At Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, we work hard, faithfully pursuing our mission of access, education and advocacy. And sometimes we forget how special what we do together truly is.
But in looking back, we are often reminded of how our many little steps lead to impressive progress.
At the 2024 Silent Weekend, we had many such reminders, not the least of which was the presence of six students from Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey, who drove for almost 12 hours across 700 miles to be part of a weekend full of learning, laughter and love.
When Silent Weekend was done, this is what one of the New Jersey attendees had to say:
“I would tell people who have never heard of the Silent Weekend that this event is well worth your time, money and travel. No matter how far, it is worth it to make the trip and get involved in this rare and inviting event.”
We’d like to think “rare and inviting” also describes D&HHS!
Silent Weekend was one of many, many events we hosted in 2024 as we work to provide equal communication access, education and advocacy to the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing in pursuit of all life’s opportunities.
For example, in March we organized for Deaf children and Deaf adults an ASL-interpreted Sugarbush Tour at Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids as part of an ongoing partnership with Blandford.
In April, we hosted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel who spoke to 40 community members about Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Senior Scams.
In May, we had both a Coffee and Cocktails fundraiser and our regular Interpreter Appreciation Day, and a month later we hosted and event, “Advancing Access & Equity: Serving DeafBlind Patients in Medical Settings,” with our partners at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired that celebrated DeafBlind Awareness Month and benefited more than 30 workshop attendees and the people they come in contact with down the road.
Our 2024 Kids Kamp was one of the biggest yet with 35 attendees enjoying a wide variety of experiences both on site and off. And in September 2024, we had a party for Deaf Awareness Month that saw 120 people come to our home at the SOMI Unified Sports and Inclusion Center for food and drink, resource tables, games, and, of course, lots of time for good conversation.
As we look ahead to a new year, we are thrilled that in 2025, we will mark three decades of doing this important work, going back to our founding in 1995 when a medical emergency for a Deaf community leader named Marty Jansen convinced area interpreters, hearing service providers and Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers, including the Jansens, to say “Enough is enough. We need a comprehensive, full-service agency addressing the needs of our Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities.”
But as we conclude this recap, please allow us to leave you with a few numbers that illustrate the breadth and depth of our work this past year:
- 3,560 Interpreter jobs filled
- 1,975+ volunteer hours
- 237 Youth Program participants
- 216 students learning ASL
- 159 Interpreter workshop attendees
- 151 Hearing aids for seniors
- 71 Community workshop attendees
- 51 EIPA tests
- 30 Direct advocacy clients
- 27 Counties served
- 7 DEI&A Trainings
What we do is a community effort, a community you are an important part of, and we offer our deep-felt gratitude.
Deb Atwood, Executive Director, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
-on behalf of the staff, the board and all those we serve
