Welcome!

Project AIR is a 501(c)(3) foundation, which focuses on the elements of Acceptance, Interaction, and Respect of individuals with more severe disabilities and speech impairments.

Acceptance represents the need for individuals with speech impairments and/or more severe disabilities to be accepted by society as the competent persons that they are. Such individuals are very often judged unfairly and incorrectly, because of the way their disability forces them to appear or sound.

Interaction is probably the most important of the three components that our nonprofit focuses on. It is not enough to just be accepting of a person, the competency of the person should never be assumed unfairly, simply on the manner that their disability forces them to appear.

Respect is what every person wants and deserves. Individuals with speech impairments and/or more severe disabilities do not always get the respect they deserve, because much of society views them as incompetent, childlike beings. Perhaps having a competent mind in a not so perfect body is difficult to believe, and this is the exact thinking that our organization strives to change. Individuals with disabilities are not asking to be liked or favored, but do expect to be treated with the same respect that everyone else is given.

Our Mission and Goals

“To educate communities in the appropriate treatment and accommodation
of individuals with speech impairments and more severe disabilities.”

For Business Entities:

• General to business-specific pamphlets and booklets that address the needs of individuals with speech impairments and more severe disabilities.
• Training booklets for retailers, restaurants, and other businesses to educate their employees about of individuals with speech impairments and more severe disabilities.

For Consumers:

• Communication tools, such as speech cards, to use when they need to interact with someone who cannot understand them.
• Sample letter to inform business entities when a consumer has experienced inappropriate treatment, encountered access code violations, or any other matter relative to a disability.
• Assistance in obtaining communication devices and/or training for such.

For General Public:

• Presentations related to our general communication pamphlet, reinforcing the lesson to see the person, not the disability.
• Videos related to the concepts that the organization was created on.
• Booklet of Americans with Disabilities Act appropriate terminology.
• Simplified version of our general communication pamphlet for school-age children.

Our Board Members

• President:
  Kathleen Barajas
• Vice-President:
  Cynde Soto
• Secretary:
  Marilyn Ladd
• Treasurer:
  Elma Barajas
• Members At Large:
  Gordon Cardona
  Susan Leonard-Giesen
  Sharon McCart
  Mark Potter
  Thomas Powell
  Elizabeth Strother