The League for People with Disabilities is committed to offering individuals the opportunity to gain independence, increase self-sufficiency and to improve the quality of life.

April Newsletter

April is Autism Awareness Month,

My League Story: Ebony Thompson

Ebony and Tyson pose together for a photo-opportunity at the Harvest Celebration Feast in November of 2021.

April is Autism Awareness Month and The League’s Youth Autism Services Program Team is thrilled to have dynamic students and engaged parents to facilitate learning, growth, and wellness. Ebony is beyond proud of her son Tyson; as a child with high-functioning autism, he was referred to The League’s after-school care services three years ago at the age of thirteen. Tyson joins his support counselors and peers at The League on weekdays after school where he is able to participate in programming that fosters creativity, promotes problem-solving, builds important life-skills, and creates a safe space for socialization.

Ebony is a hard-working mother who has been with MedStar’s Good Samaritan Hospital since 2004; she just celebrated her five-year anniversary in her current position and loves that like The League, MedStar encourages growth and advancement. Ebony and Tyson’s father have been successful at co-parenting Tyson, ensuring that he eats healthy meals and stays active with his passions as he develops into a gentle, thoughtful, and well-mannered young man. Tyson enjoys drawing cartoon characters, playing video games, helping others, and riding his bike. Ebony hopes to enroll Tyson in the swim lessons offered at The League and to also get him involved with a recreational youth basketball team in the very near future.

Because Tyson is an only child, Ebony takes comfort in knowing that her son is supported and well-cared for by the staff of The League. Tyson loves the staff and support counselors and Ebony commends the “positive energy” of The League, acknowledging the efficiency and communication of the Youth Autism Services Team. Since he has joined the program, Ebony has noticed an increase in Tyson's leadership skills and independence. As he ages, Ebony plans to continue Tyson’s care with programming at The League.

Learn About The League's Youth Autism Program Here

Meaningful Day Spring Activities

The Meaningful Day participants and staff have been buzzing with Spring activity in the form of factory tours, museum visits, performance rehearsals, and whimsical décor. Community integration efforts are doubling as the weather warms and partnerships solidify.

On March 11^th, Day Habilitation participants were invited to tour the Coca-Cola Consolidated facility in Baltimore. They received an in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of a local warehouse. This visit was hopefully the first of many as The League works to cultivate more community partners for participant volunteer opportunities.

Last week, twelve Day Habilitation participants signed up to visit the Maryland Center for History and Culture where they learned about Dr. Dunton’s correlation between occupational therapy and Baltimore album quilts. Participants experienced textiles in a tactile application as they wove fabrics in a collective and therapeutic art-making process.

Participants have been continuing the art-making processes into their bright and sunny hallway where they are bringing the joys of Spring indoors. As part of an ongoing creative project, the participants are filling the windows of the 43^rd Street Entrance with trees, blooms, butterflies, bumble bees, birds, and a lily pad that has the happiest frog you ever did see.

Spring is here which means The League's Meaningful Day participants are ready to present their April Musical Theatre Recital "Grease Revue" at the North Point Government Center in Dundalk. The show debuted on April 13^th but there will be a repeat showing on Wednesday, April 20th at the same time. This collaboration and performance is sponsored by the Baltimore County Recreation and Parks Office of Therapeutic Recreation Services.

The performance is free to all so please join us for music, choreography, and fun!

"Grease Revue"

April 20th @ 11:30AM

The Sky is the Limit Theatre

7701 Wise Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21222

(Inside the North Point Government Center)

SCALE Program Updates/Aphasia in the News

On March 29^th, The League’s SCALE Aphasia Program and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day Program hosted thirteen Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medical Residents from Johns Hopkins University on-site at our Orchard Tree Lane location in Towson. The residents attended four hours of programming, which included classes, presentations and interviews with Stroke and MS survivors. Over the years, the Johns Hopkins University Residency Program has come to value learning about these important community treatment programs and experiencing first-hand their impact on the quality of life of people living with chronic conditions.

With the assistance of staff and student interns, SCALE members have been busy discovering new talents and mastering fun skills through cooking, woodshop, and art classes.

Learn More About SCALE Here

Members use visual instructions to follow recipes while trialing adaptive one-handed tools. The culinary successes to date include layered yogurt parfaits, large pancakes, and BLT’s that would impress Gordon Ramsay. In using these tools and having this practice, members promote upper extremity skills, safety in the kitchen, problem-solving, independence, and confidence in preparing meals.

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Members are almost finished the processes of building and staining a new end table. They completed the measurements and are staining the surface, assembling the pieces with the power tools, and burning their initials into the wood. Some members are trying this new hobby for the first time and others are practicing it again. This promotes upper extremity skills, mathematic skills, safety, teamwork, and confidence.

Some art members participated in a Maryland-wide art contest where they submitted masterpieces of various colors and mediums. Artistic expression is important and oftentimes cathartic for the members who are happy to have a creative forum for identity-driven art. This is the second year that SCALE members have participated in the contest.

Understanding Bruce Willis' Aphasia Announcement

As you may be aware, Bruce Willis' statement sharing his diagnosis has put Aphasia in the headlines. Most people do not know the word Aphasia, even though there are more than 2 million people in America living with Aphasia, most often due to a stroke or brain injury.

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects an individual's receptive language abilities, like reading or understanding, and expressive language abilities like speaking, writing/typing. People with Aphasia due to stroke or brain injury may see improvement in communication skills over time using speech therapy, compensatory strategies, and technology.

Because it affects communication, Aphasia affects the whole family and one's social connections. Community Aphasia Treatment Centers like The League's SCALE Aphasia Program utilize the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA). Primary goals focus on what is important to each person: improving communication, getting back to work, or being more involved with family or their community. At SCALE, therapeutic groups help the person with aphasia engage in activities that are important to them, increasing life participation and improving quality of life.

Learn About the Various Forms of Aphasia Here

Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteers!/

CLUB1111 Call for Volunteers

April 17^th-23^rdis National Volunteer Week and we wish to acknowledge the time, talents, and compassion of our many volunteers. On the heels of the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event, we have so many individuals to thank for making the evening a meaningful experience. The League relies heavily on the support of volunteers to fund and fuel our mission. Events, campaigns, programs and special activities would not be successful without the support of volunteers.

In 2021, it was a challenge hosting volunteers due to the state of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers continued to attend meetings and programs virtually, and come in person when restrictions were lifted. If you connected us with your networks for guests and auction items, sat in on our planning meetings, gave auction item suggestions, loaded up your vehicle with #OMGFOOD fun, arranged floral centerpieces, helped decorate the venue, or were generally supportive during the event, you have our sincerest gratitude!

Get excited! We are planning to reopen our onsite CLUB1111 on May 14^th at 5 PM, but we need volunteers to make this happen! Would you consider volunteering with us? It is an amazing experience and one that can be extremely rewarding. Thank you to those who have spent the second Saturday of the past two years dancing and jamming with us on Virtual CLUB1111!

Check Out This Clip from the Fall of 2019

If you can help, please contact Christina Paris at cparis@leagueforpeople.org for more information.

Your support for CLUB1111 is greatly appreciated by our club-goers!

Did you know that you can support CLUB111 on a monthly basis? Join The League Fund’s G.E.M. (Give Every Month) Club by making a recurring donation of $11.11. Through your continued support, the music will be loud, the dance floors will be packed, the snacks will be plentiful, and the best memories will be made!

Become a G.E.M. Club Member

#OMGFOOD:

Many Thanks to You for a Wonderful Event!

In case you missed last week’s email, the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD event exceeded all expectations, raising more than $233,000 (and counting) to support The League! We could not have raised these critical funds without your support! The evening was a delicious and heartwarming experience where we gathered to celebrate, connect, and grow over the mission of The League. It was our esteemed privilege to honor Community Partner MedStar Health and Individual Partner Suzanne Levin-Lapides for their long-standing relationship with our facility, programming, and participants. And thank you to Mark and Laura Hutton for sharing their family’s story as parents of three Camp Greentop respite weekend campers Dreama, Diego, and Bryan.

Thank you to our generous sponsors, local partners, dedicated donors, amazing guests, superstar volunteers, and enthusiastic advocates! Together, we are able!

There is Still Time to Fund-Our-Mission

The League’s Adult Medical Day participants were so thrilled with the spirit and turnout of the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event that they created collages of their favorite foods with the aid of staff and art therapy interns. Thank you again to everyone who joined us as a guest, purchased an #OMGFOOD Fun Package, made a Fund-the-Mission donation, dined out to donate at one of our restaurant partners, participated in the Online Auction, and shared our event information on social media! Who’s ready for the 6^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event?!

Together,

we are

able!

A Concluding Note from Our President & CEO

Dear Friends of The League,

I am awed and honored by the unprecedented success of our annual major fundraiser, the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event; I could not be more proud of the event’s volunteer leadership whose creativity and dedication treated old friends and new friends to an exquisite experience. The cocktails were smooth, the hors d’oeuvres were delightful, the homestyle dinner was delicious, and the atmosphere was charged with meaningful connections over our collective love of The League. Congratulations to our Community Partner Honoree MedStar Health and Individual Honoree Suzanne Levin-Lapides! Thank you to all the sponsors and guest who came out and supported The League. Well done to everyone involved in making the 5^th Annual #OMGFOOD Event our best gathering yet!

Spring is becoming more and more evident at The League’s Cold Spring Lane Campus. With each warm day, buds are blooming and participants and staff are venturing into the expanded garden space for some outdoor exercise, meditation, and socialization. On Saturday, May 14^th, we plan to host our first in-person CLUB1111 in more than two years in the outdoor garden space as long as the weather cooperates; please consider volunteering to make the return as seamless and fun as possible!

We have so much to be thankful for in our 95^th year of serving the Greater Baltimore Area and beyond. Every day, we continue to celebrate the little things like music, art, wellness, achieved goals, friendships, support systems, and community integration because they have motivated us for nearly a century of supporting and empowering individuals with various disabilities to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Together, we are able to transform the little things into incredible experiences for people of all abilities.

Sincerely,