Nate Zimmerman was among the first class of residents to enter Pathways Academy on March 17, 2014. On that clear crisp Saturday morning. Nate unloaded his duffel from his father’s truck and made his way up the driveway. His first words were spoken with an earnestness and intensity that we’ve come to learn is pure…
The years following high school are a period of great transition for all young adults. That is particularly true of individuals with some form of disability or chronic condition. For many parents, it is an even more challenging time than when their child first received a diagnosis. Straight from the words of one who knows,…
Each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. In the case of Bailey, a participant with Autism in UCP’s Community Participation Supports (CPS), one of his particular strengths—as well as his passion—is his remarkable ability to connect with music. For Bailey, age 24, there is no disability when it comes to…
At UCP, we have a long, proud history of putting families first. In fact, you could say it’s in our DNA. It was one family’s personal experience with a child with Cerebral palsy that inspired the formation of The CP Center, the original precursor to UCP Central PA. From the beginning, we understood that the…
Today, in recognition of the countless achievements and contributions of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), we want to share an update on the heart-warming success story of Lori B. Lori has overcome significant challenges—health-related and otherwise—in order to live her best life, every day. Lori came to UCP in November 2019 after being told by…
There was an air of excitement and anticipation as Shippensburg Community Participation Supports (CPS) participants expectantly awaited their first Penpal exchange… just in time for Valentine’s Day. As their names were called, each individual collected the envelope containing the handwritten “All About Me” message from their designated Penpal.
Congratulations are in order… for Morgan, Emily, Dana, and Jenny (l to r above)–the Pathways Academy Class of 2022–who celebrated their program completion and graduation on Saturday, January 22.
The four young women entered the Academy together in June 2020 and spent the duration of their time in the residential independent living program amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that they have successfully completed all the coursework and acquired the life skills needed to live on their own independently speaks volumes about the resilience and heart of these four women.
UCP was thrilled to receive word that our own Abigail Celesky was selected as the Central Region Direct Support Professional of the Year in the 2021 PAR “We Are Worth It” Awards! Abby was recognized for her ability to continue to provide home and community supports at a time when she was unable to meet with individuals in their homes or take them out into the community.
“I have been working with an individual for over 20 years, and we have grown together in so many ways. The pandemic was a very different time for everyone. The individual that I work with and I sat down together and discussed this very important time. We talked about the importance of being safe and following all the new protocols for the seemingly new normal. We both decided that we were not going to let this scary time get us down or make us stop spending quality time together; in fact, it would do just the opposite. We decided that we were going to think outside the box and do fun things.” ~ Barb Feaser, DSP, Home and Community Services
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:
