Margie Austin
Board Director and Secretary of The Arc of Philadelphia
Philadelphia Health Management Corporation presented Ms. Margie Austin with the 2006 National Family Week Advocacy Award, Monday, November 20, 2006. ‘Ms Austin, the PHMC President stated, ‘has been an indefatigable advocate for families of individuals with developmental disabilities.’
In 1993, Ms. Austin’s son was born with Down’s syndrome. She said that at the time, ‘I found that the professionals I relied on for information were no more informed than I was. My goal was to become knowledgeable of resources, services and supports to help myself and families who have children with disabilities.’ In 1996, Margie attended the Temple University Institute on Disabilities Confidence and Competence Partners and Policy Makers Advocacy program, and graduated with a certificate in Advocacy.
For the past several years, Margie has worked with Visions for Equality and The Arc of Philadelphia as a family advocate and has reached out to families, policymakers, and elected officials to influence them and provide information about emerging trends in the our field.
In any given week, Margie will influence hundreds of people as she speaks with parents who need help finding resources for their children. She trains families on how to be better advocates for their children because, she says, she knows what it is like to be overwhelmed by trying to do what is best for a child who needs a wide range of services and supports.
A large part of her work is educating lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels on the challenges faced by families who want home and community-based services and supports for their family members with disabilities. “I was amazed as I followed her from office to office at the Harrisburg, Pa. State Capital,’ John Felt said, Executive Director of The Arc of Philadelphia, “Margie new everyone one and greeted them with a hug.” With contacts at every level of government, including the Governor, Margie knows how to make things happen.
One of Margie’s biggest policy ambitions is to expand the states access to a mental retardation waiver, which helps people with disabilities access services they need to live an everyday life and stay in their community. “We are fortunate to have her as a part of our advocacy team,” said MJ Lovett, Advocacy Director for the Arc of Philadelphia, “Margie is someone that does the job of three people because she is passionate, aggressive and not worried about being pushy when push is needed to get things done.”
“Being an advocate is a big job,” Margie says. “I get parents calling me all the time and I know it can be stressful. But when a parent calls me and says, thank you for what you do, it makes it all worth it.”
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