Information Services for Elderly/Disabled

Myra J. Turner, Executive Director of the non-profit Information Services for Elderly/Disabled, announced the appointment of Dan Thomas of Dan J Thomas Business Services and owner of the Forest City office of Jackson Hewitt as treasurer of Information Services for Elderly & Disabled (ISEDA). Though ISEDA is based in Spartanburg, SC they work as approved payees primarily for Social Security beneficiaries, elderly, disabled and some minor children under age 18..  

Turner said, “We knew Dan Thomas and appreciated his concern for non-profits and their work. As he helped us with streamlining our bookkeeping his business knowledge coupled with a genuine concern for other people was apparent, naming him ISEDA’s Treasurer was a logical step.” In addition to Thomas business activities he is currently the Vice President for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and an Instructor at Isothermal Community College.

Information Services for Elderly/Disabled opened its doors on April 1st, 2003; Turner laughingly reminds you that was April Fool’s Day. She declares it was the right move and the right time for her. Now a 501 c4 non-profit corporation, bonded and approved as a payee for the Social Security Administration, she said her 26 and a half years with the Department of Social Services prepared her for the challenges of working with people in difficult situations. In 1995 after serving in many areas of DSS she was assigned to the Adult Protective Services division and she says she discovered her passion. After retiring from DSS in 2001 her former co-workers encouraged her to become a payee, and as she knew how great the need was for this service she established ISEDA in 2003.  

The representative payee has legal authority to negotiate and manage a beneficiary’s Social Security or SSI payments after having applied and being approved by the Social Security Administration. A payee decides how benefits are to be spent to help create a stable living environment for the beneficiary ensuring basic current needs of food, shelter, clothing and medical care are met. Once those needs are met, any funds remaining are to be saved for the beneficiary’s future use. 

xISEDA is governed by a Board of Directors and in addition to Turner has two employees, Colleen Daves works with one of the disabled families and Gay Mabrey who assist with the administrative duties. The ISEDA Board of Directors is made of individuals who share Turners’ passion. In addition to Turner and Thomas Board Members include: Judy Lewis, LBSW, Michael Orr, Becky Snelgrove and Pam G. Rice.  For more information regarding the services ISEDA offers, contact, Myra Turner at 864-585-3003 or Dan Thomas at 864-706-2788.