AGENCY UPDATE

Board of Directors Opportunity at People With Disabilities Foundation (PWDF)

PWDF, a small § 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency in San Francisco serving people with psychiatric and/or developmental disabilities, has openings on its Board of Directors.  PWDF’s Mission Statement is: “Our mission is to provide education and advocacy for people with psychiatric and/or developmental disabilities, so that they can achieve equal opportunities in all aspects of life.”

PWDF accomplishes its mission through two program components:  education and advocacy.  Our Advocacy Program provides hands-on legal representation to individuals with mental and/or developmental disabilities in eight San Francisco Bay Area counties.  Our Public Awareness and Education Program provides workshops and trainings in the San Francisco Bay Area through in-person meetings and nationwide through live-streaming.  The Program also produces public awareness seminars and professional-quality training videos.  For more information about PWDF, see our website at www.pwdf.org.

Board Member Responsibilities: This is a fully administrative voting board. 

Responsibilities include:

– Direct and oversee agency strategy and budget.

– Assist with fundraising; help create fundraising capacity either through developing a future Fundraising Committee or non-voting Fundraising Board; recruit Fundraising Committee or Board Members.

– Build awareness about PWDF among your networks.

Criteria for Board of Directors members include:

– Must be dedicated to PWDF’s mission.
– Doctor or attorney helpful but not required (due to agency’s focus on medical-legal issues).

Time commitment:  Attendance at one general annual board and budget meeting per year, usually in May.  Attendance can be by telephone.  Other meetings are held over individual matters and can be done over the telephone.  This occurs about 6 to 10 times a year and the calls usually last from 10 to 45 minutes.

Term: 3 years

Agency Size: Annual budget on the order of $500,000.

Instructions for applying:  Please submit your resume with a letter indicating why you are interested in being a PWDF Board member, what excites you about PWDF, why you support PWDF’s mission, and what qualifications you bring to the organization. Email submission to abanerjee@pwdf.org

We take applications on a rolling basis.

PWDF Profile

Who We Are

People With Disabilities Foundation is an operating501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California, which focuses on the rights of the mentally and developmentally disabled.

Services

Advocacy: PWDF advocates for Social Security claimant’s disability benefits in eight Bay Area counties. We also provide services in disability rights, on issues regarding returning to work, and in ADA consultations, including areas of employment, health care, and education, among others. There is representation before all levels of federal court and Administrative Law Judges. No one is declined due to their inability to pay, and we offer a sliding scale for attorney’s fees.

Education/Public Awareness: To help eliminate the stigma against people with mental disabilities in society, PWDF’s educational program organizes workshops and public seminars, provides guest speakers with backgrounds in mental health, and produces educational materials such as videos.

Continuing Education Provider: State Bar of California MCLE, California Board of Behavioral Sciences Continuing Education, and Commission of Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.