
Resilience and Disability in the Time of COVID-19
People with disabilities need our help now more than ever.
A Message from Our CEO
To our talented staff, dedicated trustees, generous donors, and our community,
During these challenging and uncertain times, all of us here at Kessler Foundation express our deep concern for all of you and wish you peace and good health. Many of you may have questions about the disruptions we are experiencing in our daily lives, and the impact on the Foundation and the important work we do.
My message to you is one of resolve. We are pushing ahead with our research and philanthropic activities in a landscape that has suddenly and radically changed. To maintain our resolve, we recall 2008, when we weathered the devastating economic downturn with the support of our staff and our donors, and the guidance of our Board of Trustees. Today, it is the spread of COVID-19 that tests our resiliency.
Given current threats and future uncertainties, the work we do is more important than ever. With health and safety as our number 1 priority, we’ve closed our offices, suspended travel, and postponed events.
Thanks to the ingenuity of our staff, we continue to move our research forward—focusing on work that does not require physical contact. Staff members are working remotely, utilizing technology to connect with one another and maintain communication with their research participants.
Some studies have been adapted to tele-studies, allowing people with disabilities to participate from home, without the risks of in-person meetings. The unseen work of our scientists—analyzing data, writing papers, and submitting grant proposals—also continues—fueling the momentum of our research.
And to help our grantees maintain their programs for jobseekers with disabilities, we have shifted funds to make COVID-19 emergency funding available.
While we have all witnessed many losses, we have not lost our ability to take action.
This new reality is fostering creative solutions that promise to fundamentally alter how we plan our future.
I’m confident that Kessler Foundation’s leadership team and our Board of Trustees will continue to make the kind of decisions that enable us to push forward. And I’m confident that our donors—who understand the impact that our efforts have on the lives of people with disabilities—will act to continue their support.
To channel this support, we have created a special fund. Your donation to the Resilience Fund at Kessler Foundation helps those most vulnerable to today’s challenges—people with disabilities.
With gratitude and best wishes for the good health of you and your loved ones,
Rodger DeRose
President and CEO
Kessler Foundation
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Current Tele-Studies
Women's Disability and Health This study investigates the effectiveness of a new women's health questionnaire that is designed to help doctors better understand how to treat women with disabilities.
Understanding COVID-19's Effect on Families of Children with Autism The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
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COVID-19's Impact on Individuals with TBI
The purpose of this research study is to measure the impact of COVID-19 on individuals diagnosed with TBI relative to the general population.
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Equity and Quality in Assistive Technology for Individuals with SCI (EQUATE) The purpose of the study is to investigate equity and quality of assistive technology (e.g., wheelchairs) provision and outcomes for individuals with SCI.
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Comparison of Two Group Wellness Interventions in Partner Caregivers of Individuals with TBI The purpose of this research study is to compare the effect of two different types of group wellness interventions for partner caregivers of individuals with TBI.
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Residential Instability in Chronic SCI: An Investigation of Patterns and Consequences This study investigates the occurrence of geographic mobility, neighborhood influences, and the relationship between housing instability and health and well-being for people with chronic spinal cord injury.
Understanding COVID-19's Effect on Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries, Stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis The purpose of this study is to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of people with traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, or those with a history of stroke.
Improving Quality of Life in Epilepsy This study seeks to see whether a phone-intervention called HOBSCOTCH will improve health, daily functioning and quality of life among patients with refractory epilepsy (chronic epilepsy that cannot be fully controlled by medications).
Examining the Effects of a Job Entry Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) training programs in improving interview skills in adolescents with ASD.
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Improving New Memory and Learning in School-Aged Children with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) This study investigates whether a memory training program called the Modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) can improve learning of school-aged children with memory impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
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Emotional Processing in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) This study examines the effect of an emotional processing training program in individuals with TBI.
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ReInventing Yourself after SCI: Intervention to Improve Outcomes after Spinal Cord Injury The purpose of this study is to evaluate the benefits of a group education treatment program to improve self-efficacy in people living with Spinal Cord Injury or Disorder (SCI/D).
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Improving Memory and Learning in TBI The purpose of this research study is to investigate the effectiveness of a memory enhancement technique in people with TBI.
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Mapping the Community Context for a Better Understanding of Community Integration and Participation after SCI Researchers are interested in understanding the places where people with disabilities live, work, and socialize and how it influences community participation following a spinal cord injury (SCI).
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Using Virtual Reality to Improve Job Reentry in Adults with TBI The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) to improve job reentry skills in individuals with TBI.
Resilience Now: You can help people with disabilities in the time of COVID-19
While we have all witnessed many losses, we have not lost our ability to take action. Your donation to the Resilience Fund at Kessler Foundation helps those most vulnerable to today’s challenges.
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Are you interested in learning more about the work we do, want to see what our researchers have been up to, or have concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on you and your family? Check our blog for the latest Foundation news.
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nTIDE December 2020 Jobs Report: COVID Surge Slows Recovery for People with Disabilities - Fri, 01/08/2021
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nTIDE COVID Update November 2020: Surge Takes Its Toll on Jobseekers with Disabilities - Fri, 12/18/2020
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nTIDE COVID Update October 2020: Jobseekers with Disabilities Cope with Uncertainties - Tue, 11/24/2020
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September 2020 COVID Update: Americans with Disabilities Strive to Stay in Labor Market - Fri, 10/30/2020
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August 2020 COVID Update: Shift to Actively Looking for Work May Signal Slowing Recovery - Thu, 09/22/2020
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COVID-19 Impact Survey Yields Unexpected Findings for Individuals with Progressive MS - Wed, 09/02/2020
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nTIDE June 2020 Jobs Report: Numbers up but COVID Spikes May Impact Economic Recovery - Thu, 07/02/2020
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nTIDE June 2020 COVID Update: Numbers Improve for Workers With and Without Disabilities - Thu, 06/25/2020
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Enabling Optimal Care After Spinal Cord Injury - An Online Curriculum for Personal Care Assistants - Wed, 06/16/2020
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Helping Veterans Adapt in the COVID Economy: The GI Go Fund Focus on Employment - Mon, 06/08/2020
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The COVID Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for People with Disabilities - Mon, 06/08/2020
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Transitioning from the Criminal Justice System in the COVID Economy: the FAIR project - Mon, 06/08/2020
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Coordinating Care from Detention to Release to the Community: The Women’s Project - Mon, 06/08/2020
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nTIDE May 2020 Special Report: Workers with Disabilities in the COVID Economy - Wed, 05/20/2020
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Coping with Multiple Sclerosis during the COVID-19 Pandemic - Mon, 05/18/2020
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Kessler Staff Share Stories and Tips for Successfully Working from Home - Fri, 05/01/2020
- Optimizing Healthy Sleep Habits during the COVID-19 Pandemic - Wed, 04/29/2020
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Caregiving for Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury while Sheltering in Place for COVID-19 - Fri, 04/24/2020
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Social Distancing with MS or a TbI: Difficulties with Being Too Close and Too Far - Wed, 04/15/2020
- Moving Research Forward While Staying Home: The Past, Present, and Future of Rehabilitation Research - Tue, 04/15/2020
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COVID-19 Employment Resources - Tue, 04/14/2020
- COVID-19 and Spinal Cord Injury: Minimizing Risks for Complications - Tue, 04/07/2020
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nTIDE March 2020 Jobs Report: COVID-19 Effects Not Yet Seen in Jobs Data for Americans with Disabilities - Fri, 04/03/2020
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Managing Children with Autism while Sheltering from COVID-19: Advice for Parents - Thu, 04/02/2020
- How governments should maintain disability services during the pandemic - Thu, 03/26/2020
- You, Kessler Foundation, and COVID-19 - Thu, 03/19/2020