Nonprofit CEO to Commemorate 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

On Monday, July 26, President Obama will hold an event at the White House to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The President is expected to deliver remarks at the event. Invited guests include Cabinet officials, Members of Congress, grassroots leaders and Americans living with disabilities. The President’s remarks will be open press.

The event will include performances by Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, Patti LaBelle and Marlee Matlin, and remarks by Marca Bristo, President of Access Living, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes. Robert David Hall will introduce the President.

It was just over twenty years ago that Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options, Inc. founded his organization. For years, Stack had spent working at the state level on the institutional side of the human service field. Knowing there was a better and more inclusive way that people with disabilities could live, Stack started Community Options.

The organization is known today as the fastest growing national nonprofit that develops housing and employment supports for people with disabilities. With offices in thirty-two cities in nine states supporting thousands of people with disabilities with the help of over 2,500 employees, Stack has turned his dreams into reality.

“It is an honor to be invited to The White House to celebrate such tremendous accomplishments,” Stack said. “Advocates in our field have made great made advances over the past twenty years and there is much more work left to do,” he added.

The celebration will take place on The White House South Lawn on Monday, July 26, 2010 at 5:30pm. Pre-Set 4:30 PM, Final Gather 5:00 PM, North Doors of the Palm Room. Reporters should enter through the North West gate on Pennsylvania Ave. Press who do not have a White House hard pass should send their full name, outlet, date of birth and Social Security number to media_affairs@who.eop.gov no later than Monday, July 26 at noon.