguistic and cultural barriers are eliminated and individuals can thrive access to
Greater Agency Los Angeles for Deafness (GLAD)
Our goal is to protect the civil rights, and ensure equal access for the deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and deaf disabled communities in particular areas of California, including the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Luis Obispo, to all of life’s opportunities.
GLAD’s general purpose and powers shall be to promote the educational, health, housing, vocational, cultural, social and recreational welfare of its deaf and hard of hearing constituents.
The organization’s specific and primary purposes shall be to act as a coordinating agency addressing the broad social service needs of deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and deaf disabled individuals through direct service provision, advocacy, research and dissemination of information to the consumers, professionals and parents.
Orange County Deaf Equal Access Foundation
The mission of the Orange County Deaf Equal Access Foundation (OC DEAF) is to ensure equal access of the deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind and deaf disabled community to the same opportunities afforded their hearing counterparts. The organization’s general purposes and powers are directed around the promotion of the social, recreational, cultural, educational, and vocational welfare of its deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind and deaf disabled constituents.
OC DEAF’s specific and primary purpose is to act as a coordinating agency that addresses the broad social service needs of deaf, hard of hearing deafblind and deaf disabled people through direct service provision, advocacy, research and dissemination of information regarding deafness to parents, professionals and consumers.
Tri-County GLAD is a Subsidiary of the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc. Non-Profit Organization that serves the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and Deaf Disabled community in the Ventura, Santa Barbara, & San Luis Obispo counties. Our purposes and powers are directed around promotion, of the social, recreational, cultural, educational, and vocational welfare of its Deaf and Hard of Hearing constituents. Also, to act as a coordinating agency that address the broad social service needs of Deaf & Hard of Hearing people through direct service provision, advocacy, research and dissemination of information regarding deafness to parents, professionals, and consumers.