For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Hilderbrant – Cell (585) 267-0343
June 10, 2009

Rochester Area Disability Advocates Gain Recognition Nationally

Washington, DC – While participating in the annual conference of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), two disability advocates from the Greater Rochester Area received substantial national acclaim.

Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy at the Center for Disability Rights (CDR), received NCIL’s Region II Advocacy Award. Each year at the annual conference, NCIL members select a person in each region who has performed exemplary advocacy to further the rights of people with all types of disabilities and of all ages. Region II encompasses New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

“I am honored to be recognized for the advocacy work we’ve done at the Center for Disability Rights over the past ten years,” said Mr. Hilderbrant. “There are so many people doing great work, I’m surprised to be selected.”

Additionally, CDR’s Executive Director, Bruce Darling, was elected to the Board of Directors of NCIL. Mr. Darling was elected to a Member-at-large position by popular vote of the membership. Mr. Darling was not intending to run for election, but was strongly encouraged to do so by leaders from the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States.

As a Member of the NCIL Board of Directors, Mr. Darling hopes to further NCIL’s existing efforts to pass the Community Choice Act (S.683 / H.R. 1670) to create a national standard for all states to provide in-home services for seniors and people with disabilities. Mr. Darling will be joining NCIL’s Personal Assistance Services committee.

NCIL is the only national coalition of Centers for Independent Living. NCIL has 687 total members, including 183 Centers for Independent Living, 447 individuals, 27 organizations and 29 State Independent Living Councils. NCIL was founded in 1982 and has been essential in advocacy struggles to enact the Americans with Disabilities Act and to implement the Help America Vote Act. For more information regarding NCIL, please visit www.ncil.org or contact Jason Beloungy at (202) 227-0334.