National Developmental Disabilities Month |
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March is National Developmental Disabilities Month! This is a great time to acknowledge everyone who receives services from Advocates. We thank you for all that you teach the people in your life who have the honor of supporting you!
In recognition of your many contributions to our community,
we invite you to share a photograph that inspires inclusion and togetherness, which we will then share on our Facebook page.
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Advocates-Sponsored
Syracuse Crunch Game
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Join us for Advocates night at the Syracuse Crunch!
The Syracuse Crunch is offering discount tickets to people/families receiving services from Advocates along with employees.
Join us on Saturday, March 26th at 7pm as the Syracuse Crunch take on the Rochester Americans.
Discount tickets ($18) can be purchased by contacting
The deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday, March 23rd.
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Advocates Virtual Trainings |
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How to Support Successful Dating
and Healthy Relationships for People with Disabilities
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Presented by:
Kathy O'Connell, LHMC | Radiant Abilities
March 30th @ 6pm
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This is a look at the social and emotional challenges of dating and relationships for people with disabilities, as well as how to support people with disabilities in working through these challenges.
Learn how to:
• Transform societal myths that results in sexual ableism about sexuality.
• Foster self-esteem and confidence is the most effective way to promote successful dating and relationships.
• Create healthy boundaries and skills leads to relationship success - as well as protecting people with disabilities from sexual assault.
• Effectively support someone to develop successful dating and healthy relationships.
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Maximizing Benefits and Services |
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Presented by: James Traylor | Upstate Special Needs Consulting
April 27th @ 6pm
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The challenge of planning for the future of a loved one with special needs can extend into many areas, including education, housing, employment, support services, legal, financial and other personal matters. All of these areas must be taken into consideration in order to develop a plan that meets the unique needs of each family. It is important for families to answer these important questions and plan for the future with the goals of independence, dignity, and quality of life for their loved one. In this training, we will focus on maximizing benefits and services. |
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To register for Advocates' trainings,
please email Training@advocatesincorporated.org
Please include in your email:
Name of person receiving services
Name/s of person attending
Name of Care Manager
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Advocates' 4th Annual Stroll & Roll |
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Save the Date!
Get ready to run, walk, stroll, or roll your way through Advocates’ 4th Annual Stroll & Roll 5k! Proceeds will raise awareness and benefit children
and adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
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Everyone is welcome to participate, so please feel free to invite your friends and family to support this great cause! You can also invite those that live out of state to participate remotely! |
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All racers and teams receive a customized t-shirt, race medal, certificate of completion, snack, water, and great swag. Remote racers will receive their packets via USPS. Food Truck Frenzy will be available after the race as well as complimentary chair massages. Special pricing for families and teams! |
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“Find out what you’re good at and capitalize on that.” This is the mantra of Nicholas Courgi, who has been an important part of the Advocates family for years. It’s safe to say that he has done just that.
To say that Nicholas, 29, is an accomplished person, would be an understatement. He has a degree in communications, experience in various marketing-related jobs, routinely volunteers at local nonprofit agencies, and best of all, is a dedicated and trusted friend to all who know him. Because of his personable nature and unique skill set, Nicholas has built a solid foundation of connections that benefit him both personally and professionally.
Nicholas’ resume is an impressive one. His experiences include having worked as a Marketing Assistant at Syracuse Children's Theater, the Social Media Manager for Muse Arts, and as an intern for the Disability Services Office, the Media & Marketing Department at Onondaga Community College, and even right here at Advocates. His volunteer fundraising efforts have yielded thousands of dollars for local organizations, including Advocates, Vera House, and Syracuse Children's Theatre. His dedication led to his being hired as Advocates’ Auction Assistant last year – a vital position to help raise funds for families relying on services from Advocates.
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Despite having much success in his adult life, Nicholas’ accomplishments did not always come easy to him. He was incredibly shy as a child and had a hard time even talking to his classmates. He sometimes felt like an outcast because of his disability, and this made it harder for him to make friends. “Growing up was a real challenge,” he said. “Trying to fit in was tough for me.” However, due to his family’s support, the positive attitude he’s always possessed, and some clever approaches he developed on his own, Nicholas quickly went from feeling like an outcast to being one of the most popular kids in town.
At a young age, Nicholas’ mother gave him a camera to use at family functions. Whether it was birthday parties, holidays, or other get-togethers, Nicholas took immediate pride in being the “official family photographer.” This responsibility meant a lot to him because it meant socializing with people he loved and capturing moments that would last a lifetime. This is not the only childhood memory he can recall that is now reflected in bigger ways in his adult life.
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Nicholas had to try different methods to fit in and socialize in grade school. He says he’s always had a good memory, so, as a way to bond with his fellow classmates, he would memorize their addresses from his school’s directory. His peers were impressed that he could memorize so much information, and this was just the icebreaker he needed to begin making friends. His younger brother, Alex, who is outgoing by nature, often had friends over for sleepovers. Because he wanted to emulate his brother’s sociability, coupled with a newfound confidence to connect with his classmates, he hatched an idea that would pay dividends for the rest of his life. |
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One day, Nicholas took the names and addresses he’d memorized and handwrote invitations for a Saturday night sleepover of his own. Unbeknownst to his mother, he sent the invitations to his classmates. The Friday before the scheduled sleepover had come, and Nicholas hadn’t received any RSVPs through the mail. That evening, however, at a highly anticipated open house at his school, Nicholas’ efforts proved to be more productive than he ever could’ve imagined.
As he and his family began participating in the events that evening, people approached them to RSVP for the sleepover. Before they knew it, too many classmates to count said they’d be thrilled to come. Nicholas’ mother was quickly forced to convert the get-together to a daytime party in order to accommodate everyone due to the overwhelming response. This response was a testament to the impression Nicholas had made on his peers, as well as the fine job he had done with the invitations. In fact, one of the parents thought Nicholas’ family had had them professionally done.
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These childhood experiences have translated to bigger things later in life for Nicholas. What began as taking photos at family gatherings
has led to his
being a proficient photographer today. Due to the experience he’s gained over the years, you can catch him as the lead photographer at graduation parties, weddings, and other large events, including those of local organizations and churches. His writing skills and ability to connect with others have amounted to much success in his marketing and fundraising roles. And, if you’re fortunate enough to know Nicholas on a personal level, there’s a good chance you’ve received one of his beautiful thank you cards, which likely resemble the invitations he sent to his classmates 20 years ago.
Nicholas is proud of these and other accomplishments. Having obtained his driver’s license and own vehicle was a major one, he says. Another is being asked to return as a special guest lecturer every semester for a psychology course at OCC since 2010. The heartwarming feedback he receives from the students is but a microcosm of the positive effect Nicholas has on others.
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Nicholas aspires to obtain a full-time marketing position – either in a nonprofit environment or in the arts. His extracurricular interests include speaking publicly about living with a disability, traveling, swimming, supporting local businesses, and anything related to theater, as is evidenced by some of his wonderful musical performances.
He also enjoys spending time with his Golden retriever, Max, and hanging out with his family and friends – many of whom receive services from Advocates.
“I love the people, inclusivity, opportunities, and passion of Advocates,” Nicholas said. “I hope to host another radio show or podcast featuring people with disabilities and talking about their successes and goals in life,” he continued, alluding to Lives of Distinction, a show he once hosted through Advocates.
Nicholas’ story is proof that anything is possible with the support of those closest to us, some inspiration from those we admire, and recognizing the unique strengths we all have and then capitalizing on them. We are privileged to have Nicholas on our team and are appreciative of all he brings to the Advocates team and to our community.
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If you have a caring family member or friend who is looking for meaningful work and the opportunity to support someone as inspirational as Nicholas, please encourage them to
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ADVANCING INCLUSION | EMPOWERING LIVES | CREATING COMMUNITY |
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