Support the Advocacy Center by Shopping At Winn Dixie!

It's easy!

Just print out the activation coupon in the link below, keep one coupon and give the other to a friend who also wants to support our organization.

The next time you shop at Winn-Dixie, present the activation coupon along with your Winn-Dixie Customer Reward card at checkout. The cashier will scan both the Customer Reward card and the activation coupon, instantly enrolling you and earning points for the Advocacy Center. For all future purchases, you’ll collect points for the Advocacy Center when you use your Customer Reward Card. If you don’t have a Winn-Dixie Customer Reward Card, no problem! Just stop by Customer Service and sign up for one – it’s FREE!

Link to the Coupon in JPG format

Link to the Coupon in PDF format

Volunteer to Help People with Disabilities and Seniors in Emergency Shelters

After a disaster, people with disabilities and the elderly need your help during their stay in emergency shelters. YOU can help in so many ways. You can read to someone who is blind, help orient someone to the shelter’s layout, assist with dressing, eating, getting in and out of his/her cot, getting to the restroom, etc. With your help an already difficult experience can be a little less stressful. To register as a volunteer go to www.lava.dhh.louisiana.gov. Or, for more information about this volunteer opportunity contact Jeanne Abadie at the Advocacy Center at 504-522-2337, ext. 130 or 1-800-960-7705, ext. 130.

Recent Success Stories - Every Day, Making A Difference in a Number of Small Ways

We often report about the Advocacy Center’s big projects and big successes; but we also like to tell you about the many small ways our staff makes a difference in the lives of people with disabilities and seniors. Here are a few:

DHH has required nursing homes to pay for wheelchairs for almost 4 years. However, recently, a nursing home denied that it was responsible for purchasing a wheelchair. The AC long-term care ombudsman showed him that he had the responsibility to do so. Then the nursing home decided to set a price limit on what they would buy, without considering the type of wheelchair that was needed by the nursing home resident. Again, the ombudsman went into action and now the right wheelchair, appropriate to the needs of the individual, has been ordered.

A child had been placed on homebound during a good part of the school year because of behavioral difficulties. His parents contacted AC and the advocate helped obtain an appropriate IEP, behavior plan, and a child specific aid for the student. AC was also successful in obtaining compensatory services for the time he was illegally kept out of school without services in place. Now, the child is doing well with the supports that have been put into place, and is attending school regularly.
An AC advocate visited a Child Residential Facility several weeks ago and recognized a dangerous situation - the girls living there were using small space heaters that sparked when they were plugged in; even more alarming, one space heater was propped up with a pillow! The windows were all painted shut and the facility was freezing. The advocate also spoke to one of the girls who needed follow up for a medical condition that, if untreated, was a danger to everyone in the facility.

When the AC advocate spoke to staff about these issues, they made excuses.

The advocate then sent a complaint to the state and fire marshal about the unsafe electrical issues and space heaters. She also sent a complaint to the facility and the child’s case worker at OJJ regarding the lack of medical care. Within two days, electricians were making improvements at the facility, the main heater was working, the space heaters were gone and the child had been taken for her check up.

The Advocacy Center is Louisiana's protection and advocacy system. Federal law requires that a protection and advocacy system operate in every state to protect the rights of persons with mental or physical disabilities.

The Advocacy Center is also funded by the state to provide legal assistance to people residing in nursing homes in Louisiana, as well as to residents 60 years and older of Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Tammany Parishes (counties); and to advocate for the rights of group home and nursing home residents. Among the diverse services offered are legal representation, information and referral, outreach and training.

The Advocacy Center is a tax-exempt, private non-profit corporation organized in 1978 and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. It is based in New Orleans with branch offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport.

The Protection and Advocacy System for Louisiana ~ Serving People with Disabilities and Senior Citizens

Advocacy Center
1010 Common Street, Suite 2600
New Orleans, LA 70112
1.800.960.7705 (Voice) • 1.866.935.7348 (TTY)
Email Us • Disclaimer

For information in Spanish please call 1-800-960-7705, ext. 152.
Para información en español por favor llame 1-800-960-7705, ext. 152.

For information in Vietnamese please call 1-800-960-7705, ext. 153.
Để đòi hỏi những công tác (dịch vụ) bàng tiếng Việt, xin gọi 1-800-960-7705, mở rộng 153.