Paraquad

09/03/2026

Share your thoughts about what reliable, resilient, and relevant public transportation service in North County looks like by stopping by our Town Hall at Metro’s North County Transit Center.

The survey can also be taken here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JXS66KR

09/03/2026

We’re at the Metro North County Transit Center for the St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit (S.M.A.R.T.) and Metro Town Hall!

Metro Transit is teaming up with the St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit (SMART) to host a town hall at the North County Transit Center to ask the question: What would reliable, resilient and relevant transit service in North St. Louis County look like to you? SMART is a coalition o...

09/03/2026

Paraquad and The Stephen A. Orthwein Center will be closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, September 8.

08/31/2026

Thanks to St. Louis American for helping spread the word about new MO HealthNet requirements coming in 2027.

More than 300,000 Missourians who receive health coverage through Medicaid expansion could face new requirements beginning in January, including more frequent eligibility checks and, for some, requirements involving work, school or community service. The changes come as Missouri has struggled with M...

08/26/2026

St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit (S.M.A.R.T.) is a coalition of community advocates convened by Paraquad that advocates for the safe, accessible, and affordable public transportation that people with disabilities need. They are teaming up with Metro for a special town hall on September 3 at the North County Transit Center. Help us understand what reliable, resilient, and relevant service in North County would look like by attending or sharing your perspective in our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JXS66KR

Metro Transit is teaming up with the St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit (SMART) to host a town hall at the North County Transit Center to ask the question: What would reliable, resilient and relevant transit service in North St. Louis County look like to you? SMART is a coalition o...

08/19/2026

Paraquad President and CEO Latosha Fowlkes was honored to welcome Missouri State Senator Tracy McCreery (District 24) to Paraquad this morning for a conversation about the issues impacting people with disabilities across our state.

Senator McCreery has long supported Paraquad and championed policies that help Missourians with disabilities live independently and securely in their communities. Her work has included expanding property tax relief and affordable housing opportunities, strengthening protections against rising utility costs, improving access to affordable health care, and protecting health coverage for people with disabilities who want to work.

Conversations like today’s are an important part of Paraquad’s work and reflect a core responsibility of Centers for Independent Living (CILs): ensuring the voices and experiences of people with disabilities are heard by policymakers and reflected in the decisions that affect their lives.

We’re grateful to Senator McCreery for spending time with us, for listening to Paraquad participants, and for her continued advocacy for Missourians with disabilities.

08/17/2026

Paraquad is proud to announce the restoration of the Show-Me Home Program in St. Louis City and County. Through a partnership with the Missouri Department of Social Services, Paraquad will support seniors with disabilities as they transition from long-term care facilities to living independently in the community.

“We are honored that the Missouri Department of Social Services has placed its trust in Paraquad to support seniors with disabilities as they transition to living independently in a home of their choosing,” said Latosha R. Fowlkes, LCSW, President and CEO of Paraquad. “I know firsthand how difficult decisions about where and how to live can be for people with disabilities and their families. As Paraquad’s leader today, I am proud to carry forward our longstanding commitment to ensuring people with disabilities have choice and control over their own lives. To lead an organization that recognizes independence, dignity, and personal choice as essential to a person’s well-being is incredibly meaningful to me. Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a place they can call home and the support they need to thrive there.”

The Show-Me Home Program helps eliminate barriers that can prevent seniors with physical disabilities from having a choice in where they live. Through person-centered care and wrap-around services, eligible Missourians can transition out of a nursing facility and into a safe home of their choosing, with support available for a year as they build greater independence and fully participate in their community.

Keep reading at paraquad.org/news/paraquad-announces-the-restoration-of-the-show-me-home-program-in-st-louis-city-and-county

08/04/2026

Today is Missouri Primary Election Day! 🗳️

At Paraquad, advocacy is at the heart of our mission. As a Center for Independent Living, we believe that people with disabilities deserve a voice in the decisions that shape our communities, our policies, and our future. Voting is one of the many ways we advocate for a more accessible and equitable world.

If you're eligible to vote, make a plan to cast your ballot today. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Every voice matters. Every vote matters.

07/30/2026

Today, we celebrate Guan Hollins, our Senior Director of Transportation and Facilities, as he retires! We are grateful to Guan for his leadership, service, commitment to our mission, and his willingness to always help. Thank you for all you have done for Paraquad, our participants, and our tenants! We wish you all the best in retirement!

07/27/2026

The disability community is rich with writers, advocates, and creators who are redefining how disability is represented—not as something to overcome, but as an important part of identity, culture, and community. This week, we're celebrating three voices helping shape that conversation.

Alice Wong has transformed disability storytelling through the Disability Visibility Project, creating space for disabled people to share their own experiences in their own words.

Author Keah Brown has challenged stereotypes through her writing and her viral movement, encouraging disabled people to embrace joy, confidence, and self-love.

Disability awareness consultant, writer, and podcaster Andrew Gurza is expanding conversations around disability, sexuality, relationships, and accessibility, challenging misconceptions and advocating for greater inclusion in every aspect of life.

Disability Pride Month isn't only about looking back at history. It's also about celebrating the people who are changing culture today—expanding representation, challenging assumptions, and reminding all of us that disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity.