Header with 4 photos in black and white. Photo 1 of family looking at owl. Photo 2 of clear windowed face masks. Photo 3 of man in mask signing. Photo 3 of Santa and child holding "I love you" signs up. Under the photo is the D&HHS logo and words reading "2020 Year in Review Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services"

Will there ever be a year-in-review that will compare to a look back at 2020?

The staff, board and people served by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services would likely say we hope not!

But as we optimistically look at what might be in store for us in 2021, it is also important to reflect on 2020. Not just the hard times, and there were those, but also the good times, and there were many of those too.

We learned a lot as an organization this past year. When COVID-19 hit our nation and our world in March of 2020, we had been pretty much business as usual.

Before COVID-19, we were placing 400 interpreters a month around West Michigan (and had just had a great Interpreter Appreciation Day in which we treated them to a Spa Day).

We had partnered with Ferris State University, helping their pharmacy students better understand how to serve Deaf customers.

Our Teen Club had just hosted a cooking class at the Mary Free Bed YMCA, and we had just had record attendance for our 10th annual Silent Weekend.

And everything changed, temporarily. 

Interpreter placements, and the revenue that comes with them that supports so many of our other programs, pretty much came to a halt. Events couldn’t be held in person. We had staff furloughs. Things were rough.

But, we quickly learned how to adjust.

And we saw that, more than ever, the people we partner with – our Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing clients – needed someone in their corner when hospitals didn’t consider interpreters part of the team because of COVID concerns.  

Image: Young boy cooking with ingredients in the foreground. Two women are in the background
Teen Club Cooking in the YMCA Kitchen
Image: Large group of people at Silent Weekend standing on a stage platform with white folding chairs in the foreground
Attendees at the 10th Annual Silent Weekend

Or when public health briefing didn’t include interpreters and Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing folks were missing out on critical, life-and-death information.

Or when the masks that everyone suddenly had to wear covered the mouth and made life even that much harder for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

We stepped into all of those situations. 

We helped people navigate the medical system, and we worked with local and regional health authorities to have interpreters at their briefings. We became a go-to resource in West Michigan for communicator masks (the masks with a clear plastic panel over the mouth).

We started offering our ASL classes online and saw higher numbers of participants than some of our prior in-person classes!

We took our always-popular Kids Kamp virtual to rave reviews.

We offered expertise and advice on telehealth.

And, through it all, we never forgot our mission, the philosophy that had guided us for 25 years now: to provide equal communication access, education, and advocacy to the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing in pursuit of all life’s opportunities.

Like the Elton John song from almost 40 years ago, “we’re still standing.” And we plan to be standing for many years to come.

Deb Atwood Signature

Deb Atwood, Executive Director, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
-on behalf of the staff, the board and all those we serve

Three face masks with clear mouth windows
Windowed communicator masks made by volunteers
Image: Young asian boy with glasses and a red shirt blowing a bubble through his hand.
Kamper enjoying Virtual Kids Kamp activities at home
Blue Header: "2020 by the numbers"
Blue Circle Graphic: "3,815 Interpreters Placed"
Orange Circle Graphic: "49 Given Direct Advocacy"
Graphic Chart: "Interpreter Jobs by Setting; 44% Medical, 18% Community, 16% Mental Health, 9 % Legal, 13% Other"
Green Circle Graphic: "35 Assisted with Hearing Aids"
Blue Circle Graphic: "19 Interpreter Workshop Opportunities"
Blue Circle Graphic: "367 Communicator Masks Provided"
Orange Circle Graphic: "70 hours of Interpreter Mentorship"
Green Circle Graphic: "150 Learning ASL"
Blue Circle Graphic: "115 Youth Program Participants"
Blue Box Graphic: "27 Counties Serviced"

Thank you for looking back at 2020 with us. It has been a memorable year! We look forward to 2021 and the difference we can make together. You can continue to support our organization and the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities by making a donation today.

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