Greetings supporters,

It’s hard to believe it’s already September and that fall is just around the corner.

I’m thrilled to report that, while still in a very limited capacity, we’ve been able to open our day habilitation sites in Broome and Chenango County and welcome individuals back on-site. While adhering to strict safety and sanitation guidelines as outlined by New York State, we’re so happy to be able to provide supports in-person once again and see the smiling faces (behind masks) of the individuals we’ve so dearly missed over the last couple months.

August also saw us host our first virtual Annual Membership Meeting. Traditionally held as part of our annual Dinner Dance, we were excited for the election of two new board members, including a historic agency milestone with our first Self-Advocate joining the Board of Directors! Congratulations to all our new and returning Board Members, and thank you to all who attended to show their support.

While we unfortunately had to cancel Savor the Summer this year, we were able to transition to a new event, Share the Summer, which is our way of giving back to the restaurants, wineries and breweries that have supported us at Savor the Summer over the years. Details on how you can get your Passport to delicious destinations are included in this newsletter, and again, we thank both our corporate sponsors and the community who have supported this new venture.

Our final fundraiser of the year, the overACHIEVEr’s Half-K Classic, would have celebrated its second year in October, however in the interest of safety, plans are developing to make this a virtual event as well. Stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for more information in the coming weeks.

It’s truly an exciting time at ACHIEVE as we’re slowly reopen our and welcoming our individuals back, but we remain committed to the health and safety of everyone, and that will continue to be the priority as we move forward.

As always, I thank you for the commitment to the individuals we support.

Best regards,

Amy Howard

Chief Executive Officer

We'd like to thank all of our Members who joined us for our first virtual Membership Meeting and look forward to your leadership and guidance in the year ahead! Congratulations to the following Board Members on their various elections:

Ms. Barbara Schindler

Mr. James Peduto

Mr. Edwin Tripp

President - Mr. Dave Sebastianelli

1st Vice President - Ms. Lisa Dolphin

2nd Vice President - Mr. James Savage

Secretary - Ms. Nicki French

Treasurer - Ms. Barbara Schindler

Ms. Kathy Sheehan

Ms. Nicki French

Ms. Michelle Karedes

2020 has presented many challenges for ACHIEVE, our amazing vendors, and our whole community.  Share the Summer,  presented by M&T Bank, was conceived to not only be a fundraiser for ACHIEVE, but a way for us to give back to the vendors and our community who have supported us through the years.

Your $40  Share the Summer Passport has over $250 of saving towards dining at our incredible local restaurants, and can be purchased on our website. Your 2020 passport can be used throughout the rest of the year!

Due to the ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, we are unable to host our overACHIEVEr's Half-K Classic, sponsored by NBT Bank, in person this year. However, we are excited to hold this event virtually!

Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Follow our Facebook page for up-to-the-minute notifications on how to register and participate!

We wanted to reach out with an update on our first couple of weeks of programming at our Day Habilitation sites. We’ve successfully reopened our Day Habilitation programs at our Norwich and Cutler Pond sites, and have been offering services to individuals who are enrolled in our Tioga County location. We are so happy to report that the return to program has gone well. We are able to use small staff-individual ratios, we have social distancing parameters in place, and are focusing on providing an opportunity for some return to “normal” for those who have missed it. We understand that return to program does come with risk, and know that some of you are apprehensive, which is why we thought an update might be a good idea.

If a full day return to site-based programming does not fit the needs or comfort of some of the individuals or their families yet, we understand and have been offering some alternatives to support your loved one:

• We are offering site-based services for a 2-hour time period if families are able to assist with transportation. Our current programming is occurring in the morning hours, so this allows for a return to site-based program with a smaller cohort of peers.

• We are offering TeleHealth services to individuals via video right in the comfort of their own home. These include one-on-one with a staff, or group services facilitated by a staff. Services can be provided in either one or two-hour blocks.

• We are able to offer small group community-based day habilitation services. Staff pick up individuals and provide services in low-risk environments in the community. Social distancing, including in vehicles, is our standard, as is careful screening and disinfection practices to ensure safety. This would allow some socialization without the risk or concern of returning to a congregate setting.

Please call Tara Packer at 607.372.9112 for services in Chenango County and Mellisa Ellis 607. 221.2271 for services at Cutler Pond or for any additional questions.

Congratulations to the following employees for receiving a promotion in the month of July!

On behalf of the Executive Management Team and the Staff Appreciation Committee, we are honored to award Sue Benjamin, Day Habilitation Support Specialist, with ACHIEVE's July Employee of the Month, and Courtney Sarpriacone, Program Manager, with ACHIEVE's August Employee of the Month! The Executive Management Team was thrilled to provide these awards to both recipients, social distancing of course!