DSP Week is almost here!
A Message from Karen Adams-Gilchrist
I know I've said this many times but it bears repeating — our Direct Support Staff is the foundation of our work here at Providence.
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Later this month, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) will be the focus of a nationwide celebration of everything they do for our communities during DSP Recognition Week, September 10-16. This event showcases our dedicated and innovative direct support workforce that is the heart and soul of supports for people with disabilities.
Why are DSPs so important to us? They are professionals who meet people where they are, working alongside them in their community to develop real connections and have experiences of their own. DSPs support people to step out and find real opportunities to discover and live their best lives. People who are supported by Providence DSPs enjoy real experiences that are unique and important to them.
It's more than just a job. There's a bond that forms and grows, like the bond between Michael and his Mentor, Will Simmons, who have been working as a team now for about ten years. In the space of a decade, Will has worked alongside and supported Michael to experience his community more and more, including taking his passion as a bocce player for the Old Mill High School Bocce Team and turning it into many winning seasons as their assistant coach.
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"Mike and I have been successful ever since we've started working together," says Will. "I call it working together because he does his part and I do my part, and it makes me happy to watch him grow and be the independent man that he was meant to be."
For Will, being a Direct Support Professional is all about opportunities. "Real opportunity to me is the opportunity to advance the Providence organization as well as the lives of the people that we work with," Will adds. "That's the greatest opportunity, because out of that come more opportunities — more opportunity to engage with new people, more opportunity to enlist new strategies and new ways of doing things."
Stories like these are the fuel for a good day and a great career as a DSP at Providence. I'd like to encourage everyone to take a moment to reach out to us and tell us about the good things that happen because a DSP was there, working alongside someone to discover and live their best life. Tell us your story so we can share it with the rest of the community as we give a huge THANK YOU to our DSPs — the foundation of our work.
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If you love your DSPs as much as we do (and we know you do!) be sure to reach out and thank them during DSP Recognition Week, and every week!
DSP Week: Sept. 10-16
There are several ways you can show your appreciation:
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• Record a 30-second selfie video saying why your DSP is so special.
• If you don't know a DSP, tell everyone why you think DSPs make our community a better place for everyone.
• Even a few kind words in a text will work!
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Text your appreciation message for DSPs to us at 443-878-0200.
Or click here to send it in an email.
We'll post messages on our social media pages.
#ProvidenceDSPsRock #DSPRW2023
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A Very Busy Providence Year So Far! | |
Welcoming Providence to the Charles County Area
and Residential to Our Portfolio of Services!
On July 1st we officially welcomed residential services into the Providence family, with eleven community living homes supporting 38 people in the Charles County area. The team in Charles County represents 62 years of supporting people to live their best life.
We also welcome Jennifer Spellman Smith as our new Director of Community Living, who leads a dedicated team from our administrative office in Waldorf. The addition of residential supports has expanded how we mentor and coach people through every aspect of their life, including employment, community engagement, advocacy, and now, home life.
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We Have a New Look!
As you already know, earlier this year we officially changed our name from Providence Center to Providence of Maryland, or simply, Providence, to more accurately reflect our focus on people and their community. Now we have a new brand to reflect that as well. We unveiled Providence’s new logo and branding at an event on July 27th at our Jean Bradbury Community location.
This new brand can now be found on everything we are and everything we do – from our signs to this newsletter and even our website, which is now www.providenceofmaryland.org.
You’ll notice that our new logo includes a new taglinethat speaks to the work we all do each day:
Real Connections. Real Opportunities. Real Experiences.
You’ll hear more about this over the coming year. Every step is driven by each person, and every connection, opportunity and experience is authentic and real to each person’s unique vision for their life.
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9th Annual Harvest Bash Tickets Now On Sale!
Saturday, October 14
Providence Greenhouses in Arnold
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Our greenhouse and gardens will be transformed into an enchanting autumn wonderland using thousands of twinkling lights and seasonal décor. As always, dress for the Bash is fall casual, so pick out your favorite jeans, boots and sweaters and plan to enjoy live music by The Dan Haas Band and piano man, Larry Lay. There will be a feast of fall bounty and seasonal cocktails, exciting live and silent auctions, s’mores in the fireside lounge, and so much more!
The Harvest Bash is our largest fundraiser of the year, and the income generated is critical to funding services and supports that support people to discover and live their best lives.
Your participation makes a big impact, and besides, it’s an incredible event that you won’t want to miss! Tell your friends!
Sponsorship opportunities for the Bash are also available, and we are accepting donations of silent auction items.
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Embrace Our Awesome Power is Providence's self-advocacy newsletter written by and for self-advocates. They cover topics such as disability and health care barriers, inclusion and accessibility, their work with the state legislature, and more. Anyone can sign up for this free newsletter to stay on-point with disability advocacy issues. | |
Friends & Family Day
Providence kicked off its 2023 events calendar with a Friends & Family Day event on May 13 at Mayo Beach Park.
| Over 150 staff members, people we support and their families, board members and community partners celebrated our mission over good food and fun! |
Designer Bag Bingo
After several years on hiatus, our Designer Bag Bingo event made a comeback on June 23rd, when nearly 300 guests gathered at Severna Park Elks Lodge for an exciting evening.
Twenty-four lucky attendees won designer handbags, and many more won raffles and door prizes. What a great time – playing bingo while fundraising in support of the Providence mission!
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30th Annual
Moran Golf Classic
Our 30th Annual Moran Golf Classic at Queenstown Harbor. Nearly 200 golfers, supported by an host of volunteers (thank you!) enjoyed a beautiful day of golf on the Chester River celebrating this important milestone.
| We honored Moran Insurance and Donna Moran for all their work on the tournament since its inception in 1993. Special thanks to the Moran Golf Classic Committee, who outdid themselves in planning a perfect celebration, including a champagne toast hole! | The Moran Golf Classic Committee is led by Chair Marc Dorman and members Pat Ernst, Rick Hunsicker, Olivia Kelly, Jeff Kirby, Dianna and Lonnie Lancione, Matt Lehmann, and Donna Moran. |
Board Update
We are pleased to welcome our newest Board Members:
- Gary Badgley
- Tom Belote
- Richard Kelly
A big thank you also goes to outgoing Board Member Julie Natoli for her years of service.
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MACS Update
This summer’s annual meeting and crab feast for the Maryland Association of Community Services was a very special gathering for Providence. Our President and CEO, Karen Adams-Gilchrist, was honored for her service as MACS Board President over the last two years.
Thank you, Karen, for your leadership, and to all the MACS team and board members for the good work you do to support providers, people we support and their families, and our entire community. Pictured here with Karen is Scott Evans, the incoming MACS Board President. We wish the best of success for Scott and the rest of the MACS Team.
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Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals
Providence and our own Jessica Holman were excited to host the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber’s Young Professionals Group visit to our Pottery and Arts Studio!
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