Governor Bill Lee has appointed Cookeville Resident Carrie Hardin as the newest member of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities.
The council helps individuals with disabilities and their families by addressing needs and developing supportive services. Hardin said she is very familiar with disabilities, as she serves on the Executive Board for The Exceptional Bean. She also has a daughter who has a disability.
“I know that there are issues out there and difficulties that these individuals and their families face,” Hardin said. “And just helping to be a part of finding solutions for that and to enrich lives and help provide community and solutions to problems, I think it’s a really great opportunity.”
Hardin said there is a wide range of disabilities, and each comes with its own set of challenges. Hardin said she wants to help the state address the disability needs in the Upper Cumberland and across the state.
“Specifically, things when I think about my own child, I hope that one day when she is an adult, she has a purpose for a life and that she has a community that makes her feel loved and welcomed,” Hardin said. “And I think that things like finding a job that she can do that gives her a sense of purpose to get up and go to in the morning, finding transportation in order to get ot a job, even housing one day, where she might possibly be able to live independently. I think all of those things that kind of serve to enrich the life of someone with disabilities are all things that are on my radar.”
Hardin said one particular issue in the Upper Cumberland she sees regarding disabilities is a lack of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
“I think that I would really love to see more opportunities for employment,” Hardin said. “Places that are welcoming to those with disabilities and that are ready to offer support to them in a working environment. I think the Exceptional Bean is a great start to that. I think that the work they are doing there is fantastic, and I know that the employees that are able to be there are really excited about their opportunity to work, and I hope that we can see more of that soon.”
Hardin said she hopes to connect with families across the Upper Cumberland that have an individual with a disability to understand how the state can better serve them. Hardin said she believes the state has done a good job addressing disability needs across the state and that having a council like this goes a long way.
Hardin will represent the Upper Cumberland Region on the council and serve a three-year term.
