Disabled in Minnesota?
Persons eligible for disability parking may park at public parking meters without having to feed the meters.
A one-year or permanent Minnesota Fishing License may be issued, without charge, to any resident of Minnesota who is at least 16 years old and is receiving social security or worker's compensation based on a disability. A veteran who has a 100% service connected disability as defined by the United States Veterans Administration (VA) may also be eligible for a permanent fishing license.  
(Contact 888-646-6367 or info@dnr.state.mn.us )
Please investigate the subcategories to the left!  
Be sure to check out my huge Web links archive of Disability Resources
Don't miss my extensive review of all available standup wheelchairs as well as a few other models
Disability is only differential ability.  We humans have an immeasurable ability to compensate and adapt.  The lack of any ability focuses and refines the development of other abilities.  By the structure of the word, dis-ability is the lack of an ability expected of the "standard" individual.  Since necessity is the mother of invention, all of society's developments and innovations throughout history are based upon the expectation of a certain baseline level of ability.  When an individual lacks one or more abilities from this standard baseline, they are greatly disadvantaged simply because they are unable to take advantage of all of society's innovations from housing to transportation to communications to entertainment.  

By simply rethinking where that baseline is drawn and applying the concepts of universal design to all aspects of life, not only does society become more inclusive by design, but it has been found that a much greater portion of the population benefits than was ever initially expected or anticipated.  Curb cuts were originally proposed to benefit those with mobility impairments and initially thought by many not to be worth the additional effort to benefit such a small population.  However, it was soon discovered that curb cuts made the investment in sidewalks much easier and more useful for everyone from bikers and skateboarders to mothers with baby strollers to workers unloading cargo.  This has led to their even greater use and inclusion in many more locations than simply on street corners.

My company, Broadened Horizons focuses on products that enhance personal independence and access to communications, transportation and recreation.  We believe these areas have the greatest potential impact to enhance quality of life by reducing both the real and perceived limitations of those we serve; or in other words, broadening their horizons.

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Disability Market Demographics

Need more information about consumers with disabilities? The facts speak for themselves:
Of the 54 million of people limited in their activities due to long-term disability...
73% are the heads of households
46% are married
58% own their own homes
77% have no children
48% are principal shoppers
In 1995, people with disabilities spent $81.7 billion on travel. This did not include the significant expenditures of their families, friends, and escorts. (Source: Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality).
The aggregate income of people with disabilities tops $1 trillion. This includes $220 billion in discretionary income. *
Of the 69.6 million families in the United States, 20.3 million families have at least one member with a disability. *
Four out of 10 people with disabilities conduct business and personal activities online, spending an average of 20 hours per week logged on to the Internet. That's more time on average than non-disabled Web surfers spend online.
Among people with disabilities, 48% say that the Internet has significantly improved the quality of their lives. Compare this to only 27% of adults without disabilities.
According to the March 2001 supplement to the Current Population Survey, the mean earnings in 2000 of year-round, full-time workers 16 to 64 with work disabilities was $33,109. (Source: National Organization on Disability - www.nod.org)
The most productive contributors to society are the youngest cohort: 18 to 29 year olds. For example, these younger people with disabilities are almost as likely as their non-disabled counterparts to go out to restaurants at least once per week (Compare: 59% of this group, versus 61% of non-disabled young people, eats out regularly.) (Source: National Organization on Disability - www.nod.org).
The employment picture for 18-29 year olds is the most promising. Among this cohort, 57% of those with disabilities who are able to work are employed, compared to 72% of their non-disabled counterparts. (Source: National Organization on Disability - www.nod.org).
According to a General Accounting Office report, implementing the access provisions of the ADA has increased revenues in the hotel and hospitality industry by 12 percent.
Companies marketing to people with disabilities can reach as many as four in every 10 consumers.
Three in four adults say they would be likely to switch to a brand associated with a "good cause." (Source: 1997 Cone/Roper Cause-Related Marketing Trends Report)

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau via Solutions Marketing Group

The top five cities where people with disabilities live are:

5) Buffalo, New York
4) Newark, New Jersey
3) Miami, Florida
2) Baltimore, Maryland
1) Detroit, Michigan

(Source: Ten Places of 100,000 ore More with Highest Percentage of People with Disabilities in the Civilian Noninstituationalized Population 5 years old and over, 2000)

Other Sources for Disability Statistics

National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) Stats and Surveys
http://www.nod.org/stats/
Open Doors Organization
http://www.opendoorsnfp.org
U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability.html
United Nations Statistics Division - Disability Statistics
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/disability/default.asp