Josh Zimmerman is a participant in UCP’s Agency with Choice (AWC) service model which gives him the freedom to make choices that he believes are in his own best interest. That includes the ability to choose who he hires, what rate he pays, and what schedule he keeps. As a result, Josh chose his mother Vera to be one of his paid support professionals. She says the dynamic of their working relationship has been remarkable.
UCP Assistive Technology Program Manager Jackie Wardle bounded into the Community Relations office and with great exuberance, asked “Got time to take some pictures?” Then she proceeded to describe the purpose of the proposed photo opp: to recognize Messiah Lifeways, a local network of senior services and residential communities, for their recent donation of 16 manual wheelchairs to UCP’s Changing Hands equipment reuse program. The chairs were either left behind or no longer of use to members of the Lifeways community. But in Jackie’s hands, they would prove to be life-changing gifts to 16 other individuals or families in need.
Carmen Henry-Harris was motivated to reach out to UCP when she saw the testimonial insert that was included with their recent participant and family survey. The questions got her thinking about how far her brother Ray had come since he made the move into a UCP home. So she decided to share their story.
The rains that fell in April help us better appreciate the flowers that bloom in May. In the photo above, Blair–a participant in UCP’s modified At Home CPS–reminds us of that simple truth.
Recently, I was able to spend some time with Beth Catlin, a resident of one of UCP’s 16 community homes throughout Central PA. Beth moved into the Enola home after her mother, with whom she had been living, was moved to an assisted living facility in 2020. Beth is personable, engaging, and has an astounding gift for recall, in particular for sports-related statistics and for birth dates. She routinely exercises her capacity to remember dates–and at the same time blesses others–by crafting and sending homemade birthday cards to pretty much everyone she meets.
First Lady Frances Wolf recently revealed One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views, a statewide virtual exhibition documenting Pennsylvanians’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. UCP Central PA (UCP) selected and submitted three photos to represent all our “heroes” who have continued to provide essential services and supports to individuals and families throughout the pandemic. The images are among 1,300 submissions from 58 PA counties that comprise the exhibition. The three images representing UCP are:
Today we highlight one of UCP’s long-time participants, Russell P. Russ has been actively engaged with Community Participation Supports (CPS) in Shippensburg for many years. With the onset of COVID-19 and the subsequent shuttering of all CPS locations in March of last year, Russ was among the individuals left struggling with how to meaningfully fill their time. As the social butterfly of his CPS group, he was particularly hard hit by the isolation brought on by COVID.
Recently, in order to help magnify our outreach efforts surrounding the Culture at Work initiative, UCP’s Recognition Committee adopted the Moose as our “Culture Mascot.“ (Actually, we adopted and named two moose: Maggie and Monty. But that’s another story for another time.)
“Why a Mascot?” you might ask. Actually, it’s because of UCP staff!
It has been a year. March 13, 2021 marks one year since the world as we knew it began to change forever. Schools across the state—indeed the nation—sent their students home that Friday the 13th with a hopeful message: “see you in two weeks.” Businesses soon followed suit, based on the official guidance at the time that we needed “15 days to slow the spread.” So it bears repeating… it has been a year.
Still, today, rather than look back, I want to look ahead.
What better way to kick off Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month than with some photos celebrating an amazing Employment Services partnership between UCP Central PA, Houlihan’s, and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts?
UCP Senior Director of Operations Bridget Pugh was on site at Houlihan’s today to recognize Kenyay Barbour as Self-Advocate Employee and Houlihan’s as Community Employer, presenting them with certificates and framed nominations from the 2020 PAR We Are Worth It Awards.
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