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Spring Greetings,
Green is popping up everywhere we look, which can only mean that Spring is finally here!
While the New York State budget bills haven’t been printed to be finalized, provider organizations were disappointed to learn over the weekend that after months of advocacy for an 8.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and its inclusion for funding in-full in both the Senate and Assembly’s one-house budget bills, the Governor and legislature have agreed to a 4% COLA in this year’s budget. While still a step up from the Governor’s initially proposed 2.5% COLA, we join our colleagues across the state in expressing our frustration that this long overdue, meaningful investment to sustain quality supports and care was cut to less than half of what we need after a year of inflation and increased costs. We’re disappointed, but we’ll continue to be the loudest voice possible championing the needs of our workforce and organization, and I thank everyone who took the time to advocate on our behalf over the last few months, including all of our legislators who listened and supported the 8.5% COLA.
One piece of news from April that I’m happy to share was that we successfully held our first fundraiser of the 2023, the 27th annual Bob Warner Pin Crushing Classic, presented by Visions Federal Credit Union, hitting our fundraising goal $23,500 in the process! The sold out event was another exciting afternoon of bowling at Midway Lanes, and I thank Visions, our corporate sponsors, individuals, staff and community who joined us for this fun afternoon in support of ACHIEVE. Pictures from this year’s tournament are included in this month’s newsletter.
With our first fundraiser of the year successfully in the books, planning turns to our 68th annual Dinner Dance and Awards Ceremony, featuring our annual Membership meeting, co-presented by Mirabito Cares and the ACHIEVE Foundation Board of Directors. This year’s event has moved to the Binghamton DoubleTree, and will be held on Friday, June 30th. This special evening is so impactful to the individuals we support, their families, our staff, and the many community supporters who join us each year. In addition to the change in venue, there are a number of new and exciting ideas in place to make this year’s evening of recognition memorable, and I hope you’ll consider joining us.
Lastly, our 2023 Membership campaign kicked off in March, and will continue running through July. You and your family can join as ACHIEVE Members for $1 this year and help us have the loudest voice possible when it comes to advocacy efforts that directly impact those we support in our programs. We need your help to reach our goal of 1,250 Members, so please consider signing up for $1 today.
I personally invite you to join us for this year’s Dinner Dance and Awards Ceremony next month, and to sign up and recruit others to become ACHIEVE Members. Information on tickets to the Dinner Dance or joining as a Member can both be found in this month’s newsletter.
As always, thank you so much for your continued support. I wish you and your family a wonderful month of May!
Amy
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Amy Howard
Chief Executive Officer
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Following the success of our 27th annual Pin Crushing Classic, we're excited for the return of our 68th annual Dinner Dance and Awards Ceremony, presented by the ACHIEVE Foundation Board of Directors and Mirabito Cares.
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Congratulations to our
March Promotions!
Gregory Brewer - Program Manager
Mariah Canny - Assistant Residence Manager
Jessica Cast - Assistant Residence Manager
Melissa Massaro - Director of Recreation and Leisure Services
Andrew Judge - Assistant Residence Manager
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We're back with another edition of #WhyIACHIEVE, and are very #ACHIEVEProud to highlight Jennifer Bresee, the Program Manager of ACHIEVE’s Main Street residence in Binghamton.
Jennifer has been with ACHIEVE since June 2022, and enjoys working for ACHIEVE because of the immense value, compassion, and care that is given to the individuals we support. “We truly do make a difference in their lives every single day, and them in ours. ACHIEVE is the best Residential program I have been blessed to be a part of, and I look back and am thankful that I was given this opportunity. I would not trade it for anything; I am right where I am meant to be!”
According to Jennifer, the highlight of her position is that she gets to change the world one day at at a time for the individuals she supports by showing care, compassion, understanding, patience, kindness, gratitude, respect, dignity, and love. She believes they not only learn from her, but that she has the opportunity to learn from them. They're her real inspirations, and she's thankful for every one of them.
Jennifer, ACHIEVE is very fortunate to have you as one of our Program Managers!
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Staff Appreciation Committee Recognizes Employment and Vocational Team! |
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Members of our leadership team and the Staff Appreciation Committee recognized the Employment and Vocational Services team for their invaluable work in helping support individuals in finding and successfully thriving in jobs that provide meaningful employment.
Through their work, hundreds of individuals across all three counties have been able to explore their passions in the workforce, further providing them opportunities to be engaged members of their communities!
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Earl has been a dedicated employee for 30 years at Wendy’s in Owego, working incredibly hard during that time to become one of the most dedicated and loyal employees any business could ever ask for.
Earl started working at Wendy's as a food prep worker and cleaner, and now spends his shift cooking the delicious hamburgers we’ve all come to know and love. He also unloads the trucks and does general kitchen cleaning, as well as any other task that he is given. Earl is loved by his managers and co-workers, as well as his regular customers.
Earl worked through the COVID-19 pandemic, doing his best to keep up with the day-to-day business, along with the very difficult staffing shortages that occurred during that time. He has continued to excel at Wendy’s, and it shows with his happy smile and fantastic work ethic. His manager, Megan, says that he does a great job and that she loves having him on the team.
Earl’s journey shows how ACHIEVE works hard with the individuals that we serve and the businesses that they work for, in order to find and maintain meaningful employment.
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Tina is proof that hard work and determination make your dreams come true.
Tina came to ACHIEVE’s Supported Employment department for help getting a job, and was enrolled in their Employment Training Program. Tina was a determined worker who waited patiently for a job that fit her needs right as the pandemic disrupted her services. Once the pandemic began to wind down, Tina was able to participate in work assessments and job trainings, obtaining a work internship with IHOP in Vestal.
Tina began her journey in meaningful employment in January 2023 as a dishwasher. She spends her workday operating the dishwasher, putting the clean dishes away, bussing tables, and cleaning the bathrooms. She loves every minute of it and is doing a great job. Her manager, Heather, said that she admires how fearless Tina is when taking on a new task.
Tina has also made several friends and loves to say "Hi" to all of the customers that come into the restaurant. She is even more excited that she is earning a paycheck, and can save money for family vacations or something tasty that satisfies her sweet tooth!
Tina’s journey shows how ACHIEVE strives to bring the best out of the individuals that we serve, while also assisting them in continuing to maintain successful and meaningful employment.
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Are you looking for your next best employee?
Learn more about our Vocational and Employment Services, and how your business can provide meaningful employment to individuals in our community by contacting Debra Carson, ACHIEVE's Director of Employment and Vocational Services, at dcarson@achieveny.org.
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Congratulations to Audrey Baker, ACHIEVE Community Habilitation Provider, for winning Second Place in the New York Alliance for Inclusion 's art exhibit that was featured as part of their recent annual conference! A beautiful painting and well-deserved award!
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Register for the 2023 Children's Summer Program |
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Now accepting applications for this year's Children's Summer Program!
This foundational six-week program for children ages 5-21 years old runs from July through August and fills educational gaps that can occur during summer break through exposure to drama, music, cooking, physical activity and more that reinforce academic skills, motor skills and social interaction.
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We're also accepting applications for part-time Summer Program Counselors. A great position for a high school or college-aged student, or teacher looking for a couple hours of work each week during the summer, our Counselors are the backbone of the program's success! |
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Happy Easter from the ACHIEVE Family! |
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Happy Easter from ACHIEVE's Sterry Drive residence!
They recently took an Easter themed train ride, and as you can tell by the pictures, they couldn't hide the egg-cellent time they had together!
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Did Some Bunny Say "Easter"? |
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Everyone at Tioga Day Habilitation got ready for the Easter Bunny's visit by decorating eggs and making different creations to ring in the holiday! |
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April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2nd marked World Autism Awareness Day!
People with Autism are very near and dear to our hearts, especially in our line of work. We're always proud to join other provider agencies and participating members of the United Nations to raise awareness about people with Autism throughout the world by wearing blue, encouraging people to donate money or time to an agency that helps people with autism, or just simply spreading the word!!
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ACHIEVE's Artistic Abilities Shine Bright in the Community! |
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ACHIEVE has been showcasing the amazing talents of artists across the organization! From participating in the New York Alliance for Inclusion's art gallery at their annual conference, to having a showcase in the hallways at UHS's Wilson General Hospital, the individuals and staff once again displayed their amazing talents! |
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Chenango Day Habilitation Talent Show |
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An afternoon of incredible talents were put on display at Chenango Day Habilitation’s annual Talent Show! Great job by everyone who danced, sang or displayed other awesome skills!
Congratulation to Tyler, Dee Dee and Aaron, who were crowned this year's Talent Show winners!
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Joel loves to run and regularly participates in marathons and 5K races in the community. He recently ran the Good Samaritan 10K in Dewitt, New York! Joel did a fantastic job and had an even better time!
A special thank you to Mindy and Tracey who took him and cheered him on at the finish line!
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Tim and his provider, Vicki, have been all over the place in Chenango County! They took a trip to the Afton Racetrack to do a little "horsing around"! |
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Chenango Community Habilitation took its first large group outing! They took a road trip to visit Howe Caverns, stopping in Oneonta to take in some delicious Brooks BBQ, where they ran into a famous friend, New York Yankee Marino Rivera! A fun-filled day full of camaraderie! |
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Kayli's Art Workshop visited Cutler Pond Day Habilitation to show everyone how to make resin coasters using pressed flowers. Kayli worked with each individual one-on-one to create these elegant masterpieces. Everyone really enjoyed the activity, and everything came out beautifully! |
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Checking In With Tioga Day Habilitation |
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Things have been busy at Tioga Day Habilitation, where they were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather on one of our recent nice days with some sidewalk chalk, air hockey and basketball! |
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Our Chenango Community Habilitation team braved the chilly weather and visited Frog Pond. As you can see, the chicks were the main feature for everyone, who loved holding and petting them. They had a great time and can’t wait for the warm weather, when they'll be able to return for another visit! |
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Baking with Tioga Day Habilitation |
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Tioga Day Habilitation were busy in the kitchen, making and decorating delicious cupcakes! |
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Recently, ACHIEVE's Program Support Specialist, Mary, visited Japan and sent our Pen Pal Club this very beautiful wooden post card, along with a letter sharing what she enjoyed about her trip. The Pen Pal Club decided to write her back and thank her for taking the time to think of them and share her travels.
Thank you, Mary! 😊
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Dee Dee and her provider, Vicki, decided to hit the links with some indoor and outdoor mini golfing! They absolutely loved the glow golf inside, and it certainly looks like they had a fun time! |
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William decided to take some time to relax and complete a puzzle over at the library during one of his outings! |
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Betty and her provider, Lil, took advantage of the sun and the warm weather we enjoyed recently to visit a local park where they got some much-needed sunshine and a nice walk! |
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Several of the individuals from Cutler Pond had been volunteering at different spots around the community, working up an appetite in the process! After all that hard work, they decided Denny's was the place to go to get a much-needed meal! |
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Welcome to the Team, Matt,
and Happy Birthday, Gina!
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Our On the Pond ~ At Cutler team commemorated several accomplishments with a signature ACHIEVE party. They wished Gina, the Program Manager for the program, a very happy birthday, while giving a warm welcome to Matt Rouff, the new Vice President of Day and Residential Services, and celebrated him joining the ACHIEVE family! |
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Another fun and creative art session at Jablon Studios, with everyone being joined by some four-legged friends! Core Room 1 from Cutler Pond Day Habilitation accompanied the folks from On the Pond ~ At Cutler Pond to the art studio, where everyone made mosaic sun catchers. Emily, the owner of Jablon Studios, is going to throw them in the kiln, where they'll melt down and become more transparent.
We can't wait to see how the sun catches all the beautiful colors!
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On the Pond ~ At Cutler Pond and Core Room 3 teamed up to go bowling, and had a blast, bowling tons of strikes and spares! |
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Volunteering at S.P.E.A.K. |
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Everyone at On The Pond ~ At Cutler love visiting and volunteering at S.P.E.A.K. every Wednesday to help socialize the kitties.
Their "furvorite" cat during a recent visit was sweet Dewey, who wanted all the cuddles, which Norean was more than happy to help him out with!
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Matt and his provider, Vicki, went to Life Net, where he was thrilled to check out all of their equipment, and learn everything about the team and what they do to keep the community safe and healthy. He was even able to take a peek and see what the helicopter looked like inside! |
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ACHIEVE's 27th Annual Bob Warner Pin Crushing Tournament |
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On Saturday, April 15th, we held our first signature event of the year, the 27th annual Bob Warner Pin Crushing Classic, presented by Visions Federal Credit Union.
Through the generosity of all our sponsors, bowlers and community supporters, we were able to raise more than $23,500 to support programs and services that will impact the lives of over 2,200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community!
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the afternoon a huge success!
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During our April ACHIEVE Foundation Board of Directors meeting, we bid best wishes to Foundation Board Vice Chairman, Mike Fosbury, following the completion of his two terms of service on the Foundation Board.
Mike joined the Foundation Board of Directors in April 2017, and has served as the Vice Chairman of the Board since that time, as well as Chairman of ACHIEVE's Investment Committee.
We send our deepest thanks to Mike for his leadership and support on the Foundation Board for the last six years, and know he'll continue to be a great friend to the agency!
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Donate Today - New Beginnings in Norwich |
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Thank you, J & J Furniture and Mattress in Norwich and other donors for supporting our "New Beginnings in Norwich" renovation project! We appreciate your commitment to helping us reach our public fundraising goal that will impact the lives of hundreds in Chenango County!
You can be a part of this state-of-the-art day and community-based services facility that will be right in the heart of downtown Norwich and directly impact the lives of hundreds of individuals in Chenango County by donating and helping us reach our $250,000 public fundraising goal.
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Your Legacy, Our Future
Planned Gifts to ACHIEVE
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The ACHIEVE Foundation seeks to support ACHIEVE’s mission to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The growth of the Foundation is determined by planned gifts from our community and family members. These gifts are the cornerstone of our Foundation and allow us to continue to offer a wide range of programs and services.
Every year, more donors are discovering the benefits of supporting ACHIEVE through their estate plans. These planned gifts are the cornerstones to the ACHIEVE Foundation and support the programs and services of our organization.
Charitable Bequest through Last Will or other Estate Plan
Individual Retirement Account
Stock and Securities
Real Estate
To learn more about Planned Giving, or to make a donation, please contact Preston Evans, Vice President Development and Donor Relations, at (607) 352-3280 or pevans@achieveny.org
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Annual Appeal
Thanks to the generosity from our community, ACHIEVE has
reached 61.4% of this year's Annual Appeal goal of $79,570!
Thank you to everyone who has donated!
But we still need your support. In order to keep that momentum going and continue providing exceptional services to those we serve, we rely on generous gifts from supporters, like you, who want to make a difference in thousands of lives.
Your Gift Matters.
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Thank You to our 2023 Platinum Partner Sponsors! |
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