Local organizations celebrate Disability Pride Month

MARTIN COUNTY - Across Martin County, people with disabilities are assisted by organizations that are raising pride and awareness during July, which is Disability Pride Month.

MRCI, based out of Mankato, currently has 72 people from the Fairmont area in their employment and day service programming, and 81 in their self-direction services programming.

"Our mission is to provide innovative and genuine opportunities at home, at work and in the community," MRCI Chief Development and Marketing Officer Tami Reuter said. "We offer a menu of opportunities to provide those person-centered services in this region."

Often, Reuter said people with disabilities have a case manager with the county, who will make the referrals to MRCI if the manager feels MRCI can assist them.

"I think MRCI is unique in the sense that it really meets people where they’re at," Reuter said. "We have a variety of services at home. Individuals have the opportunity to customize and really self-direct their care at home. That means instead of living in an institution, if they have a disability that requires additional assistance, one of the opportunities is for us to work with that family and help direct their care in their home."

The side Reuter said MRCI is most well-known for is its employment services.

"When somebody says, 'I want to find a job,' we’ll help them and customize what that looks like for them," she said. "Maybe they need some additional training, some additional support on the job, some help writing a resume, whatever it may be. We don’t just help them find a job. We’ll help them sustain that job as well."

For Disability Pride Month, Reuter said they have had a couple of live radio broadcasts celebrating the month, but they are also starting a new tradition this year to recognize people in the community who are impactful for people with disabilities.

"Coming up in October, we’re going to actually have a luncheon to celebrate the accomplishments of many of our partnerships that we’ve had over the years and over the last year," Reuter said. "We’re calling on the community to help us by making nomination for some of those shining stars that shine in making that mission possible on a daily basis for someone in their life. We need their help because we want to recognize those individuals in an in-person event that will also be broadcast across the state of Minnesota."

The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.on Oct. 2, f at the Mayo Clinic Civic Center in Mankato. Nominations must be submitted by August 1. To submit a nomination, visit mymrci.org/awards.

STEP has around 170 people throughout all their programs in Martin County. Executive Director Heidi Smith said STEP covers multiple avenues for people with disabilities.

"All of our services are under the HCBS waiver, as well as Vocational Rehabilitation Services," she said. "We provide employment services. We help people find jobs in the community as well as work on jobs. We call them crew jobs. They go in groups with a staff person. They go into organizations and clean and [do] hospitality and dietary and some other great things. We provide day services, which is all about giving people the opportunity to engage socially, get to learn stuff."

New to STEP is In-Home Services, which was added in January of 2025. IHS Director Angie Smith said the program provides staff that can assist individuals in the home.

"[They] go into the homes of individuals who live on their own or sometimes with family and help them with daily living tasks. Sometimes we work on skill building for being able to maintain independent living," Angie said.

Through IHS, Heidi said it has been able to assist people who need a little support to maintain independence at home. She said it has also helped be a gateway to show individuals what else STEP has to offer for support.

For Disability Pride Month, Pat Kietzer came to the STEP day center twice and talked about disability rights and disability pride. They also created art pieces that will be showcased at the Red Rock Art Center in September.

While STEP is a licensed Vocational Rehabilitation community partner in Minnesota, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) is also its own statewide program that serves Martin County. Currently, they are assisting 20 youths aged 14 to 18 and 18 adults with employment.

"We provide services to really anyone who has a disability and their disability leads them to have some difficulties in finding, preparing for it, or advancing in work," VRS Executive Director Dee Torgerson said. "We serve all people with disabilities, youth and adults, and we can serve people as young as age 14."

By providing these services to help people with disabilities secure and keep employment, Martin County VRS Manager Karla Tauer said the nice part about this area is knowing and being invested in the community.

"Helping our folks find jobs locally because it’s rural," she said. "Having those connections with our counselors and our placement folks and really ensuring we can best support them in their job search and employment, as well as educational training. Being local and understanding the rural region is super important because it’s who they are."

In raising pride and awareness for people with disabilities through events like Disability Pride Month, Torgerson said it opens possibilities for people.

"They have so many incredible strengths and gifts they can share," she said. "Employers who have worked with us and supported, hired and employed people with disabilities, seeing that they’re like, 'Oh wow, this has been such a great experience.' We see the benefit not only to this person, but to my whole team."

For more information on these organizations, visit mymrci.org, stepinc.org, and mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/.