Month: February 2026

CANTON, Ohio, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The article outlines how families can use daily living assistance and family support to promote independent living for adults with disabilities.

What should families know when seeking homemaker services and personal care services for adults with developmental disabilities? HelloNation has published the answer in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Home Healthcare Expert Kellan Roberts of R House Home Health Care Services in Canton, Ohio.

The HelloNation article explains that homemaker services and personal care services are designed to do more than complete daily tasks. They function as structured supports that promote independent living while maintaining safety and dignity for adults with developmental disabilities.

According to the article, homemaker services focus on maintaining a safe and organized home environment. This includes meal preparation, laundry, light cleaning, and grocery management. Consistent support in these areas reduces stress and allows individuals to focus on meaningful daily activities.

Personal care services address essential needs such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and mobility assistance. The article notes that these supports help individuals maintain routines and protect their well-being. When combined, homemaker services and personal care services create a stable foundation for long-term independent living.

The article describes Ohio waiver programs as a key pathway for accessing these services. These programs extend Medicaid-funded assistance to individuals who might otherwise require institutional care. By tailoring support to individual goals and needs, Ohio waiver programs allow families to design daily living assistance that fits each situation.

Skill-building is another important theme. The HelloNation article explains that daily living assistance often includes guidance and coaching, not just task completion. Providers may support an individual in preparing meals with increasing independence or developing better time management habits. Over time, these strategies can strengthen confidence and reduce reliance on others.

Family support plays a central role throughout the process. Even with professional assistance, families frequently coordinate services, communicate with providers, and monitor progress. The article emphasizes that active family involvement helps ensure care plans remain aligned with personal goals and adapt as needs change.

Careful planning is essential when selecting the right balance of services. Some adults may require more intensive personal care services, while others benefit from greater homemaker services. The article advises families to assess routines, physical abilities, cognitive needs, and preferences to build a flexible plan that evolves over time.

Community engagement is also addressed. Transportation, structured activities, and social opportunities can be integrated into comprehensive care plans. By connecting daily living assistance with broader participation, adults with developmental disabilities are better positioned to thrive at home and within their communities.

Ultimately, the article presents homemaker services and personal care services as tools for empowerment rather than simple assistance. When combined with Ohio waiver programs and steady family support, these services help make independent living a practical and sustainable reality.

Navigating Independence: A Family Guide to Homemaker and Personal Care Services for Adults with Disabilities features insights from Kellan Roberts, Home Healthcare Expert of Canton, Ohio, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative “edvertising” approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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SOURCE HelloNation

Recipients will preserve US history and develop the future workforce

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has continued its commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities through its FY 2025 slate of discretionary grant recipients. Eight HBCUs and one HBCU alliance received a total of $1,725,261, furthering President Trump’s commitment to advancing HBCU excellence, as outlined in this White House Executive Order.

Keith Sonderling, Deputy Secretary of Labor said:

“President Trump’s commitment to support our nation’s HBCUs has been lived out through these grants. IMLS awards to HBCUs in FY 2025 are furthering the President’s commitments, preserving American historical and cultural treasures, increasing institutional resilience and emergency preparedness, and enhancing research activities. Each of the projects IMLS funded furthers the work of HBCU-affiliated museums and libraries while creating hands-on learning opportunities for students and emerging library and museum professionals.”

Some of the awarded HBCU projects are detailed below:

• The HBCU Library Alliance (HBCULA) – in collaboration with the American Institute of Physics (AIP), will address the significant under-documentation of contributions made by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the field of physical sciences. The project will feature a three-day intensive summer workshop on oral history, digital collecting, and digital preservation for ten early and mid-career librarians from HBCUs. This workshop will lay the foundation for ongoing professional development and structured support over the project’s two-year period. The primary beneficiaries will be the participating librarians, their institutions, and the broader community interested in HBCU contributions to science. Expected outcomes include enhanced documentation and preservation skills among participants, leading to the creation of open educational resources. Resources will be disseminated widely to foster similar initiatives across the academic community.
• Jackson State University – The Margaret Walker Center (MWC) at Jackson State University will move its archives to secure, environmentally controlled, temporary storage during building renovations and HVAC replacement made necessary due to severe storm damage in 2023. During this project, the MWC will build upon the HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium (HCAC), a digital humanities initiative with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in two ways: digitizing nearly 1,000 oral histories most threatened by the environmental challenges in Ayer Hall and transferring 35,000 items from a fee-based digital platform to an open-source program used in the HCAC. These efforts will guarantee long-term preservation and access to MWC’s collections.
• Bishop State Community College – Bishop State Community College will inventory, catalog, and make accessible three collections of local 19th- and 20th-century African American materials. The collections contain documents, material culture, and oral history recordings that will provide further historical evidence and materials for research, public programs, and exhibits. Project activities include establishing an archival processing room, conducting a full inventory of the collections, interviewing community stakeholders regarding the collections, developing cataloging procedures, and training staff and interns. The results will be an informed description of the nature of the three collections within the archive and an accurate volume of the collections.
• Alabama State University – The Alabama State University (ASU) Archives Department (Archives) will increase its capacity to plan for and respond to disasters in the management of its collections. The project is designed in response to recommendations provided to the Archives in a Preservation Needs Report following a 2023 site visit by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. Activities include the creation of a disaster response plan, the purchase of disaster response supplies, providing disaster recovery training for staff, and supporting the professional appraisal of select collections items to obtain appropriate insurance coverage. As a result of this project, the Archives will have an updated disaster response plan, disaster response training for 25 staff members, appraisal reports for select materials, the assembly of a minimum of four disaster response kits, and documentary photographs of 70 pieces of art.
• Southern University at Shreveport – The Southern University Museum of Art (SUMAS) will improve the care and preservation of the art, artifacts, and other significant works that are part of the collection located in a site of historical importance on the Southern University Shreveport campus. This initiative aims to install two portable air conditioning units and four hygrometers to maintain optimal temperature and monitor humidity levels and upgrade the existing cold storage refrigeration unit at SUMAS. The project will result in upgraded displays utilizing digital signage and monitors, supporting collection care and management via professional development and consultation, developing policies and procedures for the care of the collection, documenting environmental conditions using electronic logs and monitoring, implementing appropriate building adaptations, and instituting a routine maintenance plan for the museum that includes housekeeping and remediation.

FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunities are now live.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/institute-of-museum-and-library-services-provides-1-7-million-of-funding-to-hbcus-302693817.html

SOURCE Institute of Museum & Library Services

COLUMBIA, Mo., Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In 2025, Veterans United Foundation, funded by employees of Veterans United Home Loans and its affiliated companies. donated $14,349,752 to charitable organizations, community initiatives and individuals in need across the country.

The figure reflects the collective generosity of Veterans United employees and one of the company’s primary core values of enhancing lives every day locally, statewide and nationally.

Through strategic investments, employee-led volunteerism, and deep, sustained partnerships, the Foundation helped uplift thousands of individuals, families and service members across the United States.

“Our community doesn’t define impact by statistics alone. We define it by lives changed,” said Foundation Board President Erik Morse. “In 2025, Veterans United Foundation stood with Veterans and neighbors in need; we responded with compassion, resources and action when it mattered most.”

2025 Highlights Include:

Real Stories of Support and Resilience

• Emergency aid to individuals and families affected by Texas flooding, Midwest tornadoes and California wildfires, totaling hundreds of thousands in direct relief and empowering personal recovery. (Veterans United Foundation)
• Scholarship awards totaling $150,000 to 20 student Veterans and military families, fueling education and future innovation. (Veterans United Foundation)
• Heartfelt testimonials from recipients detailing life-changing support during medical hardship, relocation and transitions to stable housing. (Veterans United Foundation)

Tangible Community Investments

• Significant contributions to local projects like the Cosmo Bike Park, supported with a $249,300 donation that expanded safe recreation space for families and youth. (Veterans United Foundation)
• More than $165,000 in hunger relief funding to major food security partners, including regional food banks and community groups, ensuring families didn’t go without meals. (Veterans United Foundation)
• Major affordable housing support through a $1.2 million investment in the My First Home Initiative partnership, driving new homeownership opportunities and generational stability. (Veterans United Foundation)

Championing Volunteers and Partnerships

• Over 650 Veterans United employees joined in Project Play It Forward, building customized playsets for pediatric cancer warriors, a powerful demonstration of community spirit and volunteer engagement. (Veterans United Foundation)
• Continued collaborations with respected national partners such as the Armed Services YMCA, Avalon Action Alliance, Gary Sinise Foundation and Veterans Community Project, reinforcing shared commitments to Veterans and families. (Veterans United Foundation)

From honoring service at the New York City Veterans Day Parade to providing critical support for military families through events like Operation Shower, the Foundation’s work in 2025 exemplifies its mission to enhance lives both locally and nationwide. (Veterans United Foundation)

About Veterans United Foundation
Veterans United Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Veterans United Home Loans, and is funded by employees of Veterans United Home Loans and its affiliated companies. Driven by a shared mission of enhancing lives, the foundation has raised over $155 million since its inception in 2011, with nearly 90% of company employees donating a portion of their paycheck to support its mission. Employees also take an active role in referring needs to the foundation and showing the community support through volunteer work. For more information about Veterans United Foundation and its charitable initiatives, please visit www.enhancelives.com.

About Veterans United Home Loans
Based in Columbia, Missouri, the full-service national lender financed more than $26 billion in loans in 2025 and is the country’s largest VA lender, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company’s mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service.

VeteransUnited.com | 1-800-884-5560 | 550 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 | Veterans United Home Loans NMLS # 1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Private lender. Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Licensed in all 50 states. For State Licensing information, please visit www.veteransunited.com/licenses. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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SOURCE Veterans United Home Loans

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Last night, the American Council of Engineering Companies of California (ACEC California) announced that Arup, Mott MacDonald and JCE Engineering won the prestigious Golden State Award for their work on the LAX/Metro Transit Center located at the Los Angeles International Airport, California (LAX).

The LAX/Metro Transit Center, which opened in June 2025, is a transformative multimodal hub connecting LAX to LA Metro’s rail and bus networks. Designed to accommodate over 45,900 daily boardings, the station enhances airport access and promotes equitable and sustainable travel options for residents and visitors. It provides an important step forward towards reducing private vehicle congestion at one of the world’s busiest airports.

Designed by international architecture practice Grimshaw, with architect of record and landscape architect Gruen Associates, and Arup, the transit center integrates advanced design and engineering to provide resilience in a seismically active region. Arup led the structural engineering design and provided multidisciplinary design including façade engineering, fire and life safety, sustainability, acoustics, lighting, security, IT systems, and pedestrian flow modeling. Mott MacDonald contributed track design, train control systems, overhead catenary systems, and civil structural engineering. Together, these firms delivered innovative solutions that ensure resilience, efficiency, and passenger comfort. JCE Structural Engineering Group provided structural engineering for all ancillary buildings in the project.

By improving access for residents and airport employees, the center reduces reliance on private vehicles, cutting traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. Metro’s investment of over $150 million in small and diverse businesses underscored its commitment to inclusive economic growth and local job creation.

Passenger experience was a key priority for design. The station features spacious daylit concourses, intuitive wayfinding, digital signage, and real-time travel information to simplify connections. Accessibility enhancements including elevators, tactile paving, and dedicated areas for cyclists ensure that the hub serves travelers of all abilities. Integrated bike facilities and pedestrian-friendly design encourage active transportation.

The Transit Center is designed to achieve a LEED Gold rating. Sustainable measures include solar panels, native landscaping, and electric bus charging stations. California’s coastal climate also provided opportunities to rely on passive strategies for comfort, including shading, natural daylighting, and natural ventilation to reduce energy use.

This project represents a bold step toward a cleaner, connected Los Angeles. Linking regional transit with global air travel, the LAX/Metro Transit Center sets a new benchmark for equitable, future-proof infrastructure, delivering lasting benefits for the region, its communities and the millions who pass through each year.

Congratulations, Arup, Mott MacDonald and JCE Engineering, for capturing ACEC California’s 2026 Golden State Award!

Photographs of all Engineering Excellence Award-winning projects can be found at: 2026 Engineering Excellence Award Winners – American Council of Engineering Companies of California

About ACEC California
ACEC California is a 70 plus year-old, nonprofit association of private consulting engineering and land surveying firms. As a statewide organization, we are dedicated to enhancing the consulting engineering and land surveying professions, protecting the general public, and promoting use of the private sector in the growth and development of our state. Follow us on Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | LinkedIn 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arup-mott-macdonald-and-jce-engineering-receive-acec-californias-top-award-for-the-laxmetro-transit-center-302693727.html

SOURCE American Council of Engineering Companies, California

Event follows multi-million-dollar gift from the Glazer family to AdventHealth Tampa

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Graduate medical education plays a critical role in ensuring communities have access to highly trained physicians and AdventHealth Tampa recently marked a major milestone in that purpose with the naming of the Glazer Center for Medical Education. The building was named in recognition of a multi-million-dollar gift from the Glazer family to the AdventHealth Tampa Foundation, continuing the family’s investment into the next generation of leaders throughout the Tampa Bay area.

According to the Florida Hospital Association, Florida is projected to face a shortage of about 36,000 physicians by 2035 if current training trends continue, a reality that highlights the urgency of expanding residency training and retaining physicians in the state. 

The newly named center serves as a hub for AdventHealth Tampa’s graduate medical education (GME) programs, training resident physicians across multiple specialties and strengthening the local physician pipeline.

“Graduate medical education is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in the long-term health of our community,” said Erik Wangsness, president/CEO of AdventHealth Tampa. “By training physicians here, we are expanding access to care, improving outcomes and helping ensure Tampa Bay has the physicians it needs.”

Members of the Glazer family observed resident physicians participating in advanced obstetrics and gynecology simulation training, where physicians practice managing complex deliveries, obstetric emergencies and patient-centered communication in a realistic, hands-on environment. These simulations allow physicians to refine clinical skills, strengthen teamwork and improve patient safety before providing care independently.

“Our family is committed to investing in the next generation, and we believe education is one of the most powerful ways to create lasting impact,” said Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Owner and Chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation, Glazer Family Foundation and Glazer Vision Foundation. “Seeing firsthand how physicians are trained here reinforced why this work matters. The emphasis on preparation, compassion and whole-person care ensures families in our community will have access to skilled, confident physicians for years to come.”

The investment in the Glazer Center for Medical Education through the AdventHealth Tampa Foundation supports training environments and educational resources that benefit multiple graduate medical education programs at AdventHealth Tampa, including:

• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Internal medicine
• Family medicine
• General surgery
• Transitional year (preliminary internship)

Physicians who complete residency training locally are more likely to remain in the region, helping expand access to care and strengthen continuity for patients across Tampa Bay.

“Philanthropy allows us to advance how physicians are trained and how care is delivered,” said Kristen Mccall, president of AdventHealth Foundation West Florida. “The Glazer Family Foundation’s support directly impacts patients by helping prepare the next generation of physicians with the skills, confidence and compassion needed to care for our community.”

Learn more about the ways the Glazer Family is dedicated to improving lives through community, health, and education initiatives here.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventhealth-tampa-names-glazer-center-for-medical-education-to-support-future-physician-workforce-302693638.html

SOURCE AdventHealth West Florida Division

Event follows multi-million-dollar gift from the Glazer family to AdventHealth Tampa

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Graduate medical education plays a critical role in ensuring communities have access to highly trained physicians and AdventHealth Tampa recently marked a major milestone in that purpose with the naming of the Glazer Center for Medical Education. The building was named in recognition of a multi-million-dollar gift from the Glazer family to the AdventHealth Tampa Foundation, continuing the family’s investment into the next generation of leaders throughout the Tampa Bay area.

According to the Florida Hospital Association, Florida is projected to face a shortage of about 36,000 physicians by 2035 if current training trends continue, a reality that highlights the urgency of expanding residency training and retaining physicians in the state. 

The newly named center serves as a hub for AdventHealth Tampa’s graduate medical education (GME) programs, training resident physicians across multiple specialties and strengthening the local physician pipeline.

“Graduate medical education is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in the long-term health of our community,” said Erik Wangsness, president/CEO of AdventHealth Tampa. “By training physicians here, we are expanding access to care, improving outcomes and helping ensure Tampa Bay has the physicians it needs.”

Members of the Glazer family observed resident physicians participating in advanced obstetrics and gynecology simulation training, where physicians practice managing complex deliveries, obstetric emergencies and patient-centered communication in a realistic, hands-on environment. These simulations allow physicians to refine clinical skills, strengthen teamwork and improve patient safety before providing care independently.

“Our family is committed to investing in the next generation, and we believe education is one of the most powerful ways to create lasting impact,” said Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Owner and Chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation, Glazer Family Foundation and Glazer Vision Foundation. “Seeing firsthand how physicians are trained here reinforced why this work matters. The emphasis on preparation, compassion and whole-person care ensures families in our community will have access to skilled, confident physicians for years to come.”

The investment in the Glazer Center for Medical Education through the AdventHealth Tampa Foundation supports training environments and educational resources that benefit multiple graduate medical education programs at AdventHealth Tampa, including:

• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Internal medicine
• Family medicine
• General surgery
• Transitional year (preliminary internship)

Physicians who complete residency training locally are more likely to remain in the region, helping expand access to care and strengthen continuity for patients across Tampa Bay.

“Philanthropy allows us to advance how physicians are trained and how care is delivered,” said Kristen Mccall, president of AdventHealth Foundation West Florida. “The Glazer Family Foundation’s support directly impacts patients by helping prepare the next generation of physicians with the skills, confidence and compassion needed to care for our community.”

Learn more about the ways the Glazer Family is dedicated to improving lives through community, health, and education initiatives here.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventhealth-tampa-names-glazer-center-for-medical-education-to-support-future-physician-workforce-302693638.html

SOURCE AdventHealth West Florida Division