APRIL 2019
Tour de Palm Springs 2019
We are thrilled to announce that we raised over $90,000 for UCPIE’s adaptive bike and seven after-school programs! This fundraising success was thanks to our collaboration with Tour de Palm Springs and your wonderful support!
Seven years ago when we created UCPIE’s Team Freedom and   registered a special needs child we raised $600 and we were absolutely thrilled for the wonderful opportunity to have a little girl named Annmarie ride the tour on her adaptive bike! We saw this as the perfect event to bring our UCPIE families together to enjoy a fun family friendly event, create new friendships and bond but most importantly for the opportunity to be included. Pictured below is Annmarie with her little brother JP at the Tour de Palm Springs 2012.
We are incredible thankful for your wonderful support through the years! Our UCPIE Team Freedom keeps growing and growing and it’s all because of YOU! Without the support of all our volunteers, friends, family, staff, board of directors, sponsors, and donors, this amazing accomplishment would not be possible! We look forward to your continuing support, and can't stress enough that we will need your help to continue. 100% of funds raised at Tour de Palm Springs go directly to our seven after-school programs and our adaptive bike program! Each after school site cost an average of $43,000 and an adaptive bike cost between $2,500-$4,500! Together we have the opportunity to create a brighter and healthier future for our special needs families so they too can live a “Life without Limits”.
Breaking Bread with Jan "The Gadget Gal"
Thanks to our wonderful friends at Mercury Films we were invited for a fun cooking event at Kitchen Kitchen with the incredibly talented Jan Boydstun aka “The Gadget Girl"! Frankie from our UCPIE Desert Hot Springs after school program joined our UCPIE President/CEO Greg Wetmore & Chairman of the Board Demitrious Sinor for some cooking fun and laughs! They created a delicious chicken quebecois! The show titled “Breaking Bread” aired on FOX 11 Palm Springs! Thank you Mercury Films and Jan Boydstn for the wonderful opportunity to share beautiful memories and to tell our UCPIE story. To learn more about Jan Boydstun and her amazing gadgets please visit: http://kitchenkitchen.com Check out the full video below!
UCPIE In-Home Respite Care
UCPIE In-Home Respite Care   is a service offered to special needs families throughout the Inland Empire. UCPIE sends qualified, pre-screened respite caregivers to homes to care for special needs individuals. Respite care benefits both the client and the primary caregiver. For clients, it gives them the opportunity to spend time with someone different and perhaps do some new things. Primary caregivers also benefit from respite care because they get some time to themselves, away from their usual responsibilities. This service allows usual caregivers an opportunity to take a much-needed rest or attend to other tasks, knowing that their loved one is well cared for by a certified respite care provider.
In this issue we are highlighting Claudia Luna. Claudia is a student attending College of the Desert studying psychology. Claudia came to UCPIE trained in ABA therapy and Crises Prevention Intervention (CPI). Since starting as a respite care provider with UCPIE her clients have made strides!
UCPIE: What is the most rewarding part about being a respite care provider?
Claudia: The most rewarding thing about being a respite worker is that I am able to bring a helpful hand and positive presence into the lives and homes of my clients. Building different rapports with each of them individually and making them feel comfortable knowing that someone is there to be with them sincerely. And also getting to know their personalities and seeing what interest them so that I am able to come up with different fun activities to do! Also seeing the parents come home and their child is happy and well taken care. It may be a 2-4 hour shift for us, but for the parents it is a 24/7 commitment. I love knowing that me (a respite worker) is helping relieve some stress and also knowing that they are absolutely comfortable with me caring for their child that's most rewarding in itself!

UCPIE: In the time you’ve been a respite care provider, what is your biggest lesson learned? 
Claudia: One of the biggest lessons I've learned while being a respite care provider is LOTS OF PATIENCE. My clients may have had a long day or it may be the parent is also coming back with some struggle of their own. I personally aim at understanding them and making their day better. By listening to the clients and/or seeing the behaviors or body language that they maybe display I am able to understand them. This takes lots of patience. I love being that helping hand and positive presence in their lives.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about our UCPIE respite program, please contact Gaby Reyes (760) 625-5058, email: gabyreyes@ucpie.org