Warming Up

Posted: February 27, 2023 by jack

Warming Up

“Old Man Winter” is packing up his bags and heading out the door again. For myself, and many other people with disabilities, the winter months make it difficult to get out and exercise. Seeing the grass greening up, the bright blue skies and the temperatures getting warmer, thoughts of getting active again can brighten the day. Exercise is good for everyone. We’ve heard for years that exercising on a regular basis not only leads to a healthier life, but possibly a longer life as well. As with most everything, exercise should be done carefully and with moderation. And remember to… Read More

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Posted: February 15, 2023 by jack

Planning Ahead

It’s always a good, no – make that a great idea – to plan ahead when doing most anything. My thought in this edition though is for building or buying a home when people with disabilities and the elderly are involved – especially with arthritis. What’s described below is not consistently true, but it’s a good rule to follow. In 1994 we decided to build a 1600 sq. ft. home. Being in a wheelchair for 23 years at that time, I knew very well what I wanted to include and what things to avoid. Obviously, stairs, steps and a wheelchair… Read More

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Posted: February 3, 2023 by jack

Our founder’s mission and his dream

The late Ewing W. Mays founded Mays Mission, a non-profit organization… …in order to give help, encouragement and guidance to the physically and mentally disabled.As a double amputee (he lost both of his legs during World War II), Ewing knew all to well the anguish and heartache of being disabled. He was only 25 years old when he lost his legs. For two years he lay in a hospital bed at McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas undergoing one operation after another before being fitted for artificial legs. Not once did a person with a similar disability ever visit him…. Read More

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Updated: February 2, 2023 by jack

Accomplishments

Our founder Ewing W. Mays accomplished many great things in his life as a disabled veteran. Initially he toured with a group of disabled veterans and sold war bonds and recruited employees for defense plants. Later he worked tireless hours with the Disabled American Veterans and toured overseas to bring hope to young men who had suffered similar losses. But the accomplishment he was most proud of was founding Mays Mission for the Handicapped in 1972. Mays always said, “The greatest satisfaction of my life has been the establishment of Mays Mission for the Handicapped which provides jobs and job… Read More

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Updated: January 25, 2023 by jack

Your Faith in Action

Mays Mission for the Handicapped supports several programs which are all designed to help the disabled, frail or elderly. One of our programs, the “Faith in Action Caregivers Alliance,” gets its name from the national program “Faith in Action” originated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey. The concept of Faith in Action is simple: volunteers of many faiths, working together to care for their neighbors who have long-term health needs. Through our program, as in hundreds of others throughout the nation, frail or elderly neighbors are given assistance by volunteers from their community. This assistance will… Read More

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Posted: January 18, 2023 by jack

You Never Know…

Today I met a woman who had what I thought was a very interesting story. Cindy is a woman in her mid fifties and is native to the beautiful New England states. She was here to visit her daughter and son-in-law and her lovely fifteen-month old granddaughter. She and her husband intend to move to the south soon to be nearer to their family. Unbeknownst to me, Cindy is legally blind since birth and has a myriad of medical problems that keep her from holding a job. She gets around fine, does housework and is a very fine cook, so… Read More

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Updated: January 5, 2023 by jack

Help us make this year a great year!

Another year has passed and some good questions might be “What have we accomplished? Are we better off in any way than we were 365 days ago? “What can we do in the coming year to improve our lives and the way we live?” Better yet, what can we do to improve the lives of others, especially those with disabilities? The dictionary describes an “advocate” as one who publicly supports or suggests an idea, development or way of doing something. Here at Mays Mission, our primary goal is to aid and assist people with disabilities. Yes, putting to work those… Read More

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Posted: December 28, 2022 by jack

Mission Goals for 2023

In sports such as football, basketball or tennis the object is to reach the goal and score. The football team tries to run over or pass over the opposing team to reach the goal line. In tennis the goal is to hit the ball over the net and past your opponent. Like these games, our goals at Mays Mission do not change. We will continue to work hard to provide the types of programs that serve the disabled. We will continue to offer meaningful jobs and job training to help those who might not otherwise be given such an opportunity…. Read More

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Posted: December 19, 2022 by jack

Giving The Gift Of Hope

Giving gifts at Christmas is a tradition based of course, on the greatest gift ever given to mankind-the gift of a Son by his Father to a world in desperate need. The celebration of Christmas is a reminder to all of us how blessed we are to have been given such a precious gift of hope. Here at Mays Mission we are blessed over and over by the gifts we receive from our faithful and loyal supporters. Gifts we pass on to those we serve each day. One of those most precious gifts is hope. Through our jobs and job-training… Read More

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Updated: December 7, 2022 by jack

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”

Christmas is a time for family and friends to do so much together and for each other. Some start planning a year in advance for the next celebration. We plan festive meals and holiday parties. Sometimes we gather up the family to watch one of those classic movies like It’s a wonderful life or A Christmas Carol. And often we plan a trip to see Handel’s Messiah or The Nutcracker. While these cheerful events and celebrations draw the family together for Christmas, probably the most thought about event is that of gift giving. Some like to get this portion of… Read More

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Updated: November 30, 2022 by jack

Holiday Smiles

It’s that time again. It seems like December 25th and January 1st happen on the same dates every year. Yes, that was said tongue-in-cheek and meant to get your attention. With so much going on during the holiday season we often neglect some of the basic tenants of our Christian faith.James says in chapter 1, verse 27 that “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” Now, I don’t know what you see going on in our world but my… Read More

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Updated: November 21, 2022 by jack

Be Thankful

Sometimes it seems so repetitious to say that we have much to be thankful for. Yet, if we take the time to look around and see the way other countries are struggling, we can’t help but know that God has richly blessed us. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting the best of everything, the latest gadgets and whiz-bang technology. Yet people in other countries are wondering where their next meal is coming from, wondering if their malnourished children will survive or if they will ever get the medical attention they so desperately need. As a nation, the vast… Read More

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Updated: November 17, 2022 by jack

Quiz Time!

According to the Presidents Committee on People with Disabilities, answers to all the questions are “false.” (Responses to the above questions) People with disabilities deserve the opportunity to experience the “American Dream” without discrimination. Yet studies show the majority of working-aged people with disabilities cannot find employment. Make it a point to encourage an employer to hire people with disabilities. Give them a chance! Call us at 888-503-7955 for free brochures like “On-The_Job Training” or “Over Fifty Years Of Service” or email us at info@maysmission.org to find out more. Thank you for your support!

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Posted: October 21, 2022 by jack

Accessible Travel

Recently my wife and I determined that we truly needed a break from the hustle and bustle of our hectic every-day lives. We made the decision to just get out of the house for a weekend and spend some time together away from business, work and the phone. I called several resorts in the northwest Arkansas town we decided to visit, trying to find a place with wheelchair accessible facilities. After a few “sorry, we’re booked” disappointments, I finally found a place that sounded very nice. It had been a while since we’d had difficulty with accessibility when traveling. Seeing… Read More

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Updated: October 14, 2022 by jack

Interacting with the disabled

Public services and buildings are required to have in place facilities and policies to accommodate people with disabilities as required by the American’s with Disabilities Act. These regulations make it increasingly likely that people without specific disabilities will interact more frequently with the disabled. We often get questions about interacting with the disabled. Here are a few simple rules to help smooth the way for an easy and pleasing interaction: When interacting with a person using a wheelchair: Maintain eye contact. Ask if assistance is needed, rather than assuming it is. Don’t lean on a wheelchair. The chair is considered… Read More