Adelante develops new four-legged "software" showcased on NBC Today Show
NMITSA member Adelante Development Center, is a non-profit social services organization in central New Mexico serving people with disabilities through employment, physical therapy, training, assisted living, assistive technologies, and other beneficial activities.In addition to Adelante's Assistive Technology/TechWorks program, Adelante recently partnered with the Assistance Dogs of the West (ADW) program in Santa Fe to train four-legged "software" in the form of Golden Labrador dogs to guide people with disabilities and help them live independently.
The magic of the Adelante Working Dogs program, in addition to the phenomenal works of ADW, is that the dog trainers themselves are disabled – the first such program in the world.
On December 27, 2006, the Working Dogs program was featured on the NBC Today Show's Real Heroes segment (link to video). The video clip is very impactful. As evidenced in the news segment, these special trainers are enabled far beyond their disabilities, in fact, they empower many others in function and spirit.
Melissa Winkle, an occupational therapist with Adelante, and Jill Felice, executive director of Assistance Dogs of the West, are the visionary leaders who developed the idea and implemented it through Adelante's entrepreneurial programming and the guidance of ADW's many year's of experience.
Congratulations on your great successes Melissa and Jill! Many people benefit, including all of us who share in the story.
For more information about the program contact:
Melissa Winkle
Adelante Development Center
3900 Osuna Road, NE
Albuquerque, NM
5405-341-2000
Jill Felice, Executive Director
Assistance Dogs of the West (link to ADW program video)
P. O. Box 31027
Santa Fe, NM 87594
505-986-9748
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Adelante was a 2005 award winner at the NMITSA Information Technology Excellence Awards for its impressive IT systems integration project in its new facilities at 3900 Osuna Road, NE, Albuquerque.
Jim Bullard, Adelante's director of information technology, is active in the NMITSA CIOnet executive peer group, and he often hosts the CIOnet meetings at Adelante headquarters. Jim can be reached at jbullard at goadelante.org
Randy Burge, NMITSA president, has served on the board of the Adelante Development Center since 2000.
