Dear Archway Friends and Family,

As we enjoy the holiday season with our family and friends, I want to take a moment to reflect on November 11th, Veterans Day. It is a day for us to honor our veterans and remember the many sacrifices they make, and have made, to ensure our safety and maintain our freedom both at home and abroad.  

During this time of holiday celebrations and joy, our military families feel the pain of missing family members, whether due to distance or heroic loss. An empty seat at the table serves to remind us that the loved ones of our veterans and active-duty military make sacrifices as well. Keep them and our veterans in your thoughts and prayers as you share this time with your family and friends. 

Archway Programs wanted to do our part to express the gratitude we feel for our veterans and their families by giving those employed at Archway Programs Veterans’ Day off with pay. We wanted to provide them with the freedom to recognize the day in their way and share it with their family. 

I also ask that you please join me in paying tribute and recognizing the members of our Archway Family who have served in the military. Thank you for your service and dedication, Howard Wallace, Matt Luisi Cruz Mitter, Devon Alexander, Michael Woods, Craig Vines, and Vanessa D’Erasmo. We are proud and honored to have you as members of our Archway Family. 

If you would like to send a bit of joy and holiday cheer to our veterans, our parent company, Wood’s Services, participates in “Cards for Peace.” They are collecting cards to deliver to our service members serving abroad and to the Coatesville VA Medical Center. See their story below for more information about how you, too, can take part in this generous act of kindness. 

In closing, I would like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. As you gather with your family and friends, hug them a little tighter, and enjoy the time you share with them. Please keep our active-duty veterans who still serve and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in mind. 

Sincerely,

November 2nd was Election Day at the Lower School. Students used pennies to vote for the fate of Mr. John, Miss Monica, Miss Kate, Mr. Whitney, and Miss Gina. Which candidate will be covered in Silly String, Wrapped in Toilet Paper, get Pie in the Face, show up Dressed as a Turkey, or the worst fate of all, Walk Barefoot Across a Bed of Legos?

On November 19th, the “Winners” learned which punishment they would endure, and the October Students of the Month had the honor of doling them out, and they looked like they enjoyed themselves a little too much. Mr. John was the big winner with the most votes and was subjected to the Toilet Paper Wrap. Miss Monica helped expedite the process by giving the student doing the wrapping a little boost, literally! Mr. Whitney was the lucky Silly String recipient, and the students did a great job covering him from head to toe, leaving little space unstrung.

Miss Regina was all decked out in a chicken costume. Not to be outdone by Mr. Whitney’s colorful string decor, she and two students wowed the crowd with the Chicken Dance. Miss Caitlin was the recipient of a Pie in the Face. The student delivering the pie was initially reluctant, but he got over it with a bit of help from the crowd. To make sure Miss Caitlin’s face was covered entirely with pie, Miss Sandy delivered a pie of her own. Miss Monica braved The Bed of Legos; tossing her shoes, she bravely crossed with only a few oohs, ouches, and face scrunches. Students and staff had a great time, and the election was great fun!

Read more on our blog, and view the photo gallery showing all the events leading up to the doling out of punishments on Friday!

As you know, this year has been a particularly challenging year for many organizations, including the Just Kids program. Not only has hiring staff been a struggle, but retention has been difficult as well. With that in mind, the Just Kids Program is especially pleased to announce hiring a new Program Director, Vanessa D’Erasmo.

Vanessa comes to Just Kids with experience in childcare programming acquired while employed with the YMCA. She has a background in criminal justice, and she served in the military for 13 years. Her qualifications for the position exceeded our expectations, and we are excited to have her on our team.

Just Kids is looking forward to the leadership and growth that Vanessa will bring to the program. Welcome to the team, Vanessa!

The Lower School collected food donations for Thanksgiving dinners for school families in need throughout November. On November 18th, staff members came together and packed Meal Bags for 18 families to send home on November 22nd, ensuring them a holiday meal with their families.

Thank you to the staff members who took the time to collect the donated items and prepare the bags. We are thankful for all of you, and we are Archway Proud of your thoughtfulness and generosity.

Dylan Gousha and Nurse Kate Rapp-Parise were both nominated to receive Safety Shirts. Mr. Gousha has gone over to the quarantine building ten plus times, voluntarily sitting with students waiting for their parents or guardians to pick them up. Nurse Kate has done a fantastic job keeping both staff and students safe. She is documenting and breaking down the quarantine periods for the parents and staff members to make the process as smooth as possible for both to return in the shortest time allowed.

Two other staff members received Compassion Shirts for their acts of kindness. Amanda McEneaney and Elijah Gaines accompanied a student to the hospital with a medical issue, and the two stayed with him until his mother arrived. They continued to check on that student in the following days to see how his recovery was coming along. Thank you, Amanda and Elijah, for your caring dedication to our students!

On November 30th, Giving Tuesday, Archway Programs held a Giving Tuesday Fundraiser. Donations made through Facebook combined with those made on our website generated over $2000.00! Thank you to everyone who donated. The students and consumers who will benefit from your generosity directly appreciate your kindness. 

A huge shout-out and an equally large thank you to Maintenance Supervisor Mike Smalley. Mike ran a fundraiser benefiting Archway Programs before Giving Tuesday, and he raised $525.00! We are Archway Proud of him, and we are thankful to have Mike as part of the Archway Family! We appreciate the generosity of the donors in Mike's campaign and extend our heartfelt thanks to them as well. 

Blue Violet Flowers and Gifts is ready for the holiday season! With our collection of holiday floral arrangements, dish gardens, plants, seasonal décor, and keepsakes, we can check off lots of items on your friends and family holiday wish list!

Support Archway when you shop Amazon during the holiday season. Shop at http://smile.amazon.com/ch/22-2401037 and Amazon Smile! If you’re not sure how to use Amazon Smile go to Smile.Amazon.com, log in to your account and select ‘Archway Programs, Inc. For every purchase you make, Archway will receive a percentage at no cost to you.

When using the Amazon app on your mobile phone, open the Amazon app on the main menu, tap on settings, select AmazonSmile, then choose or type in Archway Programs Inc. Follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile.

Thanks to a partnership between Allies, Inc., Legacy Treatment Services, and Salem Medical Center, New Jersey residents with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities will have the opportunity to receive integrated healthcare that meets a wide variety of their needs all in one location.

How diverse is Woods? Our staff comes from more than 50 countries. On October 25, the Monday following United Nations Day, Woods recognized the value of cultural differences and the wealth of it we enjoy. We named this celebration "One Woods. One World." day to honor the diversity of our staff and commemorate United Nations Day.

The morning began with Woods employees and residents gathered at Common Grounds to commemorate the day. The American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania, staff from Pennsylvania State Representative Frank Farry and State Senator Robert "Tommy" Tomlinson’s offices, and 6abc joined us.

Woods President and CEO Tine Hansen-Turton opened the event by introducing the audience to our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee, formed to ensure every person in our Woods community is recognized and heard. As part of the event, we wanted to grow awareness amongst staff of the work of the EDI committee and opportunities for participation.

Hansen-Turton announced that the hanging of flags of more than 50 countries representing the birthplaces of our staff was finished. You can drive on any part of Woods’ campus and see the flags flying.  Our EDI committee made this possible.

Regional Chief Executive Officer Guy Triano of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania took the stage next. He read aloud a proclamation that highlighted the importance of United Nations Day, explained the shared values of Woods and the Red Cross, and recognized "One Woods. One World." day.

"We talked about this a few months ago – this idea of bringing these two organizations together," Triano said. "They both celebrate humanity, volunteerism, and unity together. Our organizations align, and that's very important to the Red Cross."

"At the core of our mission is an understanding that every individual is exceptional," Hansen-Turton said.

As the event concluded, Woods and the Red Cross launched a community volunteering campaign, "Cards for Peace” where everyone is encouraged to write a letter of gratitude for veterans and peacekeeping troops.

Here's how you can contribute:

Woods Services,

c/o Communications Office

P.O. Box 36, Langhorne

PA 19047-0036

From there, Woods will make a bulk delivery to those abroad and the Coatesville VA Medical Center.

"We are so proud of Woods, and this doesn't get said enough," said Ryan Skoczylas, Chief of Staff for Senator Tomlinson. "When we're in Harrisburg, we're proud to talk about Woods."

Would you like a job that makes a difference in the lives of others and your community? Do you want a job you can feel good about doing? Archway Programs might have the perfect job for you! We are currently hiring across many of our programs, and we have part-time and full-time positions available right now!

Archway offers competitive wages, flexible hours, and access to a 401k plan.

Visit our Careers page to view all the current openings. Your perfect job might be waiting for you!

We are proud to welcome new employees to the Archway Family as our organization expands, allowing us to help more families throughout the community. Please help us give a warm welcome to the newest members of the Archway Family!

A reminder that any COVID-19 related program updates can be found on our website at www.archwayprograms.org/covid19. This page will be updated frequently and will include our organization wide Re-Opening Plan, in addition to helpful resources for families served throughout Archway.

www.ArchwayPrograms.org | 856.767.5757 | communications@archwayprograms.org