As we made our way across town to run an errand, the conversation came easy between Emily and her support staff Sheri. Emily talked about her recent back issues, her job search, music preferences and even personal safety. Emily has a quick wit and a keen sense of humor, which was on full display. At…
Anyone who has spent time with UCP participant Logan W. knows that music is his passion. Whether he’s singing, creating a playlist, or conducting a sound-check; if it involves music and electronics in any way, he’s all about it. Logan comes by his passion honestly; his mother Ann worked in video production for years. She…
We want to highlight the great work UCP’s Residential Team is doing in the area of wellness. The UCP Health & Wellness Committee was established in 2021 to create a “culture of wellness” by promoting healthy lifestyles with an eye toward improving outcomes for the residential participants we support. The initiative has six primary areas…
There is a remarkable transformation that has taken place in the life of Christian C since he began living in a UCP home in May 2020. Christian, who is affectionately known to UCP staff as “Chuck” because of his fondness for Charlie Brown, has a handful of diagnoses, primary among them being mild IDD (Intellectual/Developmental Disability) and Autism.
Each November we make a point of promoting Assistive Technology Awareness Month in general—and UCP’s Assistive Technology Services in particular. We do so because we know firsthand the many ways these devices and services truly do change lives. But the really cool part is being able to share with our supporters the impact this specialized technology can have in the lives of real people using real equipment to do things they otherwise would not be able to do. Today we are excited to feature two such “success stories:”
At UCP, the concept of diversity and inclusion is nothing new. In fact, we’ve been promoting diversity and modeling inclusion—at home, school, work, and in the community—for nearly 70 years. That’s because we value the contributions made by people of ALL abilities in ALL aspects of life, including employment. So this October, in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), our message is clear: inclusion means inclusion for all. And it begins with the employer.
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.
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.
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.
