Joanne Huffstetler

Plano 

Joanne Huffstetler received her master’s degree in human development and early childhood disorders. She worked as an early intervention specialist for over 30 years, during which she served as a program administrator and director. Currently, Joanne is working for To Be Like Me, a non-profit that focuses on disability awareness led by people living with disabilities. Joanne is the legal guardian of her brother, who has a disability, and has been advocating for him since they were kids. She is passionate about helping other families and siblings who are caring for their loved ones.

Project Title

Keeping Families Together

Project Description

Keeping Families Together is a project dedicated to addressing the housing crisis in Texas for individuals with disabilities. The primary goal is to advocate for increasing direct support professional wages to match those of the state-supported living centers. To achieve this, Joanne plans to collaborate with established advocacy groups, meet with legislators, and provide testimony during the legislative session. Families should be able to keep their loved ones within their community, either in their own home or a local, quality provider’s home. The first step is to ensure that direct support professionals receive a livable wage.