MyCIL Center For Independent Living

08/26/2026

💙 When our community comes together, great things happen.

MyCIL’s Transitional Skills Center (TSC) is honored to be a beneficiary of the 2026 Harmony for Hope Dueling Pianos event.
Last year, the generosity of sponsors, donors, volunteers, and attendees allowed the NEPA Invitational Committee to award $20,000 in direct grant funding to each local beneficiary.

This year, they’re aiming even higher - and we can help!
Join us on Friday, September 25 at the Scranton Cultural Center. Your ticket helps support a great night with an even greater purpose.

🎟️ Purchase tickets:
https://scranton.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=10043

Every ticket helps. Every donation helps. Every share helps. Thank you for supporting our community!

08/19/2026

🎁 LOCAL BUSINESSES & COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS: We need your help!

The auction and premium raffle baskets are an important part of Harmony for Hope Dueling Pianos, and we’re looking for donations to help make this year’s event a success.

Consider donating:
🎁 Gift cards
🍽️ Dining experiences
🎟️ Tickets or entertainment experiences
🏨 Overnight stays or getaways
🧺 Products for a premium themed basket
✨ Unique experiences or services

You can also create and donate a complete premium raffle basket!
Interested in helping support Harmony for Hope and MyCIL’s Transitional Skills Center?

📧 Please contact Bo Hoban at [email protected] regarding donations.

Your generosity can help make a meaningful impact right here in our community. Please share this post and help us connect with local businesses and donors!

08/14/2026

💰♿ Celebrate National ABLE Savings Day by Learning More About PA ABLE!

The PA ABLE Savings Program helps eligible Pennsylvanians with disabilities save for their future while maintaining important benefits.

PA ABLE has recently transitioned to a new online platform featuring lower fees, enhanced technology, and new tools designed to better serve people with disabilities.

🔗 Learn more about PA ABLE:
https://paable.gov

📞 Questions? 855-529-ABLE (2253)

Knowledge is an important part of financial independence. Share this resource with someone who may benefit!

The Pennsylvania ABLE Savings Program (PA ABLE) is an extraordinary, new, low-cost saving vehicle that gives people with disabilities and their families a tax-free way to save for disability-related expenses while maintaining government benefits. Federal and state law authorized the creation of PA A...

08/12/2026

🎹 SAVE THE DATE: Harmony for Hope – Dueling Pianos! 🎶

We’re excited to share that MyCIL’s Transitional Skills Center (TSC) has been selected as a beneficiary of the 2026 Harmony for Hope Dueling Pianos event!

📅 Friday, September 25, 2026
📍 Scranton Cultural LEAD Center

Harmony for Hope brings our community together for a fun evening while raising funds for local organizations making a difference throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Every ticket sold, sponsorship secured, and auction item donated helps increase the funding provided to this year’s beneficiaries - including MyCIL’s TSC!

🎟️ Save the date and get your tickets today:
https://scranton.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=10043

We hope to see you there! Please share and help us spread the word. 💙

08/11/2026

💙 A special visit to MyCIL’s Transitional Skills Center!

MyCIL was honored to welcome Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro, State Representative Bridget Kosierowski, and staff for a recent visit to our Transitional Skills Center (TSC).

During their visit, they had the opportunity to tour the TSC and learn more about how our programs help participants ages 14–22 build the skills, confidence, and independence they need as they prepare for life after high school.

At the TSC, learning goes beyond the classroom. Participants have opportunities to develop and practice real-world skills in areas such as:
🔹 Independent living and daily life skills
🔹 Employment readiness and workplace skills
🔹 Communication and self-advocacy
🔹 Social and community participation
🔹 Exploring interests, strengths, and future goals

The TSC is just one part of the work happening every day at MyCIL. As a Center for Independent Living, MyCIL provides programs, services, resources, and advocacy designed to empower people with disabilities to live as independently as they choose and participate fully in their communities.

Our impact also extends well beyond Pennsylvania. MyCIL has a national presence providing Fiscal Management Services (FMS) for self-directed programs in multiple states, helping individuals exercise greater choice and control over the services and supports they receive. This work reflects the same commitment to independence, choice, and self-direction that has always been at the heart of MyCIL’s mission.

We’re grateful to First Lady Shapiro, Rep. Kosierowski, and their teams for taking the time to visit, learn about our programs and services, and see the TSC firsthand.

And we’re especially proud of the participants, staff, and families who make the TSC such a vibrant and important part of our community. 💙

📸 Thank you to the Office of the First Lady for sharing photos from the visit with us! To view the full album visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagovernor/albums/72177720335066222/with/55455317181

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08/10/2026

♿ Accessibility Is More Than Compliance - It’s an Invitation.

The ADA is more than a requirement - it helps create communities where EVERYONE belongs.

When businesses prioritize accessibility, they send a powerful message: You are welcome here!

Accessibility gives people with disabilities greater opportunities to shop, dine, connect, and participate in their communities - and helps local businesses welcome more customers and build stronger community connections.

👏 👏 A special thank you to Wyalusing Family Chiropractic for helping bring attention to this important accessibility improvement, and to Ashley’s Kitchen for making it happen!

This is what inclusion looks like in action: recognizing that accessibility is not simply about accommodating someone after they arrive, but about creating a space where people with disabilities are expected, welcomed, and included from the start.

Community-minded efforts like this make a real difference and help ensure that everyone can take part in the places and experiences that bring us together.

Great work, Ashley's Kitchen, Rick Sherman and everyone involved in making our community more accessible!

Because accessibility isn't an inconvenience.

It is an invitation to participate.
It is an investment in your community.
And it is a statement that everyone belongs. 💙

08/05/2026

✨ What an amazing summer! ✨

Our 2026 PCF Summer Academy wrapped up after a month of career exploration, workplace experiences, skill-building, and confidence growth for high school students with disabilities.

From visiting local businesses to developing job readiness skills, our students embraced every opportunity to learn, grow, and prepare for the future. We're so proud of everything they accomplished!

Thank you to our staff, OVR, community partners, and families for making this summer a success. Most importantly, congratulations to our incredible students - you inspired us every day! 💙

08/05/2026

🌟 A Summer of Growth, Confidence, and New Opportunities! 🌟

As our 2026 Professional Connections Foundation (PCF) Summer Academy comes to a close, we're celebrating an incredible group of students who spent the past month building skills, exploring careers, and preparing for their futures.

Throughout the program, students:
💼 Explored local businesses and workplaces
🤝 Developed workplace readiness and interpersonal skills
🌱 Gained confidence through hands-on learning
🎯 Discovered new career possibilities
💙 Built friendships and independence along the way

Every workplace visited, every new skill learned, and every challenge overcome brought our students one step closer to achieving their goals.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), our community business partners, and the families who supported our students throughout this journey. Together, we're creating opportunities that empower young people with disabilities to succeed in work and in life.

We couldn't be prouder of everything this year's class accomplished. Congratulations to all of our PCF Summer Academy participants - we can't wait to see where your journey takes you next! 🎉

07/31/2026

🚫 Myth: Independent living means doing everything on your own.

✅ Fact: Independent living means having the freedom to make your own choices and access the supports you need to live the life you choose.

One of the biggest misconceptions about disability is that asking for help somehow means you aren't independent.

The truth is just the opposite.

Independence isn't about doing everything alone—it's about having choice, control, and self-determination. It's about deciding where you live, who supports you, how you spend your day, and what goals you want to pursue.

At MyCIL, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live life on their own terms. Whether it's learning new skills, finding accessible housing, advocating for accommodations, accessing assistive technology, or directing your own services, we're here to help you achieve your goals—not make them for you.

Because independence isn't measured by how much you do alone. It's measured by how much control you have over your own life.

💙 If you or someone you know could benefit from Independent Living services, we'd love to help. Call Toll-Free: 1-800-344-7211

07/29/2026

💙 Thank you, COLTS, for being such an incredible community partner!

At MyCIL's Transitional Skills Center (TSC), we believe that independence is built through real-life experiences - and learning how to confidently use public transportation is an important step toward greater independence.

We're grateful to the COLTS team for providing Travel Training to our students and for sharing their expertise, patience, and encouragement. These hands-on experiences help young adults develop the confidence to access employment, education, recreation, and all the opportunities our community has to offer.

Strong partnerships like this create stronger, more inclusive communities where people with disabilities have the tools and support they need to live independently.

Thank you, COLTS, for investing in our students and helping make independence possible - one ride at a time! 🚌💙