SEEC E-News
December 2019 | Issue Fifteen
Karen Lee wins the 2019 TASH Conference
Marc Gold Award for Employment!!

TASH, a nonprofit advocate for inclusion and the human rights of people with significant disabilities, recognized Karen Lee as the recipient of the 2019 Marc Gold Award for Employment during this year’s TASH Conference in Phoenix, AZ, December 5-7, 2019.

The Marc Gold Award for Employment is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to community, integrated employment for people with significant disabilities. Marc was a founding board member of TASH and continued his affiliation until his death in 1982. His research and advocacy provided the rationale for supported employment by establishing that persons with significant disabilities could learn complex tasks. He formed Marc Gold & Associates in 1976 to promote the concepts of competence and contribution by all persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a series of nationally relevant projects that focused on staff development and employment. This award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to community, integrated employment for persons with significant disabilities. Congratulations Karen! 
Inside This Issue
  • Karen Lee wins Marc Gold Award for Employment!
  • Strategic Pillar Highlight: Financial Diversity
  • Project SEARCH graduates recognized at NIH CEO Awards
  • Please consider making a year end gift to SEEC!
  • Community Bag Program a Success
  • Holiday Wish List Thank you
  • Save the Dates
Strategic Pillar Highlight
Financial Diversity
by Bonny Roy

The Financial Diversity Pillar is defined by three components: the importance of good stewardship, innovative fund development and infrastructure evaluation. Each of these components is crucial in ensuring financial solvency. The organization is working towards broadening and engaging its stakeholder pool to increase the organization’s financial diversity so that funding occurs through a variety of sources in addition to DDA, which provides the majority of SEEC’s funding.

Internally, the Finance department has made several structural staff changes and has reprioritized staff responsibilities to be better positioned to efficiently produce and interact with other departments in providing financial data for decision making purposes. It has upgraded its accounting database to include new modules to better support the programs through more sophisticated reporting.

The Finance department has implemented direct deposit payments to contractors and is now able to pay large ticket items through credit cards in collaboration with external partners such as Capital One & Sandy Spring Banks. This collaboration has generated additional funds to pay for benefits such as parking for staff.
Furthermore, by investing its quarterly DDA funding in short term CDs, it is generating additional cash thru return on its investments. The Finance department has also invested in a Budget Software module which is scheduled to be piloted and rolled out by the end of this fiscal year.

Community Bag Program a Success!
Thanks to all who helped support SEEC during November! We are thrilled to announce that we raised $392 from Giant Food Community Bag Program proceeds during the month! We appreciate everyone's help in achieving this goal!
21 Project SEARCH graduates recognized at Third Annual CEO Awards at NIH

On Friday, December 6, 2019, the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center held its Third Annual CEO Awards. Twenty one of our Project SEARCH graduates who have been hired by NIH as employees in the last 9 years and are currently still employed at NIH were recognized for the first time by Dr. Gillman of NIH. The group was awarded the "Making an Impact" award. This is a special award that the Clinical Center leadership added to the CEO Awards Ceremony in special recognition of all the Project Search employees and their hardwork. Below is a list of all of the recipients and their job titles: 

Meredith Beck -Office Automation Clerk
Ashton Bell -Supply Clerk
Van Berg-Messenger/Escort
Darina Callear -Animal Care Cage Washer
Ricky Day-office Automation Clerk
Hayley Doyle -Pharmacy Clerk
James Garcia-Mail Clerk
David Han-Office Automation Clerk
Justin Haynes- Office Automation Clerk
Richelle James-Office Automation Clerk
Roxanne King-Office Automation Clerk
Gabriel Leder-Office Automation Clerk
Eli Lewis-Laundry Assistant
Jack Nail-Supply Clerk
Gabriela Nugent-Laundry Assistant
Christopher Pagonis-Supply Clerk
Ruth Shipps-Food Service Worker
Melissa Tebi -Supply Clerk
Amethyst Thornton -Office Automation Clerk
Chane Wade-Goodwin-Supply Clerk
Rachel Williams -House Keeper

We at SEEC couldn't be prouder!
Please consider making a
year end gift to SEEC!

There's still time to make a gift to SEEC before we turn the page into 2020. If you'd like to take advantage of this year's tax deduction, your gift must be made by 11:59 EST on December 31st.

Your donation tells the world we all belong and helps to broaden opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities! Please consider making a gift today.

Holiday Wish List Thank you!
What an amazing show of support! We are so appreciative of everyone who helped make the season special for someone SEEC supports by purchasing a gift from the SEEC Holiday Wish List! We have received gifts for over 27 people and they continue to come in! Thank you!
Mark your calendars!

SEEC Spring Gala 2020
 When: Saturday April 25, 2020
 Where: The Academy of the Holy Cross

SEEC Night Out at Silver Branch Brewing
 Hosted by SEEC Sibling Committee
 When: Wednesday, February 19, 2020
 Where: Silver Branch Brewing Company
301.576.9000 | www.seeconline.org