If you have an opportunity to visit Advocates Liverpool office, be sure to check out our art gallery, which is located in the main hallway! Six talented artists who are part of the Advocates family will be featured each quarter, each displaying two works of art and a short bio on the artist.
Ian Coe
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Ian Coe is an artist who enjoys working with watercolors, acrylics, oils, clay, and glass. His favorite medium of art is watercolors. Ian participated in art classes throughout high school and college, as well as at the Liverpool Art Center and the EYE Studio. While Ian was a student at InclusiveU at Syracuse University, he received completion certificates in art and music. The artwork that is featured was done during a college course and were inspired by pieces from his home.
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The cup belonged to Ian's grandmother and the car is a "Beach Boys" replica given to him by his uncle, Ralph, who shares Ian's same musical interests. Ian is a fan of music, games, and all things James Bond. He was also a deejay for several years while attending SU on the student-ran radio station, WERW, along with co-producing the first audiobook created by SOUNDBEAT at SU's Bird Library. |
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Jon Maloney
Jon Maloney enjoys creating artwork with pencils and colored pencils. In the coming year,
he's planning to expand his repertoire, as he would like to begin working with paint. Jon has been drawing and creating since elementary school.
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In school, he enjoyed the art classes offered. He's interested in taking art classes to learn new techniques in the future. Drawing and creating art bring Jon a lot of joy, and he spends a lot of time working on his art pieces. Some of Jon's favorite inspirations are family members' homes or camps. |
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Advocates Partners with American Red Cross |
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Advocates is sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, June 28th from 1-6pm. The event will take place at Advocates office in Liverpool.
We thank you in advance for considering participating in this critical mission.
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A Note From the Executive Director |
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Dear Friends,
As we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel, we are optimistic about some positive turns of events affecting our Advocates Community. We continue to be inspired by the people that we support and by the work of our Mentors. I encourage you to take the time to read and be inspired by this edition’s “Lives of Distinction” spotlight on Clara Penaloza. She reminds us that our dreams are well within reach with the right supports and mindset in place.
As Spring arrives, we are excited to offer in-person meetings at the request of the person receiving support and/or family while still prioritizing safety. Advocates 4th Annual Stroll and Roll 5K event will be offered both in-person and virtually this year on May 7th. We will have flowers to honor all of the wonderful moms who come out to enjoy a day of family fun at Onondaga Lake Park on Mother’s day weekend! Please register a team of your family and friends to enjoy our return to the parkway or join us nationally with our continued virtual option! You can register at www.runsignup.com or use the QR code within this newsletter.
Beginning in April, the Advocates leadership team will be hosting virtual Advocates Community Meetings for employees, self-advocates and families. Please join us on the first Tuesday of each month at 4pm by visiting www.advocatesincorporated.org/
information-resources. We look forward to meeting you, sharing updates and information, answering questions, and brainstorming
as a team.
As always, we are here to support you. Please let us know if there are resources that we can provide. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Spring!
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Advocates Virtual Trainings |
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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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Transition Planning for Life After High School:
An Introduction to the Process for Families
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Presented by:
Kristine P. O’Brien | School-Age Family and Community Engagement Center (SA-FACE)
May 31st @ 6pm
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The goals of this virtual training are to ensure that guardians, family members, and students can work with their CSE to collaboratively:
1) Assess their child's strengths, interests, and needs
2) Establish measurable post-secondary goals and annual goals
3) Identify appropriate transition services and coordinated activities
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To register for Advocates trainings,
Please include in your email:
Name of person receiving services
Name/s of person attending
Name of Care Manager
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Advocates Virtual Talent & Art Show |
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The submissions
are in!
Advocates is excited to announce the return of our annual Virtual Talent & Art Show! Advocates serves many people who are skilled in various areas of singing, writing, painting, and playing musical instruments, just to name a few.
We’ve received some fantastic submissions for this year's show! We look forward to showcasing a wide variety of talents during the week of April 18.
Be sure to tune in to Advocates Facebook page periodically throughout the week, as we will be showcasing multiple artists and their creative work each day! Also, be sure to "Like" and "Share" the posts with your friends and family, as our way of "virtually applauding" our artists! Many thanks to everyone who submitted an entry to this year's show, as well as family members and Mentors who assisted!
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Advocates' 4th Annual Stroll & Roll |
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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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Clara Penaloza couldn’t have been more aptly named. Google the name “Clara”, and you’ll see that she has fit its meaning well – bright, shining, and destined to be famous.
Clara has always desired to be in the spotlight and perform for people. She partially attributes this to the fact that she loves Latino culture and music. Music has always been soothing to her and helps her cope when challenges arise. “I tend to get very overwhelmed when I have many responsibilities or tasks at once,” Clara admitted. “I’ve also struggled with decision making; I’m working on making better choices. Music helps to calm me and get me back on track.”
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Something else that helps Clara to stay on track is the critical support of her Mentors through Advocates. One of her Mentors, Viki Boorady-Kunkel, has worked with Clara for an entire decade. Viki’s person-centered approach, years of experience, and impressive skill set has led to an incredible working relationship between the two, and is evidence of the invaluable role Advocates Mentors play in the lives of the people it supports.
“‘You can do this!’ I’m always telling her, because I believe she can accomplish anything,” Viki said. “We work on things like staying on task, empowerment, ‘I-statements,’ and understanding the consequences of her actions.”
The number of areas Clara needs support and guidance is vastly outnumbered by her strengths and talents. Her self-reliance in many areas allows her to live independently, and she can handle most daily responsibilities without support. She takes great pride in her job at Apex Entertainment in Destiny USA as an Attractions Attendant. She regularly receives positive feedback from customers, fellow staff members, and her Supervisor about her conscientious work and cheerful demeanor. In addition to her desirable work ethic and outgoing personality, Clara has been gifted with an incredibly creative and artistic mind, and baking skills that rival those of even the best bakers you know.
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Clara’s love for Broadway and entertainment in general led to one of her self-created goals – to become a famous singer. She has showcased her dynamic voice in a variety of ways over the years, from participating in the All Star C.A.S.T., Advocates Talent Show, and several other theatrical performances. She even has a following as a YouTube "vlogger", where she creates and uploads video blogs on subjects like entertainment, a glance at her personal life, and even tutorials on how to bake some of her delectable creations. Clara has certainly received her share of accolades from having been in the spotlight over the years, but she made a point of sharing exactly why she enjoys the attention as an adult.
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“I hope to inspire others by what I do,” she said. “Don’t let anyone discourage you or tell you that you’re not capable.” Clara particularly likes that Advocates’ philosophies are quite the contrary. “Advocates is all about empowerment, inclusion, guidance, friendship, and making people believe they can be more.”
While Clara has accomplished a lot, she believes she can be and do more. She continues to take voice lessons and may pursue piano lessons in the future in hopes of improving what is already an impressive set of musical skills. She works with her Mentors on important life skills, such as maintaining a clean and orderly living space, staying organized, and budgeting money. These and other objectives are ones that will not only benefit Clara in the short term, but will also lead to her success with bigger things in the future.
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“I hope to own my own baking business one day, called ‘Unique and Chic Sweets,” Clara said. Her passions, dreams, and goals are ones she hopes will one day lead to a life in New York City. “I love New York and try to go a couple times a year,” she said. “It just fits me in many ways.”
When Clara isn’t performing, traveling, or baking, she enjoys writing, arts and crafts, planning parties and other events, going to concerts, spending time with friends, and frequenting her favorite restaurants and thrift stores around town.
“‘If you have a dream, don’t let anybody take it away,’” Clara told us, sharing one of her favorite quotes from the late Selena. With Clara’s determination, strong circle of support, and even her namesake, her dreams are not a matter of if they’ll come true, but rather when they’ll come true.
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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 Clara, please encourage them to
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ADVANCING INCLUSION | EMPOWERING FAMILIES | CREATING COMMUNITY |
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