// header code for Simple Commenter //

Accessibility Statement

Last Updated: January 2025

Our Commitment to Accessibility

At The Quietly Working Foundation, we believe every young person deserves equal access to opportunities that can transform their lives. This fundamental belief extends to our digital presence across all our initiatives. We are committed to ensuring that our websites, resources, and educational programs are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities.

This accessibility statement applies to The Quietly Working Foundation (quietlyworking.org) and all our nonprofit initiatives, including:

  • America’s Children of Fallen Heroes (heroeskids.org)
  • The Missing Pixel Project (missingpixel.org)
  • The Quietly Working Creative Department (quietlyworking.us)
  • Locals 4 Good (locals4good.org)
  • International Youth Service Registry (iysr.org)
  • Future initiatives we may launch to serve youth and communities

Standards We Follow

We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. These guidelines help us ensure our digital content is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive abilities.

While WCAG 2.1 Level AA serves as our baseline, we aspire to implement Level AAA standards where appropriate, particularly for educational content serving youth with diverse learning needs.

Our Approach to Accessibility

Accessibility is not a destination—it’s an ongoing journey. We approach this work through:

  • Continuous Improvement: Regular audits and updates to enhance accessibility
  • Inclusive Design: Building accessibility into new projects from the start
  • Community Feedback: Listening to and learning from users with disabilities
  • Staff Training: Ensuring our team understands accessibility principles
  • Student Education: Teaching accessibility as a core design principle through The Missing Pixel Project

Current Accessibility Features

Across our websites, we have implemented:

  • Navigation: Full keyboard navigation support and skip-to-content links
  • Visual Design: Color contrast ratios that meet WCAG AA standards
  • Content Structure: Proper heading hierarchies and semantic HTML
  • Images: Alternative text descriptions for meaningful images
  • Forms: Clearly labeled form fields with error identification
  • Responsive Design: Content that adapts to different screen sizes and devices
  • Language: Clear, simple language appropriate for our diverse audiences

Known Limitations

We acknowledge that some areas of our digital properties may not yet fully meet accessibility standards:

  • Legacy Documents: Some older PDF files and documents may not be fully accessible. We are working to remediate these materials.
  • Third-Party Content: Some embedded content from external sources may not meet our accessibility standards.
  • Multimedia: While we’re adding captions and transcripts to video content, this process is ongoing.
  • Complex Interactive Elements: Some interactive features are being evaluated and improved for accessibility.

We are actively working to address these limitations and welcome your feedback on any barriers you encounter.

Requesting Assistance

If you need assistance accessing any content or services on our websites, or if you would like to request materials in an alternative format, please contact us. We are committed to providing accommodations promptly.

Contact Us About Accessibility

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (773) 234-KIDS (5437)
Mail:
The Quietly Working Foundation
8 Via Sonrisa
Mission Viejo, CA 92692

When contacting us, please include:

  • The web address (URL) of the content you’re trying to access
  • The type of assistance you need
  • Your preferred method of contact

We will acknowledge your request within 2 business days and work to provide a full response within 5-10 business days.

Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Your feedback is essential to our accessibility efforts. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know. We use this feedback to:

  • Prioritize accessibility improvements
  • Update our training materials
  • Enhance our design and development processes
  • Better serve our community

Accessibility in Our Programs

Beyond our websites, we are committed to accessibility in all our programs:

  • The Missing Pixel Project: Teaching inclusive design principles to students
  • America’s Children of Fallen Heroes: Ensuring all children can participate in our programs
  • Locals 4 Good: Creating accessible print materials and design education
  • All Future Initiatives: Building accessibility into every new program from inception

While we strive to adhere to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, we also ensure compliance with applicable laws including:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (where applicable)
  • State and local accessibility requirements

Our Ongoing Commitment

Accessibility aligns with our core mission of empowering underserved youth and communities. Just as we work to remove barriers to education and opportunity, we are committed to removing digital barriers that prevent full participation in our programs.

We pledge to:

  • Conduct annual comprehensive accessibility reviews
  • Provide regular accessibility training for all staff and volunteers
  • Include people with disabilities in our program planning and testing
  • Share our accessibility journey transparently
  • Advocate for accessibility in all our partnerships and collaborations

Recognition and Gratitude

We recognize that our understanding of accessibility continues to evolve, and we are grateful to the disability community for their patience, feedback, and partnership in this ongoing work.

This statement was last reviewed and updated in January 2025. We review this statement annually and after any significant updates to our websites or programs.