Disability Independence Group

Who We Are

Disability Independence Group, Inc. (DIG) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to expand opportunities for people with disabilities through advocacy, education, training, and community engagement. For more than 20 years, we have worked to promote inclusion, understanding, safety, and equal participation for people with disabilities.

Our work focuses on practical programs that make a meaningful difference, including the Wallet Card® Project, disability awareness and inclusion training, community partnerships, voter education, and resources that help people with disabilities advocate for themselves.

Our vision is simple but powerful: Every person is entitled to equal treatment and dignity.

Our Give Miami Day Focus

This Give Miami Day, DIG is focusing on The Wallet Card® Project, one of our most important safety and communication programs. Donations will help us create personalized Wallet Cards, provide education and training for people with disabilities and caregivers, and train law enforcement officers and first responders. Your support will also help us bring the project to more schools, agencies, and communities.

Helping People Communicate Effectively

Your Give Miami Day donation helps people with disabilities communicate effectively with law enforcement and first responders through The Wallet Card® Project.

Communication can become difficult during an emergency or an unexpected interaction. The Wallet Card Project helps people with disabilities prepare for these situations while giving law enforcement officers and first responders tools to communicate more effectively.

What Is the Wallet Card® Project?

The Wallet Card® Project helps people with disabilities communicate with law enforcement officers and first responders. Participants receive a personalized Wallet Card that includes information about their disability, communication needs, and emergency contact. Caregivers can also receive a Caregiver Wallet Card with information to help them communicate while supporting a person with a disability.

Learning and Practicing Together

The project is more than a card. It includes education and hands-on training that teaches people how and when to use their card. Law enforcement officers and first responders also receive training to help them recognize the card, understand disability-related behaviors, and communicate effectively.

The Wallet Card® Project brings people with disabilities, caregivers, law enforcement officers, and first responders together. Participants learn how to prepare for an interaction, communicate important information, and use their Wallet Card. Officers learn practical communication strategies and practice them through role-playing activities with members of the disability community.

By learning and practicing together, everyone is better prepared for real-life interactions.

Our Reach and Impact

The Wallet Card® Project has created more than 15,000 Wallet Cards for people around the world and trained more than 23,000 law enforcement officers. Through partnerships with people with disabilities, caregivers, schools, police departments, and community organizations, the project continues to promote understanding and prepare everyone for more effective interactions.

What People Are Saying

The impact of The Wallet Card® Project is best understood through the experiences of the people who use it, the families who support them, and the officers who receive the training."

From K.H. - "I love the card, really. It does amazing help in cases where I face the local law. Its a small city and they're sorta... standoffish. One time I didn't have my wallet and I ended up in a 72 hour lock up. It was sad."

From Siobhan - “I used my wallet card on buses and in the airport. It is helpful in new or uncomfortable situations."

Mrs. Kozin (teacher) - "The wallet cards give our students a simple way to communicate their needs and feel more confident when they are out in the community” . . .  It’s a small tool that can make a big difference in helping our students integrate into the community and society as a whole.” 

From J.C. - "The wallet cards give our students a simple way to communicate their needs and feel more confident when they are out in the community,” Mrs. Kozin said. “It’s a small tool that can make a big difference in helping our students integrate into the community and society as a whole.”