Thirty-year-old deaf service center gets makeover, announces new name, new programs

Aug. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Deaf & Hearing Resources of Palm Beach County, Inc. is the new name of the former Deaf Service Center, a 30-year-old nonprofit dedicated to serving the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Along with its new name and branding, the agency announces expanded offerings, a new approach to customer excellence, innovative programs, and a 30th anniversary celebration on December 5th, the actual date the agency opened its doors in 1984.

“The sign for applause is waving hands in the air,” said Executive Director Lisa Bruna, “and, believe me, there’s a lot of that going on around here as we celebrate daily victories in all corners of our freshly updated center. Our wonderfully talented team members have been winning over clients with a new energy as well as new and exciting offerings, from ASL classes to Deaf social events and self-advocacy life skills workshops, to hearing health programs that enlighten, empower, excite, and educate,” Bruna said.

Visitors to the newly named Deaf & Hearing Resources center will soon be treated to a walk-through of the Sound Suite, a state-of-the-art technology living room that gives customers a real-time experience of a home that’s equipped with a variety of assistive listening devices that can help manage hearing loss. Sound Suite guests will enjoy hands-on demos of amplified TV systems, emergency and non-emergency alerting systems, specialized phones, pocket talkers, bed shakers, lamp flashers, smoke detectors, and other innovative devices.

The Sound Suite is scheduled to open in late November 2014, followed shortly by what Director of Outreach & Programming Beth Wagmeister calls “the agency’s most exciting event of the year.” Wagmeister said, “We’re thrilled to host a public showing of No Ordinary Hero: The Superdeafy Movie as our 30th anniversary fundraiser to honor the many ways this agency has served the Deaf community over the years and to celebrate all the new ways we plan to celebrate Deaf culture in the next 30.” The movie, starring John Maucere with Academy Award-winner Marlee Matlin, is about a deaf actor playing a superhero on television who looks beyond his cape to influence a deaf boy to redefine what being "normal" means. “Our friends in the community will have an opportunity to be superheroes in their own right by helping sponsor this wonderful event,” Wagmeister added. “They can provide sponsorship through three different giving levels, or by purchasing extra “HEART-y Hero” tickets for our friends with smaller budgets who would love to join in on the celebration.”

More new changes – which will include specialty programs for children and teens in addition to signature offerings for adults and seniors  – will be rolled out in the coming months as the agency continues refining its new image and solidifying its reputation in the community. Deaf & Hearing Resources programs, staff and board information remains available on the www.deafservicecenter.com web site as the new www.mydhr.org site is being built. Facebook fans can follow the agency at www.Facebook.com/HearWellPBC.

About the Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County

Established in 1984 under the name Deaf Service Center of Palm Beach County, Inc., Deaf & Hearing Resources is the only nonprofit agency uniquely designed to serve the county's population of more than 200,000 individuals with hearing loss, including 16,000 who are profoundly Deaf. Through innovative programs, services, and resources, the agency’s mission of “ensuring that quality of life will not be limited by hearing loss” is achieved. The agency’s Hearing Wellness Center, established in 1999, is a full-service audiology department and provides free hearing evaluations and patient consultations to help identify hearing loss or deafness and determine the best course of treatment (including hearing aids, if needed) based on an individual’s unique lifestyle. The agency’s doctorate-level audiologist is licensed in the State of Florida and does not receive commission. New in 2014, the Hearing Wellness Center is offering an expanded range of offerings, including pediatric audiology, dizziness testing, and other services, which are provided by highly skilled audiology professionals.

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Contact:  Beth Wagmeister
Director of Outreach & Programming
Phone:  561-802-3353
Email:  beth@mydhr.org