#AdvocacyMatters: Advocacy in Unison

September 19, 2025 / #AdvocacyMatters

Earlier this week, over 40 representatives from disability groups around Ohio joined together in DC to meet face-to-face with Congressional offices. Throughout these visits, we shared the important work that we all do and highlighted personal, lived experiences to show the importance of home and community-based supports that are funded by Medicaid, IDEA, along with job training supports funded by federal grants. Advocates also discussed the collective work occurring across Ohio and how disability-led groups, disability advocacy groups, and provider organizations come together to build service systems that support people with disabilities.

Five members of DRO’s Board of Directors were part of this effort to educate our Congressional offices about the needs and interests of Ohioans with disabilities: Board Chair Matt O’Nesti, Treasurer Leigh Hollins, Board members Blaine Brockman, Georgie Elson, and Katie Hunt-Thomas.

Together, our group met with staff from Representatives Mike Turner (Dayton), Michael Rulli (Salem), Mike Carey (Columbus), Marcy Kaptur (Toledo), Troy Balderson (Zanesville), Dave Joyce (Chagrin Falls), Bob Latta (Bowling Green), Greg Landsman (Cincinnati), Emilia Sykes (Akron), and Senators Jon Husted (Columbus) and Bernie Moreno (Westlake).

We used this opportunity to share our appreciation for the support of disability programs in the recent Senate and House appropriation committee reports. Funding from Congress helps DRO serve 3,745 individuals annually and work on systemic policy issues impacting over 2 million Ohioans with disabilities.

Face-to-face meetings like these can create genuine discussion and thorough understanding in ways that Zoom meetings, phone calls, and emails typically can’t. By partnering with other organizations to help share both the breadth and depth of advocacy happening throughout Ohio, we hope the impact of these conversations was maximized.

#AdvocacyMatters