DSPs Using and Supporting Technology Use

LetMeDoIt: Empowering People with Disabilities for Economic and Social Inclusion

Author

Amit Sahgal is the co-founder and CEO at LetMeDoIt in Atlanta, Georgia. He can be reached at amit@letmedoit.org

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Angad looking at the camera with a solemn look on his face. He has his hands on his hips. He has short black hair, a black tee-shirt that says “techstars” in white lettering, jeans with an employee badge hanging from his front right pocket. He is wearing a watch on the left arms and a orange bracelet on the right wrist.

Angad looking good at work.

Brief Overview of the LetMeDoIt App

LetMeDoIt is an innovative, tech-enabled platform designed to empower people with disabilities by offering them tools to manage their everyday life decisions around personal finance, healthcare, employment, and resource access. The LetMeDoIt app leverages a supported decision-making model to foster independence, enabling users to take control of their lives and participate in society in ways they may not have been able to before. Supported decision-making is an alternative to guardianship, in which people with disabilities access trusted individuals for assistance to make decisions that impact their lives. Supported decision-making can help people with disabilities have self-determination over decisions that are important to them.

The LetMeDoIt app leverages a supported decision-making model to foster independence, enabling users to take control of their lives and participate in society in ways they may not have been able to before.

LetMeDoIt is not just about personal empowerment; it’s about systemic change. The app is built to help financial institutions, healthcare providers, government agencies, and corporations better engage with people with disabilities. People with disabilities are an underserved population who face disproportionate unemployment, poverty, and social isolation. The platform provides these institutions with insights and tools to create more inclusive and supportive environments for people with disabilities, all while driving social and economic inclusion.

Solving Critical Issues

LetMeDoIt helps solve a widespread societal problem: the lack of economic engagement and social inclusion for people with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This underserved population often experiences significant barriers, such as difficulty accessing job opportunities, managing personal finances, and obtaining the right healthcare services. Simply put, there are more barriers than enablers for people with disabilities to live an independent life.

The platform addresses these issues by offering actionable, simple steps for users to make their own decisions. It also benefits the business community by helping corporations, healthcare providers, and government agencies engage meaningfully and impactfully with people with disabilities.

Four people standing in a living room looking toward the camera. Their arms are around one another. On the left, Amit who has short dark hair, with a dark and white beard, wire rim glasses, a dark blue half zip pull-over and gray jogging pants. Second is Angad, who has short dark hair, a tan half zip pullover and black pants, Aarti is third, she is smiling. She has shoulder length black hair and is wearing a light blue V-neck top and jeans. On the right is Arjun and he is smiling. He has wavy shoulder length black hair, a pink oxford button down long sleeve shirt and black jogging pants with white letters NAUT visible.

The Sahgal Family: Amit, Angad, Aarti and Arjun

Why LetMeDoIt Was Created: A Personal Story

LetMeDoIt was born from a deeply personal journey and a clear gap in the market, shaped by the experiences of my son, Angad Sahgal. Angad, who has Down syndrome, faced significant barriers throughout his life—limited economic opportunities, social isolation, and a lack of access to the right resources. But from the moment he was born in India, my wife and I made a promise: Despite being told he wouldn’t walk, talk, or live outside of an institution, we were determined to give him the same opportunities as his older brother. That promise has been the guiding force in our lives.

When Angad was four years old, my job with The Coca-Cola Company brought us to Atlanta. Despite the promises of IDEA to support him in school, we quickly realized that the law wasn’t always interpreted in a way that provided Angad with the opportunities he deserved. But our commitment never wavered. Today, Angad is a senior at Georgia State University’s IDEAL program, a black belt in karate, fluent in both English and Hindi, and even has a few words of Spanish under his belt. And he’s not just living independently—he’s thriving as the owner of two businesses: Chai Ho Tea and LetMeDoIt.

LetMeDoIt was born from Angad’s passion for technology and his deep desire for independence. As his family, we knew that existing systems weren’t designed to support people like Angad, who has the potential to achieve full economic independence. Serving as the youth ambassador for the Center for Youth Voice Youth Choice, Angad recognized how technology could be a key to unlocking autonomy for people with disabilities. His love for technology—whether using his phone, tablet, or gaming consoles—sparked the idea for LetMeDoIt.

While LetMeDoIt started with Angad’s vision, it can potentially improve the lives of millions of others facing similar challenges. Inspired by this mission, I left my 25-year career at Coca-Cola to join him on this journey. This wasn’t just a career change for me—it was a commitment to do the right thing and help individuals like Angad lead empowered, independent lives.

Our mission with LetMeDoIt is simple yet profound: We aim to create a platform that empowers individuals with disabilities to make their own decisions while offering a supportive ecosystem for users and the institutions that serve them. Through LetMeDoIt, we’re driving systemic change, ensuring that everyone—regardless of ability—has the opportunity to thrive socially and economically.

Scenarios Where LetMeDoIt Is Helpful

The LetMeDoIt app is versatile and helpful in many scenarios:

  • Employment Support: People with disabilities are often limited to stereotypical job roles (food, filth, filing, and flowers). LetMeDoIt breaks these barriers by offering a structured decision-making process that helps both employers and employees navigate diverse job roles. The platform empowers employees to execute their responsibilities effectively while giving employers the tools to provide tailored support when needed. This process ensures a more inclusive and supportive work environment, creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities to thrive in various professional roles.
  • Healthcare Management: The app allows users to track their healthcare needs, schedule appointments, and even monitor medications, empowering them to make informed health decisions.
  • Financial Management: Personal finance can be challenging, especially for those with disabilities. Simple access to banking products is a challenge for many people with disabilities. Further, current tools don’t lend themselves to including persons with disabilities, particularly people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. LetMeDoIt simplifies access to banking products, offering budgeting tools and guiding users to manage their money effectively.

Social Engagement: For users looking to increase their social inclusion, the app offers opportunities to connect with community resources, social events, and peer networks. It’s a platform not just for navigating life’s challenges but also for building meaningful connections.

How to Use LetMeDoIt: First Steps

Getting started with LetMeDoIt is simple. After downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play, users create a profile. This profile collects basic information, such as the user’s preferences, needs, and goals.

From there, the app offers a user-friendly interface that guides users through different modules related to personal finance, healthcare, job opportunities, and resource management. Each module contains step-by-step guidance, allowing individuals to make informed decisions with or without the help of their support networks. Whether the goal is to manage daily expenses or apply for jobs, LetMeDoIt offers intuitive, clear paths to success.

The app enables users to build their own circle of support and reach out for support if and when they need it. Supervision-based models are a major impediment to independence and confidence. The support-based model avoids this impediment while addressing caregiver fatigue and DSP overload.

Advice for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)

For DSPs who support individuals with disabilities, using LetMeDoIt can be a transformative experience for both the individual supported and the DSP. DSPs or others can support people with various decisions who are important to the person they support. Here are some key recommendations for DSPs:

  1. Familiarize Yourself with the Platform: Before supporting others, explore the app. This will help you understand LetMeDoIt's full capabilities, allowing you to better guide the people you work with.
  2. Collaborate on Decision-Making: The app is designed to support decision autonomy. Encourage individuals to make their own decisions using the app, offering guidance and help when needed. Balance support with independence.
  3. Encourage Consistent Interaction: While the frequency of app interaction varies from person to person, regular app use can lead to better outcomes. Whether it’s managing finances weekly, managing day-to-day job performance, or independently budgeting weekly spending, consistency is key. DSPs can set reminders or routines to ensure individuals use the app frequently enough to reap its benefits.
  4. Support Customization: One of LetMeDoIt's best features is its ability to be customized to fit each user's unique needs. DSPs should encourage users to tailor the platform to their personal goals, whether those goals relate to employment, healthcare, or social activities.
Two people standing and giving a presentation. The man on the left is Amit and he holds the remove control for advancing slides. He is balding with dark hair and mustache with a white and gray beard. He is wearing a purple short sleeve shirt with the Let Me Do It logo on the upper left chest area, jeans and a gray belt. Angad, is the man standing on the right. He has short dark hair, and is wearing a purple short sleeve shirt with the Let Me Do It logo on the upper left chest area, and jeans. He is standing behind and has papers on a glass podium.

Amit and Angad giving a presentation on Let Me Do It.

How Often Do People Interact with the App?

We encourage our users (whether the primary user or their support network) to use the app as much as needed. By focusing on helping our users achieve the goals detailed in their individual plans, the app can be a key enabler in helping our users achieve their goals.

For DSPs working regularly with users, a great way to ensure they get the most out of the app is by incorporating it into daily or weekly routines. For instance, setting aside specific times during the week for individuals to review their healthcare appointments, budgeting for the week, or taking care of their tasks at home can make a big difference in outcomes.

Conclusion

LetMeDoIt is more than just an app; it’s a movement aimed at transforming the lives of people with disabilities by giving them the tools to take control of their lives. For businesses, it’s a solution to better engage with a large, underserved community. For DSPs, it’s a tool to foster greater autonomy and empowerment in the people they serve. And for individuals with disabilities, it’s a pathway to economic engagement, social inclusion, and a more independent future.

For more information, visit our website or watch our demo video to see how LetMeDoIt can help you or your organization make a meaningful impact.

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