INDEPENDENT
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<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
Spring Edition 2016<br />
Art of Care<br />
Lights, Camera, Action!<br />
March 12, 2016
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
A Message from the President and CEO<br />
As many of you know, UCPLA,<br />
our allies in the Lanterman<br />
Coalition, and our advocates<br />
and self-advocates have been<br />
engaged in a longterm battle to<br />
convince the State of California<br />
to keep the Lanterman Promise<br />
by remedying rate stagnation<br />
and, in some cases, decreases<br />
that have caused many program<br />
closures.<br />
Thanks to the efforts and<br />
enthusiasm of supporters like<br />
you, at the end of February<br />
2016, we – the entire<br />
developmental disabilities community – scored a slight victory. The<br />
California State Assembly and Senate passed a two-bill package that<br />
will provide vital funding increases starting in July 2016 for regional<br />
centers and developmental disabilities service providers like UCPLA.<br />
These bills will institute an overhaul of California’s Managed Care<br />
Organization (MCO) tax, with the resulting funds dedicated to<br />
increasing salaries for regional centers and some community<br />
providers, and allowing for a 5% increase in State reimbursements<br />
for services such as supported and independent living, in-home and<br />
out-of-home respite and transportation.<br />
Although these increases are necessary, they are only a small<br />
bandage on a gaping financial wound that threatens not only UCPLA’s<br />
longterm viability but also the present and future of California’s entire<br />
system of developmental disabilities services provision.<br />
In the five short years since 2011, closures throughout the state<br />
have meant that individuals with developmental disabilities have lost<br />
access to:<br />
• 435 residential homes, representing a loss of 2300 beds<br />
• 57 day and work programs, affecting 1200 people<br />
• 15 supported employment programs, representing 176<br />
opportunities to work in the community.<br />
Although these hard-fought funding increases will help lessen some<br />
of these closures, they will not be enough to repair our ailing system.<br />
Even at UCPLA, these vital funding increases will not address all<br />
of our significant cost gaps. Our four Adult Day Programs and two<br />
Behavioral Programs, for instance, will not receive any benefit from<br />
the MCO tax. These programs serve more than 330 people and are<br />
on track to experience a nearly $1 million loss this year due to underfunding.<br />
UCPLA and the Lanterman Coalition are working hard to remind our<br />
legislators of the importance of addressing these ongoing deficits and<br />
creating a sustainable funding solution. We are currently advocating<br />
for a rate survey from the Department of Developmental Services that<br />
would allow providers like UCPLA to provide feedback on a plan that<br />
would help ensure the longevity of our system of service provision.<br />
We have come a long way in our fight to ensure that California will<br />
Keep the Promise – but we still have a long way to go. Your support<br />
and advocacy have been invaluable throughout this process and,<br />
on behalf of our clients, staff and Board, I extend my most sincere<br />
thanks.<br />
At this pivotal juncture – as we prepare to work as a community to<br />
ensure the future of our community-based services – we need your<br />
support and advocacy more than ever. I hope you will continue to tell<br />
your legislators how important our state’s developmental disabilities<br />
services are to you. You can even do so in person, as some of our<br />
most engaged families did on Monday, May 16 at our Chatsworth<br />
Campus, where we hosted a Candidates Forum to introduce our<br />
supporters to legislators running for the seat in the California State<br />
Senate (District 27).<br />
Whether you choose to advocate in person or to call, write or email<br />
your legislators to let them know how important UCPLA’s services are<br />
to you and your family; follow and share our updates on social media;<br />
or make a financial contribution to help us address our multi-milliondollar<br />
cost gap, your support has a direct impact on the future of our<br />
organization and on the lives of the 1100 individuals and their families<br />
we have the privilege of serving every day.<br />
Our battle is far from over but, if we are united behind the ongoing<br />
struggle to ensure that all individuals with developmental disabilities<br />
can access high-quality, dignified services, I am certain that our<br />
progress will continue – and that our community will be richer for our<br />
efforts.<br />
Ronald S. Cohen, Ph.D.<br />
President and Chief Executive Officer
Spring Edition 2016 3<br />
Administrative Professionals Week (April 24-30)<br />
From April 24-30, UCPLA celebrated Administrative Professionals Week and took the opportunity to honor and thank the dedicated<br />
members of our Administrative Support, Development, Finance, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Human Resources<br />
teams for the positive impact they make on the lives of our clients and our organization. We are grateful to these outstanding<br />
administrative team members!<br />
Administrative Support<br />
Brooke Banuelos<br />
Anita Espinoza<br />
Megan Henry<br />
Simee Schiffman<br />
Aida Valeri<br />
Development<br />
Jayson King<br />
Tamara Pompey<br />
Margarete Preusser<br />
Finance<br />
Laurie Bauman<br />
Myriam Diaz<br />
Lucy Kutakh<br />
Mharcee Laquian<br />
Dyana Lien<br />
Kimberly Marotta<br />
HUD<br />
Crystal Aceves<br />
Angel Canepa<br />
HUD, cont.<br />
Ralph Cooper<br />
Nicole Dang<br />
Natalie Holdren<br />
Rhonda Jenkins<br />
Lusine Khachatryan<br />
Maria Munoz-Najar<br />
Alondra Ocampo<br />
Barbara Puryear<br />
Ruby Rosales<br />
Michelle Seaton<br />
Human Resources<br />
Patty Avalos<br />
Shirley Butler<br />
Debbie Kinlaw<br />
Terry Naborne<br />
Kern Tam<br />
National Nurses' Week (May 6-12)<br />
We also spent National Nurses’ Week, from May 6-12, recognizing and thanking our dedicated nursing staff, who provides daily care<br />
for UCPLA’s clients with complex medical concerns in a professional, compassionate and whole-hearted fashion. We appreciate our<br />
amazing nursing staff!<br />
Ivon Martinez Aguiniga<br />
Laila Alejandro<br />
Justine Aluoch<br />
Marco Jose Alvarez<br />
Rowena Barcega<br />
Jeremy Bennett<br />
Phil Correa<br />
Maria Diaz<br />
Maricar Dignadice<br />
Nicole Dobson<br />
Rose Doneza<br />
Roy Emmanuel<br />
Camila Espiritu<br />
Rhodora Fortaleza<br />
Myrene Gomez<br />
April Haith<br />
Paula Hill Stone<br />
Nettie Jordan<br />
Lucy Kiluta<br />
Anne Kinkelaar<br />
Ashley Knight<br />
Paula Luna<br />
Pierre Rey Malek-Niasakanians<br />
Jane Mandtanavonsin<br />
Alejandra Martinez<br />
Cherie Martinez<br />
Lindsey Mason<br />
Zheng Mc Neil<br />
Kristina Osgood<br />
Mary Leizl Pao<br />
Mila Parone<br />
Diana Pelayo<br />
Freddy Perez<br />
Kim Pettus<br />
Tamara Polin<br />
Deborah Rasmussen<br />
Irma Reyes<br />
Forestine Richards<br />
Adrian Rocha<br />
Jannie Sauza<br />
Lori Smith<br />
Richard Swiger<br />
Levi Bryan Walse<br />
Donald Wells<br />
If you would like to send a tribute or a message of appreciation to<br />
a UCPLA staff member, visit ucpla.org, click “Make a Donation”<br />
and click “Yes” to answer the question “Is this a gift?”<br />
We look forward to delivering your note of appreciation to our hardworking staff!
Benefactor Sponsor<br />
The Shapiro Family<br />
Charitable Foundation<br />
Art of Care 2016:<br />
Congratulations to our 2016 honorees!<br />
Zach Anner<br />
Trailblazer Award<br />
BRUTZKUS GUBNER<br />
Brutzkus Gubner Rozansky Seror Weber LLP<br />
YOUR COUNSEL MATTERS ®<br />
Karen & Nicholas Roxborough<br />
Stolaroff Foundation<br />
Gallery Benefactor<br />
Reception Sponsors<br />
Mary & Daniel H. James<br />
Diamond Sponsors<br />
Platinum Sponsors<br />
Sandra & Peter Devereaux<br />
Maureen & Bryan Stockton<br />
Jonathan Victor & Tobey Cotsen-Victor<br />
Marsha & Phillip Wright<br />
Gold Sponsors<br />
Mark & Tamara Hatwan<br />
Bruce & JJ Levenstein, MD, FAAP<br />
Nancy Niparko, MD<br />
Shelley & Frank Litvack<br />
Relief Foundation<br />
John Lynch<br />
Heart and Soul Award<br />
Silver Sponsors<br />
Nic & Tyler Robuck<br />
One of the highlights of the 2016 Art of Care program was when Paul<br />
Herzlich (center, front), a legal analyst with Google.org, announced that<br />
Google.org is aligning with UCPLA subsidiary UCP Wheels for Humanity<br />
through its Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities initiative.<br />
This three-year, $1 million grant from Google.org will support UCP Wheels’<br />
efforts to gather and use innovative technologies, including in-chair<br />
sensors and SMS text messaging surveys, to gather subjective and<br />
objective data from wheelchair users in less-resourced countries.<br />
Through this project, and its alliance with Google.org, UCP Wheels aims to<br />
help bring the voices of people with disabilities to the forefront of policy and<br />
philanthropy decisions worldwide. To learn more about this exciting project<br />
and UCP Wheels’ work with Google.org, see page 15 of this newsletter.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who made the second annual Art of Care celebration a success.<br />
The event raised nearly $400,000 and included an exciting announcement from our allies at Google.org!<br />
Lori & Michael Allen<br />
Candelaria Alvarado<br />
Lisa & Jack An<br />
Joyce Arad<br />
Ashleigh Bergman Consulting<br />
Joseph Astalos<br />
Patricia Atkisson<br />
Barbara Baker<br />
Rachelle & Thomas Barrack<br />
Toni & Mike Barton<br />
Carolyn Beilfuss<br />
Harrison Bell<br />
Richard Berger<br />
Ashleigh & Royce Bergman<br />
Emily Bergman<br />
Austin & Virginia Beutner<br />
Bina & Sharvan Bhatia<br />
Maureen & Donald Binder<br />
Charlie Bisharat<br />
Blazing Saddles<br />
Anthony Bloch<br />
Caron & Joe Block<br />
Shirley & Larry Bovshow<br />
Brutzkus Gubner Rozansky<br />
Seror Weber LLP<br />
Beverly & Mark Brutzkus<br />
Bulldog Brewery<br />
Dan Cagney<br />
Monique & Ed Caine<br />
Kaitlyn Pfingston &<br />
Michael Carwin<br />
Change A Life Foundation<br />
Theresa & Barry Chase<br />
Kathleen & Tom Coda<br />
Bonnie & Alan Cohen<br />
Cameron Cohen<br />
Susan & Ronald Cohen<br />
Kira & Craig Cooper<br />
Paul Crowder<br />
Kailey Crum<br />
Mary Ann Cummins Prager<br />
Eric Cusano<br />
Julie & Daniel Daponde<br />
Arlene & Gary Davidson<br />
Gary Davidson, ESPN<br />
Sandra & Peter Devereaux<br />
Marcia Dickstein<br />
DigitasLBi<br />
Ashley Dingman<br />
Kaylyn Donato<br />
Robyn & Patrick Dunn<br />
Jennifer & Richard Eidinger<br />
Jaye & Neal Eigler<br />
Elite Island Resorts<br />
Fantastic Race<br />
Christopher Farlow<br />
Lani & Brad Fauvre<br />
Cecilia & William Feiler<br />
First Foundation Inc.<br />
Lori & John Floyd<br />
Floyd, Skeren & Kelly, LLP<br />
Steve Frankel<br />
Rebecca & Sean Fredrick<br />
Beth & Joshua Friedman<br />
Carole Gaba<br />
Myra & Jeff Gantman<br />
Zeina & Justin Gaynor<br />
Joanne & Peter Gerlach<br />
Julie Gigante<br />
Christian Girodet<br />
Bob Glouberman<br />
Jennifer Jackson &<br />
Hector Gonzalez<br />
Linda & Gary Goldfein<br />
Susan Tick & Scott Goldstein<br />
Joseph Goltsev<br />
Brenda & Raymond Goshorn<br />
Mark Graham<br />
Brandon Gross<br />
Cynthia Lazar Grossman &<br />
Adam Grossman<br />
Laura & Steve Gubner<br />
Laurie & John Hadley<br />
LaVerne & Rod Hagenbuch<br />
Eric Hamermesh<br />
Terry Hamermesh<br />
Trevor Handy<br />
Joan Hanson<br />
Delilah & John Harris<br />
Katarina & Ryen Harris<br />
Scott Harrison, Los Angeles<br />
Chamber Orchestra<br />
Peg & David Hartwig<br />
Erika & Gerald Hassan<br />
Tamara & Mark Hatwan<br />
Mara Hebkersman<br />
Lisa & George Hess<br />
Cornelia Hewitt<br />
Carsten Hoffman<br />
Erin Hoien, InYoga Center<br />
Andrea & Scott Holtzman<br />
Khara & Rob Horning<br />
Eleanor & James Hudson<br />
Samara Hutman<br />
Leslie Weisberg &<br />
James Hyman<br />
Matt Iseman<br />
Tomiko Iwata<br />
Lynn & Craig Jacobson<br />
Mary & Daniel James<br />
Janae Designs<br />
Daniel James, PrimeGroup, Inc<br />
Susan & Martin Jannol<br />
Frank Johnson<br />
Deborah Jones<br />
Linda Jones<br />
Jeff Joyce<br />
Roxanne Hampton &<br />
Brian Kabateck<br />
Ken Katsumoto<br />
Ronald & Leona Katz<br />
Michiko Kawakami<br />
Anie & Manoug Kederian<br />
Tina & James Kenefick<br />
Ellen & Alan Kessler, M.D.<br />
Ashley Kessler<br />
Anne Kirkland, Inform Fitness<br />
Burbank<br />
Gene Kirkland<br />
Deborah Klar<br />
Jason Komorsky<br />
William Krebs<br />
Marisa Kuney<br />
Claudia Kunin<br />
Debbie & Marc Labeaune<br />
Katrin Lalezarzadeh<br />
Karen & Michael Layfield<br />
Jaqueline Lechtholz-Zey<br />
Rebecca Lee<br />
Bernadette & Ray Leonard<br />
Marcia & Ronald Levenson<br />
JJ Levenstein, M.D. &<br />
Bruce Levenstein<br />
David Levinson<br />
Lewis Hyman, Inc.<br />
Jane Liepshutz<br />
Shelley & Frank Litvack<br />
Leslie & Adam Lobel<br />
L & D Longo Family Foundation<br />
Lena Longo<br />
Patrice Lopez<br />
Crystal & Blaine Lourd<br />
Sal Lozano<br />
Daniel Lykken<br />
Lowell Lykken<br />
Kevin Lynch<br />
Karen & Robert Lynn<br />
Cheryl & Rick MacDonough<br />
Saheli Datta & Tom Mackey<br />
Simon Majumdar<br />
Jan Goodman & Jerry Manpearl<br />
Maria’s Kitchen<br />
Paul Marsolan<br />
Brett Martin<br />
Jason Masherah, The Upper<br />
Deck Company, Inc.<br />
Abigail Mason<br />
Pamela Mason<br />
Tess Masters<br />
Linda May<br />
Karen Krasney &<br />
Dennis McCarthy<br />
Kevin McCarthy<br />
Mary Sheila McCarthy<br />
Dana McCormick<br />
Celeste & Thomas McLain<br />
Zandra Messerman<br />
Grady Miller<br />
Lynda & Paul Miller<br />
Steve Mills<br />
Kathy Molloy<br />
Joanne & Clinton<br />
Montgomery, M.D.<br />
Dave Moon<br />
Ann & Jerry Moss<br />
Nicole & Allan Mutchnik<br />
Margaret Nagle<br />
Chithra Nair<br />
Joyce & Lee Neibart<br />
Neuberger Berman LLC<br />
Betsy Newman &<br />
Howard Heitner<br />
Michelle Nguyen<br />
Nancy A. Niparko, M.D.<br />
Peter Norman Jewelers<br />
Shannon & Gary Nye<br />
Margaret Ouchida<br />
Allison Overbeke, Yummi Glass<br />
Pinz<br />
Pauline & Drew Pomerance<br />
Giovanni Porta<br />
The Press Cabinet, Inc<br />
Wolfgang Puck<br />
Bonnie Rasking,<br />
EducationalAdvancement.org<br />
Gail Reisman & Robert Olson<br />
The Relief Foundation<br />
Sidney & Allen Rishe<br />
Amy & Jim Roach<br />
Bob Roath<br />
Nancy Roberts<br />
Lucy Rodriguez<br />
Barbara & Derek Rogers<br />
Caroline & Mark Romeo<br />
Rosalyn & Richard Rosin<br />
Richard Rowe<br />
Karen & Nick Roxborough<br />
RPR Wine International<br />
Douglas Ryan<br />
Safia Day Fine Jewelry<br />
Salastina Music Society<br />
Maureen & James Scanlon<br />
Regan & Robert Schaffer<br />
Lizzie Scheck<br />
Elisa & Michael Schenkman<br />
Gavin Schiff<br />
Ted Schwab<br />
Lonny Schwartz<br />
Richard Schwartz<br />
Lisa & Wesley Scruggs<br />
Scott Sellens<br />
The Shapiro Family<br />
Charitable Foundation<br />
Silver Oak Cellars<br />
Simms Restaurants<br />
Amy & Doug Simons<br />
Dana Slatkin<br />
Lia Smith, Campowerment.com<br />
Lia Smith, Nail Garden -<br />
Woodland Hills<br />
Spago Beverly Hills<br />
Jonathan Stanley<br />
Craig Stanman<br />
Tracey & Jake Steinfeld<br />
Marlene Stern<br />
Rick Stern<br />
Nancy Holland & Robert Stern<br />
Maureen & Bryan Stockton<br />
The Stolaroff Foundation<br />
The Sugar Ray Leonard<br />
Foundation<br />
Neti & Jason Sussman<br />
Lisa & Sean Sutton<br />
Thomas Szymanek<br />
Leslie Talley<br />
Virginia & Narong Tanawong<br />
Emma Taylor & Karen Taylor<br />
Cathleen & Paul Trapani<br />
Alison & Michael Triessl<br />
UCPLA Washington Reid Gallery<br />
Universal Studios, Hollywood<br />
Universal Studio Hollywood’s<br />
Discover A Star Foundation<br />
US Bank<br />
Val Surf<br />
Laura Fox & Ben Van de Bunt<br />
Chris Vasquez<br />
Josefina & Julio Vergara<br />
Tobey Cotsen Victor &<br />
Jonathan Victor<br />
Linda & Skip Victor<br />
Sandy Viletti<br />
Sheila & Clint Walker<br />
The Walt Disney Company<br />
Foundation<br />
Shannon Warner<br />
Larry Wheat<br />
Rebecca & Sean Williams<br />
Kenneth Wingard<br />
Judith Farmer &<br />
Gernot Wolfgang<br />
Marsha & Phillip Wright<br />
Jere Yates<br />
Marianne Younkheere<br />
Lawrence Zarian<br />
Lana & Boris Zokouzski
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
Updates from UCPLA's Auxiliary Groups<br />
UCPLA is grateful to have the support of some amazing people who volunteer<br />
countless hours each year to support our viable programs and services from<br />
the Special Children’s League (SCL) committees and the Psi Delta Sigma,<br />
LLC. These fun and enthusiastic ladies lend their time and talents to ensure<br />
their communities are accessible and inclusive to everyone.<br />
October 2015<br />
• Beta Mu Chapter of Psi Delta Sigma held their annual Spirit of Giving<br />
Luncheon and Fashion Show in San Pedro. The program of beautiful<br />
fashion was hosted by Fox 11 News reporters Gigi Graciette and Rick<br />
Dickert. Save the Date for the next Spirit of Giving on October 8, 2016.<br />
November 2015<br />
• Beta Pi Chapter of Psi Delta Sigma held their annual Bingo Event in<br />
Palos Verdes. It was a fun evening of food, friends, and Bingo.<br />
• SCL South Bay held their annual An Affair to Remember at the Palos<br />
Verdes Country Club. The Luncheon and Boutique has become<br />
a holiday tradition. The capacity crowd at the luncheon helped SCL<br />
South Bay raise $70,000. Save-the-date to attend this year’s Affair to<br />
Remember on November 18, 2016.<br />
December 2015<br />
• The SCL Foothill committee, with members in the La Cañada, Glendale,<br />
La Crescenta and Pasadena areas also remains as engaged and active<br />
as ever. Their annual Angel Letter campaign in December raised almost<br />
$10,000 for UCPLA.<br />
• If you live in the area, the SCL Foothill committee is seeking new<br />
members who are interested in joining a fun dedicated group<br />
of women in raising awareness and funds for UCPLA, contact<br />
Margarete Preusser, Development Manager at (818) 782-2211 ext.<br />
541 or email mpreusser@ucpla.org for more information.<br />
March 2016<br />
• In March 2016, the SCL Whittier committee held their annual Zingo<br />
luncheon, this Spring-time tradition raised over $30,000 in support of<br />
UCPLA and other organization throughout Whitter.<br />
April 2016<br />
• All five chapters of Psi Delta Sigma came together for An Afternoon of<br />
Laughter on April 9 at the Hermosa Beach Comedy and Magic Club.<br />
The capacity crowd enjoyed a silent auction, lunch and comedy and<br />
magic show.
UCPLA's Resident Artists at Work<br />
Spring Edition 2016 7<br />
The UCPLA Washington Reid Gallery's fourth annual Blank<br />
Canvas community art show took place in November 2015.<br />
The show brought together UCPLA resident artists and staff as<br />
well as members of the larger Los Angeles art community to<br />
raise funds that support UCPLA's programs.<br />
The Washington Reid Gallery kicked off 2016 with the colorful,<br />
vibrant group exhibit Glamour, featuring resident artists<br />
Shelby Boston, Della Dixon and Veronica Tamayo.<br />
The Spirit of Gentleness featured works in a variety of<br />
media from Gilberto Alfaro, Stephen Hopkins and John<br />
Smith, whose abstract works were accompanied by<br />
photographs taken by his mother Julie Newmar.<br />
Resident artists at UCPLA's Thousand Oaks Adult Day<br />
Program have been busy as well. Friends and studio<br />
peers Donna Frame and Judy Lalley recently debuted<br />
a series of landscapes and portraits in the exhibit<br />
Nature Calls: It's More than Just Art to Me.<br />
Currently at the UCPLA Washington Reid Gallery:<br />
Resident artists Carl Tyler and Seong Chon explore and depict historical and current-day<br />
icons in their two-man show LEGENDS: Past and Present. This exhibit also features<br />
resident artists Bea Olea and Vanessa Ortiz in the gallery’s Project Space. LEGENDS is<br />
open at the UCPLA Washington Reid Gallery (6110 W. Washington Boulevard, Culver City,<br />
CA 90232) through May 26, 2016.
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
We are here...<br />
March 2016 marked the 28th annual National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (NDDAM). In the spirit<br />
NDDAM’s focus on inclusion and education, UCPLA spent the month showcasing the many abilities of some of our<br />
outstanding clients, colleagues and supporters! Here are some highlights from this busy, exciting month.<br />
We are here<br />
Lisa<br />
to celebrate<br />
NDDAM!<br />
Shannon<br />
We recognized Lorelle,<br />
a resident at UCPLA’s Buena<br />
Park Group Home, who<br />
received a letter from President<br />
Obama congratulating her on<br />
her self-published book Gone<br />
But Not Forgotten.<br />
We met Shannon, a Community Living Services (CLS)<br />
client who, with the help of her CLS staff member Lisa,<br />
undertook the daunting task of obtaining her GED.<br />
Shannon passed her GED exams and now plans to<br />
continue pursuing her education! Read Shannon's story<br />
at Facebook.com/ucpla.<br />
Karen and her friends at our Chatsworth<br />
Campus celebrated Mardi Gras in style!<br />
We heard the story of Brittany, Caitlin and Cameron, three<br />
friends who found their “forever home” at UCPLA. To watch<br />
for yourself, visit youtube.com/ucpla.
Spring Edition 2016 9<br />
to celebrate NDDAM!<br />
Community Living Services client Amber<br />
introduced us to her hairless Sphynx Calico cat<br />
Leeloo, and shared some information about this<br />
unique breed and its care routines. To see more,<br />
visit youtube.com/ucpla.<br />
We went green<br />
for cerebral palsy awareness on March 25.<br />
We celebrated the release of<br />
Art of Care Trailblazer Honoree<br />
Zach Anner's first memoir If at<br />
Birth You Don't Succeed: My<br />
Adventures with Disaster and<br />
Destiny. You can pick up a copy<br />
using AmazonSmile and give<br />
back to UCPLA while you shop!<br />
To see more from Zach, visit<br />
youtube.com/ZachAnner.
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
UCP Golf Classic Tournament:<br />
Celebrating 20 Years and Honoring Nick Roxborough<br />
On June 6, 2016, golf lovers and UCPLA supporters will once again gather at the illustrious<br />
Wilshire Country Club to celebrate the landmark 20th Anniversary of one of UCPLA’s signature<br />
fundraisers: the UCP Golf Classic Tournament.<br />
Founded and spearheaded each year by UCPLA Board members Dr. Alan and Mrs. Ellen<br />
Kessler, the UCP Golf Classic Tournament has raised nearly $10 million over the past 19 years<br />
to support UCPLA’s 40 programs and services.<br />
In addition to celebrating 20 years of excellence, 2016’s UCP Golf Classic Tournament will<br />
honor the dedication of Nick Roxborough, Chairman of UCPLA’s Board of Governors.<br />
Roxborough, a co-managing partner of Roxborough, Pomerance, Nye & Adreani, LLP (RPNA),<br />
the first law firm in the country to specialize in representing employers nationwide in workers’<br />
compensation premium disputes, has been a dedicated supporter of UCPLA since 1988.<br />
He joined the UCPLA Board of Directors in 1990 and has held several leadership positions<br />
on UCPLA’s Boards. In addition to his current positions as Chairman of UCPLA’s Board of<br />
Governors and Director of our SCEF board, Roxborough previously served as the Chairman<br />
of UCPLA’s Board of Directors from 2008 - 2012.<br />
“I am humbled to have learned that I will be honored at the 20th Anniversary UCP Golf Classic<br />
Tournament,” says Roxborough. “I have been deeply committed to supporting the UCPLA<br />
family and their mission for the last 28 years, during which I have seen the true significance of<br />
what we do for our clients: allow them to live life with dignity, surrounded by a loving community<br />
and opportunities that only can be given from people who think of others first and themselves<br />
last.”<br />
Roxborough and his firm RPNA have been supporting the UCP Golf Classic Tournament<br />
throughout the entirety of its 20-year history, and UCPLA is grateful for the opportunity to<br />
honor Nick Roxborough and express our gratitude for his substantial contributions to our<br />
organization.<br />
To learn more about the 20th Anniversary UCP Golf Classic Tournament Honoring Nick<br />
Roxborough, or to purchase tickets or sponsorships, visit WeAreHere4.ucpla.org/GolfClassic20.
20 Years of Summer Games<br />
at UCPLA's Thousand Oaks Adult Day Program<br />
In 1996, the Program Administrator at UCPLA’s Thousand<br />
Oaks Adult Day Program decided that it would be beneficial for<br />
program participants and staff to partake in four major events<br />
every year - one during each season of the year. Instructor<br />
Stan Crawford was assigned to plan the summer event and,<br />
inspired by the upcoming 1996 Olympics, developed an<br />
accessible, inclusive sports competition designed to allow<br />
program participants to compete in individual and group events<br />
tailored to their strengths.<br />
Twenty years later, the Summer Games, as this competition<br />
came to be called, is still a favorite of program participants and<br />
staff members alike. Program participants are able to show<br />
off agility, speed and precision in individual events like Golf<br />
Putting, an Obstacle Course and a Ball Throw.<br />
Teamwork is also on full display with program participants<br />
working together for events like the Relay Race, as well as<br />
with staff members for challenges like the Wheelchair Slalom<br />
and the crowning event of the Summer Games competition -<br />
the Tug of War, during which staff members and clients team<br />
Spring Edition 2016 11<br />
up to display both strength and strategic thinking. At the end<br />
of the two-week competition, medals are awarded to winners<br />
in each individual and group event and inclusion and teamwork<br />
are celebrated at the inspiring Closing Ceremony.<br />
To celebrate the 20 th Anniversary of the Summer Games, which<br />
will be taking place this year from June 20 th through July 1 st ,<br />
Stan Crawford has invited former program participants and<br />
staff members to take part in the games and reconnect with<br />
their colleagues, as well as invited program participants and<br />
staff from UCPLA’s three other Adult Day Programs to join in<br />
the fun.<br />
Congratulations to the Thousand Oaks Adult Day Program on<br />
reaching this milestone! Family, friends and members of the<br />
community are encouraged to come out and cheer competitors<br />
and alumni. Stay tuned to UCPLA’s Facebook page at<br />
facebook.com/ucpla for details about the 20th Anniversary<br />
of the Summer Games competition. For more information,<br />
contact Edmond Osepans, Manager of UCPLA’s Thousand<br />
Oaks Adult Day Program, at (805) 497-8083 or visit ucpla.org.<br />
Summer Games founder Stan Crawford<br />
(left) with Edmond Osepans, Thousand<br />
Oaks Adult Day Program Manager.<br />
When the Summer Games began in 1996 at UCPLA’s Thousand<br />
Oaks ADP, bowling was one of the original events that<br />
challenged partcipants as individuals and in teams.<br />
Families and community members are<br />
encouraged to take part in the Summer<br />
Games competition.<br />
Left: Summer Games<br />
participants undertake the<br />
Ball Throw, cheered on by<br />
staff members; Right: Each<br />
Summer Games competition<br />
concludes with a closing<br />
ceremony that includes the<br />
awarding of medals and<br />
recognition of the effort put<br />
in by all participants.
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
A Visit from<br />
Canine Companions<br />
UCPLA’s Westside Parent Support and Advocacy<br />
Group recently welcomed two special guests:<br />
Denali, a four-month-old yellow lab/golden retriever<br />
mix who is training to be a Canine Companion to<br />
individuals with disabilities, and his trainer Lisa<br />
Snowiss, a volunteer with Canine Companions<br />
for Independence. Lisa and Denali presented<br />
information on the purpose of Canine Companions,<br />
the training process, and the benefits of having<br />
a skilled animal companion for children with<br />
developmental disabilities. Families also heard a special presentation from a UCPLA<br />
family who went through the process of obtaining a Skilled Canine Companion for<br />
their eight-year-old son Daron, whose black lab Lionel also attended the meeting.<br />
To learn more about Canine Companions for Independence, visit cci.org. For more<br />
information about upcoming UCPLA Westside Parent Support and Advocacy Group<br />
meetings, visit www.ucpla.org/resources/parent-support-groups/.<br />
Hostile Witness Rocks out for UCPLA!<br />
Our sincere thanks to UCPLA supporters and members of Hostile Witness, who took to the stage at the world-famous Whisky a Go<br />
Go on March 19 to compete in the 5th Annual Law Rocks LA, a battle of the bands that brings together lawyers who like to rock for<br />
their favorite charities. Board of Governors member and musician Brandon Mendenhall introduced Hostile Witness, who energized<br />
the crowd with renditions of classic rock hits and raised over $3,000 to support UCPLA. To learn more, visit hostilewitnessband.com.
Students at Norwalk High School<br />
Giving Charity to Charities<br />
Spring Edition 2016 13<br />
April 28 th was National Superhero Day and UCPLA witnessed some real life superheroes at Norwalk High School during their annual<br />
Giving Charity to Charities assembly where UCPLA was presented with a check for $1,000. A senior project of sorts, Giving Charity<br />
to Charities is a student-run program under the academic mentorship of Dean Gray, the AP Government teacher. Members of the<br />
senior class research, present and eventually fundraise for charities of their choice. Superheroes Brenae and Briana selected<br />
UCPLA because both of them had family members with cerebral palsy who passed. The young ladies used the opportunity to<br />
remember their loved-ones and to build their legacy. At the assembly UCPLA President and CEO Ron Cohen recognized the<br />
selflessness of all the students who came together to raise funds for UCPLA and nine other charities, saying, “What you have done<br />
at your young age is you have literally touched lives. Nothing could be done if it wasn’t for wonderful, caring people like you.”<br />
A Laundry (Check)List<br />
Residents in UCPLA’s programs work with staff members on a<br />
daily basis to learn and practice lifeskills that enable them to live<br />
independently. At our Dronfield group homes, residents Wayne and<br />
Liz exercise their independence by doing their own laundry on a<br />
weekly basis. Wayne and Liz recently took some time to show us<br />
their laundry routines and have even put together a checklist for<br />
safe, effective laundry skills!<br />
To hear more from<br />
Wayne and Liz,<br />
visit YouTube.com/<br />
UCPLA or scan the<br />
QR code with your<br />
smartphone,<br />
2. Make sure housemates haven't<br />
left anything behind.<br />
1. Separate light clothes<br />
from dark clothes<br />
3. Load laundry, add exactly 1 cup<br />
of detergent and hit “Start”.
<strong>INDEPENDENT</strong><br />
WORK, Inc.<br />
UCP WORK, Inc. - Out in the Community<br />
Save the Date! Keep your eye out for the Santa<br />
Barbara Independent’s June 16 edition, which will<br />
feature a 4-page insert regarding UCP WORK, Inc.’s<br />
programs and services, generously funded by the<br />
Hutton Parker Foundation.<br />
Bruce is a UCP WORK,<br />
Inc. participant who<br />
recently moved into his<br />
own residence. He had<br />
previously been struggling<br />
with homelessness<br />
followed by an unstable<br />
living environment. Bruce<br />
and his UCP WORK, Inc.<br />
Supported Living Services<br />
Life Skills Coach Gary<br />
worked together to find<br />
housing for Bruce. He is very happy now and excited for this<br />
"new beginning". We are so happy for Bruce!<br />
Save the Date for UCP WORK, Inc’s First Thursday Art Show on June 2 nd from 5-8pm at Sundial Studios located at 715<br />
Kimball Avenue in Santa Barbara. This will be a special show featuring unique printmaking works of art created by Sundial<br />
artists and generously funded by National Arts and Disability Center. “This activity is being supported in part by the California<br />
Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Arts and Disability Center at the University of California Los Angeles.”<br />
Some of UCP WORK, Inc.’s Santa Barbara<br />
Applied Abilities participants volunteered<br />
in the Goleta hills with the Backyard<br />
Bounty program for the Foodbank. They<br />
loved being out in nature and giving back<br />
to their community!<br />
One of UCP WORK, Inc.’s participants, Jim,<br />
has worked at Jeanine’s Bakery for 13 years.<br />
Jeanine’s will be hiring another UCP WORK, Inc.<br />
employment referral very soon!<br />
To keep up with all of UCP WORK, Inc.’s activities, visit their website at ucpworkinc.org
Spring Edition 2016 15<br />
UCP Wheels For Humanity and Google.org Align to Bring<br />
the Voice of Wheelchair Users from Around the World<br />
to the Decision-Making Table<br />
Launched in May of 2015, the Google Impact Challenge:<br />
Disabilities put $20 million in Google.org grants behind<br />
nonprofits using emerging technologies to increase independence<br />
for people living with disabilities. “At Google.org,<br />
we support organizations that offer innovative solutions to<br />
complex challenges. We’re thrilled to back UCP Wheels for<br />
Humanity as they help build a world that works for everyone,”<br />
states Brigitte Gosselink, Head of the Google Impact<br />
Challenge: Disabilities. With a $1 million, three-year grant<br />
from Google.org, UCP Wheels for Humanity (UCP Wheels).<br />
will bring the voice of people with disabilities to the forefront<br />
in policy and philanthropy decisions.<br />
Ronald Cohen, CEO of UCP Wheels states, “We are excited<br />
to be aligned with Google.org as we work together to make<br />
dynamic strides in connecting individuals with disabilities to<br />
innovative resources that will bring them independence and<br />
integration in our global community.”<br />
UCP Wheels is interested to know what really makes a difference<br />
in wheelchair users’ lives. Data from less-resourced<br />
countries on the performance, usage and benefits of wheelchairs<br />
provided by donors, aid agencies, and governments<br />
is difficult to collect and not broadly available. Since different<br />
chairs and clinical services are needed to accommodate the<br />
varying needs of people with disabilities, this data is crucial<br />
to ensure users have the best chair to maximize their health<br />
and independence.<br />
UCP Wheels is developing a system for gathering both<br />
subjective and objective data from users in less-resourced<br />
settings all over the world. UCP Wheels will use sensors to<br />
collect data on wheelchair usage patterns and environment,<br />
as well as SMS surveys to learn about user satisfaction and<br />
impacts on education, income, community participation and<br />
health. The combined data will provide key insights into<br />
which chairs are most effective in a range of conditions, users’<br />
preferences and overall impacts.<br />
Because thousands of wheelchair users in many countries<br />
will be involved, the project will reach an unprecedented<br />
scale. Through SMS surveys, even remote users will be<br />
able to submit a review of their chair in their own words -<br />
bringing their voice directly into the conversation on how<br />
best to serve their needs. This global wheelchair performance<br />
project aims to answer basic effectiveness questions<br />
and drive future funding to a problem that affects 70 million<br />
people worldwide.<br />
Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, supports<br />
nonprofits that innovate to address humanitarian issues.<br />
Google.org was created to pursue, experiment with, and<br />
build upon ideas to improve the world, and continues to<br />
take an iterative approach to philanthropy today. Google.<br />
org develops and invests in pursuits that can have measurable<br />
impact on local, regional and global issues, and rallies<br />
Google’s people in support of these efforts with a singular<br />
goal of creating a better world, faster.<br />
Launched in May of 2015, the Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities<br />
(g.co/disabilities) committed $20 million in Google.<br />
org grants behind nonprofits using emerging technologies<br />
to increase independence for people living with disabilities.
U.S. POSTAGE<br />
PAID<br />
VAN NUYS, CA<br />
PERMIT #440<br />
6430 Independence Avenue<br />
Woodland Hills, CA 91367<br />
(818)782-2211 | www.ucpla.org<br />
Upcoming Events<br />
Monday, June 6, 2016<br />
20th Annual UCP Golf Classic Tournament<br />
Honoring Nick Roxborough - Wilshire Country Club<br />
To register: WeAreHere4.ucpla.org/GolfClassic20<br />
Sunday, July 18, 2016<br />
18th Annual Devon Stern/UCPLA Golf Tournament<br />
Camarillo Springs Golf Course<br />
To register: WeAreHere4.ucpla.org/DevonStern18<br />
Saturday, September 24, 2016<br />
UCP Wheels for Humanity’s Wheels in Motion<br />
Skirball Cultural Center<br />
To register: support.ucpwheels.org/los-angeles/events/wheelsmotion-celebrating-20-years/e74896<br />
October 2016<br />
Out & About with UCPLA - www.ucpla.org<br />
Registration begins August 1, 2016<br />
For a full list of calendar events, visit our website at<br />
www.ucpla.org and click on the Calendar link.<br />
Connect with us online!<br />
www.ucpla.org<br />
facebook.com/ucpla<br />
youtube.com/ucpla<br />
@ucpla<br />
@ucpla<br />
Photos: Holly Eschrich, Dempson Juvenal, Ian Romero and Jon Stanley
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