VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/12/12)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) encourages American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) members to advocate for individuals with disabilities by asking political candidates a list of questions recently created by the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC).

Appropriate for all candidates pursuing federal, state and local office in 2012, the questions pertain to areas of importance to IDAC and the disability community: independence and community living, employment, education and health care access. ABCUSA congregations and other organizations can encourage their members to question candidates in public appearances, create a public record of candidates’ positions and inform candidates about issues that affect people with disabilities, their families and their communities.

ABHMS is a member of IDAC. Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, ABHMS managing director, Resource Development, helped to develop the questions as a member of IDAC’s steering committee.

A diverse nonpartisan coalition of religious and religiously-affiliated organizations whose core spiritual values affirm the rights and dignity of people with disabilities, IDAC seeks to mobilize the religious community to speak out and take action on disability policy issues with Congress, the president and administration, and society at large.

To download a brochure of the questions and for ideas about how to use them, visit The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) website at www.aapd.com > What We Do > Interfaith > “IDAC questions for candidates: a tool for civic action.”

American Baptist Home Mission Societies—the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA)—ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community and justice.

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.