Greetings Supporters!
The leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and the mornings are beginning to feel a little cooler. Fall is officially here!
As you’ll see in this month’s newsletter, Fall activities are picking up across the organization, and it’s so refreshing to see everyone able to take advantage of all the great things our community has to offer this time of year.
September 12th kicked off National Direct Support Professionals Week, which is always an important reminder of the outstanding work of our essential frontline staff and the need to recognize the care and compassion they demonstrate every day. ACHIEVE’s amazing DSPs work tirelessly to provide oftentimes critical support and step up in countless ways as the backbone of our agency, and I’d once again like to acknowledge their dedication and commitment to those they serve. I hope you’ll take a moment and watch our tribute video to our DSPs below.
I’m also excited to share that in September, our leadership team was joined by members of our Board of Directors to begin crafting our 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, evaluating where ACHIEVE is today and a vision for the direction of the organization in the next three years. This meeting was an invaluable first step in ensuring that we continue to further our Mission of enhancing the lives of those in our community as the premier provider of supports and services to those we serve.
Finally, I invite you to join us for our last signature fundraiser of 2022, the return of our 4th annual Half-K Classic – Walk & Roll presented by NBT Bank on Saturday, October 22nd at 11:00AM at East Park in downtown Norwich. After two years of holding this event virtually, we’re looking forward to coming together for a 0.6 mile walk, run or ride in a classic car through downtown Norwich to a lunch reception at the impressive Northeast Classic Car Museum. The first year of this event was a lot of fun, and we hope you’ll join us on the 22nd as we look to wrap up this year’s fundraising efforts.
I hope you’ll enjoy this month’s newsletter and the highlights of all the great things happening across our agency. As always, thank you so much for your continued support of ACHIEVE and those we serve!
Best regards,
|
|
Amy Howard
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
Please join us for our 4th annual Half-K Classic! |
|
Join us Saturday, October 22nd at East Park in Norwich, New York at 11:00 AM for our 4th annual Half-K Classic - Walk & Roll, presented by NBT Bank!
Enjoy the fall weather on a 0.6 mile walk through downtown Norwich, ending with a lunch reception at the Northeast Classic Car Museum!
Registration is $40, and includes a free ticket to the Northeast Classic Car Museum, sticker, race bib & commemorative t-shirt.
The Half-K Classic - Walk & Roll and our other signature events help us fund the crucial programming ACHIEVE Provides. Please help us spread the word and get involved! Share with your friends and family! Start a friendly competition with coworkers...the options are endless!
|
|
Senator Fred Akshar's 2022
New York State Senate Woman Of Distinction!
|
|
We’re beyond #ACHIEVEProud and excited to share that ACHIEVE’s Chief Executive Officer, Amy Howard, was selected as Senator Fred Akshar’s 2022 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction for her exceptional leadership and commitment to ACHIEVE and the community!
A very well-deserved honor and we were happy to celebrate this remarkable achievement with her!
|
|
Direct Support Professional's Week |
|
September 12th was the start of Direct Support Professionals Week in New York State, and is a perfect opportunity to highlight the dedicated, innovative direct support workforce that is the heart and soul of ACHIEVE. Direct Support Professionals are entrusted with the awesome responsibility of walking beside the individuals we serve so that they may lead and live their best lives. On behalf of ACHIEVE's Board of Directors and Executive Management Team, we wanted to express our gratitude to all DSPs across our organization and New York State. |
|
Congratulations to ACHIEVE's Employment Training Specialist Debra Preston on her selection as The New York Alliance for Inclusion's Northern Region Outstanding Direct Support Professional Award for 2022!
A well-deserved recognition as part of Direct Support Professional's Recognition Week!
We'd also like to recognize our other nominees for this award for their contributions to the agency!
Alicia Crounse - Helen Street Residence Aide
Lacey Lorimer - Chenango Day Habilitation Specialist
Brittany Crane - Community Habilitation Provider
|
|
Congratulations, Lydia, on your recognition by The Arc New York for your years of ongoing self-advocacy efforts!
|
|
|
ACHIEVE made a significant investment in our leadership team to help grow and become better as an organization.
ACHIEVE’s General Management Team has been working rigorously with Christine Reinhard of Chrysalis Coaching on a six-month training series where all ACHIEVE’s leadership worked to showcase each person’s individual talents and what makes them a true leader.
ACHIEVE is committed to helping everyone be the best leader that they can be, and with Christine’s training, Management accomplished this goal! This training will continue to allow future leaders to grow and accomplish this goal, as well as maintain our current leaders who strive for the greatest outcome in any situation!
Thank you, Christine, for all your help and coaching! And special thanks to the United Way of Broome County for grant funding to support this training series!
|
|
In this installment of #WhyIACHIEVE, we’re #ACHIEVEProud to highlight Abigail Apgar, Assistant Manager of our Sunset IRA. Abigail had recently just started with ACHIEVE but has been working with adults with different abilities for more than 10 years!
Abigail loves knowing that what she does day in and day out makes a difference in those peoples' lives she has to privilege to work with. “Being able to see someone reach an independence goal, advocate for themselves, and knowing that their voices are recognized and their opinions matter make me proud to be a part of this team.”
Simply put, Abigail’s love for everyone she works with and supports is the reason why she ACHIEVEs!
|
|
Congratulations to our
August Promotions
|
Zoe Rowse, Assistant Residence Manager
Tyniaja Porter, Day Habilitation Specialist
|
|
|
Discover the Rewards of a Career in Direct Support! |
|
Thank You to our Direct Support Professionals! |
|
For this year's Direct Support Professional's Recognition Week, ACHIEVE, showed how fortunate we are to have such dedicated DSP's that support and serve the individuals of ACHIEVE.
ACHIEVE is so thankful for the hard work everyone does and we just wanted to show the highlights of our week! Thank you again to everyone who makes this organization a family!
|
|
On the Pond Tends to the Garden |
|
Our On the Pond Crew at Cutler Pond has been very busy in the garden tending to the sunflowers they'd planted! These flowers look BEAUTIFUL, great work everyone! |
|
Congratulations to Cindy, whose diamond art piece, "Roses", will be displayed at The Arc New York's virtual annual art competition as part of this year's Board of Governor's meeting in October!
Great work, Cindy!
|
|
|
A huge thank you to Endicott Sertoma for hosting several of our houses at Camp Sertoma for an afternoon of games, fun and delicious food!
We appreciate the consideration and opportunity to get everyone together!
|
|
Meals on Wheels Volunteer Dinner |
|
|
|
Individuals across our organization love opportunities to volunteer and give back to their community.
Angela, Joyce, Jean and their Community Habilitation provider Brittany attended the Meals on Wheels Volunteer Dinner. This event is put on each year to show appreciation for those who help to package and distribute meals to people in our community.
|
|
Our Recreation Respite team is at it again this month! They went to the Sunflower Festival to check out what it has to offer!
Everyone was able to look at all the beautiful sunflowers and scenery as well as see some of the animals!
Awesome day for a visit to the Sunflower Festival!
|
|
Helen Street and the Philharmonic Orchestra |
|
ACHIEVE's Guardianship Coordinator, Linda, and a couple of ladies from Helen Street wanted to go out and see the Philharmonic Orchestra perform, so that's exactly what they did!
They had the opportunity to watch the performance of a lifetime, and enjoyed the beautiful music of "American Journey" with some great company!
|
|
 |
Our On the Pond crew haven't been the only group with the green thumb! Kurt over at Wildwood IRA has a FULL garden with plants and vegetables. The smile alone shows just how proud he is of his garden!
Great job, Kurt!
|
|
|
|
With Halloween right around the corner, some individuals at Cutler Pond Day Habilitation wanted to get in the spirit early!
They chose to dress up as pirates and take some pictures. ARRen't they great?
|
|
|
Recreation Respite Adventures! |
|
Back again with more Recreational Respite adventures!
Our Recreation team have been all over the place again this month. They went to Seedstock and enjoyed jammin' to some tunes, to Binghamton University soccer games to cheer the Bearcats on, to the New York State Fair for the Food Truck Battle's, all capped off with a trip to The Barn at Beak and Skiff Orchard!
|
|
With baseball season coming to an end, everyone just had to see a couple more games to close out the year! |
|
|
|
|
Each year, Boscov’s selects ACHIEVE as one of their charities of choice for their Friends Helping Friends day in October, where Boscov's donates $5 from each sale to the agency if shoppers select ACHIEVE, and shoppers receive up to 25% in additional savings.
This year, Friends Helping Friends will take place all day on Wednesday, October 19th, and Boscov’s has elected to cut themselves out as middlemen and let agencies collect the $5 themselves by selling the shopping passes that offer the discounts directly, as well as a chance to win a $100 gift card.
A special thank you goes out to our friends over at Boscov's for supporting ACHIEVE each and every year.
|
|
Members of our Board of Directors and leadership team spent the morning evaluating the current state of the agency and where our ambitions should be focused to begin crafting our 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, ensuring we continue providing the innovative, highest quality of services we’ve built our name on for 70 years!
Special thanks to United Health Services’ Director of Public Policy & Program Development, Tina Dolan, for facilitating the session again, and UHS for letting us borrow her for the morning!
|
|
Your Legacy, Our Future
Planned Gifts to ACHIEVE
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
|
|
Thanks to our Platinum Partners for sponsoring
all four of ACHIEVE's Signature events in 2022!
|
|
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, an Instagram to stay up-to-date with all that ACHIEVE is doing! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
