[Accessibility_sig] Assistance for Disability Assistance of Central Texas

[Dallas Webster]

I sent this out Friday to several groups and individuals. Unfortunately, I was not using the email address that I registered at Accessibility_SIG, so it looked like a non-member posting and is still be hung up by the Group Moderator. Unfortunately, it time critical, and DACT closed its doors this morning, terminating all but 3 of its employees, who were only retained to do the shut-down transition. I held little hope when I first sent the message. DACT's board had contacted most of the powerful people in the community already (including many of you). But I thought I might just find the right person in my circles, or my few press connections. To allow for past-midnight heroics, I'm resending this through my registered address.

This is a sad day.

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If you saw Friday's article in the Statesman on Spamarama and read beyond the headline and intro, you noticed that Disability of Central Texas is in dire straits, slated to close their doors during this next week unless a major benefactor is found. My wife, Diana, and I have had a long relationship with DACT, as customers and service providers, and would like to see them continue (and grow, not shrink).

There has been more public concern about losing Spamarama, for whom DACT was the prime sponsor, than for DACT itself, which should be the first concern. Spamarama has several months to figure out how to keep keeping Austin weird, but DACT has just a week to figure out how to keep keeping its clients independent.

It is ironic that DACT's problems arose just as the City of Austin decided to give a broadly opposed handout to Las Manita:s $750,000 it neither needed nor deserved. John Kelso wrote in his Friday column that Spamarama was a much more deserving cause, But he failed to note that that DACT is the true potential casualty here.

There are lots of people giving DACT donations and words of support. But they need large donors and powerful support -- and very quickly. If you can do anything to get the word out to potential angels, movers and shakers, DACT would appreciate your help. Their Executive Director, Norman Kieke, has been contacting a lot of people in the city, state and community. I've contacted various state legislators and City Councilors in my and DACT-area districts, as well as the Mayor's Committee on People with Disabilities and some companies and disability organizations. But I want to be sure that this network and community is also aware and, hopefully, willing and able to help.

Most of you have pretty direct knowledge about how fragile non-profits can be, particularly in this arena. Still, the suddenness caught most by surprise.


If you wish to contact DACT to get or give information or provide support, its coordinates are

Disability Assistance of Central Texas
9027 Northgate Blvd. Suite 101
Austin, TX 78758
512.834.1827
512.834.9504 (Fax)
Email: General Office: dact at dact.org
          ACCESS: access at dact.org
          ASERT: asert at dact.org

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