PLAN RI
Personal Lifetime Advocacy Networks of Rhode Island
Building Networks for Life
Who We are
A Family-Driven Organization
Personal Lifetime Advocacy Networks of Rhode Island (PLAN RI) is a non-profit organization of families who have relatives with disabilities. We are modeled after the PLAN organization that began in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1990 and won an international award for their social entrepreneurship. The overall purpose of PLAN RI is to answer the haunting question, "What will happen to my loved one with a disability when we are no longer able to provide him with a good life?"
PLAN RI helps families create a safe and secure future for their loved ones with a disability. Check out our informational video to learn why and how we do this. And if you know anyone in Rhode Island with a disability, please share this video with them!
Mission & Vision
To use the power of relationships to enhance,
inspire and strengthen a good life.
We envision a future where people with disabilities will:
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Have financial security
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Live in a place of their own choice
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Be part of an inclusive and caring community
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Be supported by family and friends
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Have their choices and dreams respected
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Be protected from abuse and exploitation
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Be encouraged to make a contribution
Support
Network
Connect
Build
Our Core Values Help Generate a Good Life
Family Leadership: Our members and their families shape and direct their vision for the future. Families directly monitor the supports provided by PLAN RI. As PLAN RI grows, family members will serve on our board of directors and its sub-committees. They may also co-lead workshops developed by PLAN RI. These leading families help our organization maintain its vision and mission into the future.
Security through Relationships: Surrounding our relatives with disabilities with caring, committed friends and families is the foundation of a safe and secure future. Safety is directly related to the increased number and quality of relationships in one's life. Facilitators trained in this approach help find and develop caring relationships between individuals with a disability and the community. Relationships and the checks and balances that they provide offer peace of mind in uncertain times.
Self-Sufficiency: The organization's independence from direct government funding makes PLAN RI both effective and accountable. It allows PLAN RI to advocate on behalf of families with no fear of reprisal. It allows PLAN RI to speak with a strong and unified voice - the voice of our members and their families. Self-sufficiency demands PLAN RI be directly accountable to the families it serves.
Contribution through Citizenship: Citizenship means having both rights and responsibilities. While people with disabilities have been granted their rights, their gifts, capacities, and contributions have often been ignored or denigrated. As a consequence, they are often not viewed as full citizens. PLAN RI recognizes that everyone can make a contribution, which our communities need. PLAN RI encourages the people it serves to reciprocate by serving the community.