Happy Holidays Everyone!
Here at ACHIEVE we have so much to celebrate this holiday season and trust me, we have been doing so mightily!
In this edition of our e-newsletter you will notice that we have really gotten into the holiday spirit and have been busy with parties, volunteerism, community activities, and much more! We are making memories! I truly hope each of you is enjoying a beautiful holiday season with your loved ones and that the holidays are all that you anticipated.
As we quickly approach the new year of 2019, I want to thank you, on behalf of all ACHIEVE individuals, families and staff members, for your support of our organization. We are so blessed and appreciative that you continued to stand next to us throughout 2018. Together we have created an incredible organization that remains committed to our community by offering a wide array of supports and services to individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. We promise to continue our work with individuals and community so that we can fill service gaps and ensure that individuals of all abilities are included and have meaningful opportunities to engage in social, educational, work and other experiences.
Wishing each of you a very Happy New Year!
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Amy Howard
Chief Executive Officer
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January 2019
Jean Curry
Residence Aide
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On behalf of the Executive Management Team and the Staff Appreciation Committee, we are honored to award Jean Curry, Residence Aide in Broome, with ACHIEVE's January Employee of the Month!
Jean has committed her service to ACHIEVE for more than 17 years, and her enthusiasm and joy is infectious to all those that have the honor of working with her. To read more about Jean and why she was selected as employee of the month, visit our website by
clicking here!
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Thank you for 43 Years!
Submitted By: ReBecah Kilbury
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ACHIEVE held a retirement party for Bernie Yerabek, who has been working for ACHIEVE for 43 years! Thank you for all that you have done, and all the lives you have touched, Bernie!
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Jesse
Submitted By: Victoria Studer
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Jesse is famous here at ACHIEVE for doing diligent research on topics he is interested in. Last month, he decided to do some research on the World Trade Centers. After reading all about the trade centers and what happened on 9/11, he decided to make a Popsicle stick replica of the world trade center to commemorate those that lost their lives. He has been working diligently the past month on this replica, and was thrilled to share it! Great job, Jesse!
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Because of ACHIEVE's supporters - we are able to provide quality services to those we serve.
- $100 helps buy one cart of art supplies for Day Habilitation
- $250 encourages independence with 125 bus passes
- $500 covers two weeks of meals for one residential home
- $1,000 buys an HP computer for Pathway to Employment
Keep reading to learn more about how your gift matters!
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We hope everyone had a safe and happy new year! Here at ACHIEVE, we have much to be thankful for as we look back at 2018 - and so many opportunities to grab in 2019.
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2018 Guardianship and Recreation Grants
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ACHIEVE has been awarded $15,000 in grants from the Trustee Management Board of NYSARC Trust Services to support ACHIEVE's guardianship and recreation programs.
NYSARC Trust Services administers supplemental needs trusts (SNT) that can make dramatic improvements to the lives of people with disabilities while enabling individuals to maintain eligibility for public benefits programs, such as Medicaid and SSI. For 2018, NYSARC Trust Services is proud to fulfill its commitment to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities by awarding a total of $2,778,500 grants to The Arc New York Chapters statewide.
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Dickens Christmas
Submitted By: Melissa Blakeslee
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Recreation Respite took a trip to Skaneateles and enjoyed the 25th Anniversary Dickens Christmas! They loved interacting with old-fashioned characters, and even got to meet Santa!
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It's a Wonderful Life
Submitted By: Melissa Blakeslee
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Recreation Respite had an “It’s a Wonderful Life” themed Christmas party at the Villa Tuscana Room in Chenango Bridge. After enjoying a delicious dinner catered by the Red & White, Jean Graham from the Inner Limelight Project taught the group the Waltz and Charleston. The group then watched the film “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
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On the Pond ~ At Cutler is a unique, integrated setting for both disabled and non-disabled individuals, where retirees and others can socialize and participate in activities of their choosing. The program offers art, music, exercise, computer skills, recreation and daily activities that can be selected by the participants. Attendees spend 4-7 hours per day at the program, with flexibility being offered to meet the scheduling needs of the individuals enrolled and their families, many of whom work during the day and rely on ACHIEVE’s new program for a safe, fun place for their loved ones.
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Live Music
Submitted By: Shawnta Smith
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On the Pond ~ At Cutler, and ACHIEVE's Day Habilitation Program received a special musical guest, Alex Creamer! Everyone had a blast dancing to her music - and they even had a chance to join in and play some instruments! Thank you Alex for the fun experience!
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Gingerbread Decorating Contest
Submitted By: Shawnta Smith
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On the Pond ~ At Cutler split up into four teams and held a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest! Everyone worked together to create the best gingerbread house they could! And since they were all so sweet, the judges just couldn't pick one winner. Congratulations, everyone!
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Happy Holidays from On the Pond ~ At Cutler
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Christmas Caroling
Submitted By: Victoria Studer
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On December 17th, members from ACHIEVE's General Management Team got dressed up and surprised staff and individuals with Christmas Caroling! They visited the main locations, and even stopped at every single residence! It was a perfect way to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
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Scented Cinnamon/Applesauce Ornaments
Submitted By: Caitlin Ropp
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Tioga was busy preparing a Holiday favorite, Scented Cinnamon Ornaments for their Annual Christmas Party! The ornaments they made are then given as gifts to the families that attend the Christmas Party. Not only are they festive, but the program smells wonderful! Here is the recipe if you feel inspired.
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Holiday Card Art Contest
Submitted By: Victoria Studer
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Rather than using some pre-made design for a holiday card, ACHIEVE held a Holiday Card Art Contest for the month of November - and received MANY submissions! Our talented individuals thought about what Christmas means to them, and created a unique design to show to all! And the winner is:
Lydia Hood!
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Candy Land
Submitted By: Kasey Taylor
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Wanting to spread holiday cheer, Quality Care Coordinator, Kasey Hlebica with the help of Site Receptionist, Nyema Fredericks transformed the Riverside Drive foyer into Candy Land. Kasey and Nyema converted the office once all staff had retired for the night in hopes of surprising staff the next morning. Each portion of the board was paired with ACHIEVE’s very own programs; with the finish line of the game being our Employment Opportunities listing. #ACHIEVEProud
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Chenango County Hospice
Submitted By: Sue Benjamin
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Individuals from Chenango County love volunteering, especially during the holidays. This year, they volunteered at the Chenango County Hospice Wreath and Poinsettia sale! Not only did they enjoy helping with the beautiful greenery, but they enjoyed making everyone's holiday season just a little brighter.
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Bandara Christmas Dinner
Submitted By: John Adams
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On December 19th, staff and a few individuals volunteered at the American Legion in Binghamton to help make food for the Bandara Christmas Dinner next week. They helped make cookie dough, croutons and decorated the hall. They were even treated to KFC for lunch! All had a great time and promised Bill Bandara that they would all be back next year to help again.
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Surprise from the North Pole
Submitted By: Victoria Studer
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On December 21st, ACHIEVE had some surprise visitors from the North Pole! Santa and Mrs. Claus took the time to visit every single individual and give them a gift. As soon as our individuals heard the jingle bells and a "HoHoHo", their eyes lit up with joy. It was a wonderful surprise and made their holidays!
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We have so much to be proud of here at ACHIEVE, and our opportunities to touch others' lives daily.
2018 was a great year! We saw continued unification with Chenango County, as well as the successful opening of our new program; On the Pond ~ At Cutler. We have a lot of momentum, and are excited to keep building on it in 2019.
But we 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
.
Please consider donating to us today. Here are some highlights of how donations have helped ACHIEVE in 2018:
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Thank you for your generosity and have a fantastic holiday season!
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If you’re on Facebook regularly, you’ve probably had friends who’ve posted that they’re collecting donations for a nonprofit through Facebook. These are especially popular around birthdays and other big events.
Well, great news – ACHIEVE was approved to be a designated charity for Facebook fundraisers, and it’s really easy to do!
Around your birthday Facebook will usually prompt you, but any other time, click the
…
in the New Post box, select “Support Nonprofit”, and search for ACHIEVE. All set!
As I’m sure you’re aware, we can always use more funding to continue providing excellent services to our individuals, so please consider ACHIEVE for Facebook fundraising efforts around your birthday or other special event, and encourage your friends and family to do so too. While an easy way for our organization to raise money in service of our individuals, it’s an even better way to share our mission and what we do with our friends and family.
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Tina
Submitted By: Victoria Studer
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Tina, a participant at ACHIEVE's On the Pond ~ At Cutler program, loves to knit and crochet! Every day, you can find Tina working on a new creation. At a young age, Tina's mom taught her how to knit, and then Tina taught herself how to crochet! One of Tina's favorite items to make are scarves, which she often times gives as gifts to her friends and family. Great job, Tina!
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Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date with all that ACHIEVE is doing!
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Thank you to our 2018 Sponsors!
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