Jim
A 
very religious person, Jim believes that God has a purpose for everything. He wondered just what his purpose would be after his accident - a car hit his bike in 1985 and Jim hadn't been wearing a helmet.
A member of Let's Talk!, Ability Beyond Disability's Speakers Bureau, Jim has spoken to dozens of school classes in the New York region, as well as many cub scout troops in the area. His case manager, Tricia Gressel, tutors and accompanies him.
"Tricia has done so much to get Jim involved in the community," Karen Fleming, Jim's Mom, says. "He is lucky to have such a caring, devoted person on his side."
The biggest reward Jim got from speaking to students (and the one his is most proud of) came from a boy who was present at one of the school assemblies attended by Jim. The boy said he wanted to thank him.
"I was in a bike accident two weeks ago," he told Jim, "and if I hadn't heard you speak at my school, I wouldn't have had my helmet on."
In addition to his speaking engagements, Jim has found that he is a man of many talents: Tell Jim your birth date (including the year) and he can quickly give you the day of the week on which you were born; name any letter of the alphabet, and Jim can tell you the number it represents from 1 to 26.
Besides those unique talents, Jim loves to tell jokes and recently took his comedy act onstage at the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in Mt. Kisco, NY. It was so well received that a reporter from the New York Times came to interview Jim at Access to do a feature on him.
"I've always been a ham," Jim likes to joke.
Being naturally social, Jim loves getting out into the community. The Program Without Walls in New York, part of the Community Integration Process (CIP), allows Jim and other participants at Access in NY to spend a day either a volunteer sites, taking classes, going to lunch in the community, partaking in sports, or socializing with other members of the community.
"It's 100% better than what we used to do," Jim says. "Going to the different sites gives me a chance to use my abilities to improve my mind."
Jim's parents are very excited, too, about the Community Integration Process.
"My son comes home so happy, raving about the program and the staff," Karen Fleming says. "I am so happy for him. He has been so different - in a positive way. Shannon Shapiro and the whole staff at Access are wonderful!"
Jim's father, also known as Jim Fleming, has high praise for the Program Without Walls. "It's great! Jim loves to talk - he's very social; getting out now makes a big difference."
Mr. Fleming also likes the variety that is involved. "Jim likes to speak to children, he enjoys playing Scrabble with the seniors, and he looks forward to shooting hoops at the Boys & Girls Club." Very sociable and gregarious, Jim also enjoys attending dances at the County Center in White Plains, NY.
But what makes Jim especially happy is going out and speaking at schools about the importance of wearing a helmet when biking, rollerblading or skateboarding. He admits that, when he talks to children, his purpose is clear.
