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INSIDE:<br />
Highlightsfrom the<br />
2017WalkforIndependence<br />
ThePowerofPositivity<br />
ExpansiontoMiamiCounty<br />
andmore!<br />
<strong>Summer</strong>Edition
Our2017WalkforIndependencewasahugesuccessthisyear!Youcould<br />
nothaveaskedforbeterweatherforthisyearʼsevent.Therewasfood,<br />
music,walking,dancingand<br />
overalagreattime!Thejoythatwas<br />
feltatShawneeParkwas<br />
outstanding.Wewereabletoraise<br />
q<br />
over$2,000todirectlysupport<br />
andenhancethelivesofadults<br />
withdevelopmentaldisabilities<br />
righthereinyourneighborhood.If<br />
youhaveneveratendedaWalkforIndependence,<br />
wewouldlovetohaveyourparticipationnextyear!<br />
Toseeahighlightvideo,visit:<br />
vimeo.com/towardindependence/walk<br />
WALKFORINDEPENDENCE<br />
EXPANSIONTOMIAMICOUNTY!<br />
WehaverecentlyexpandedourservicestoMiamiCountythrough<br />
theopeningofonehome.TheMiamiCountyBoardofDD<br />
hasbeensuchagreatsupporterandpartnerthroughthis<br />
growthandwehavealreadybeguntoseesuccesses<br />
throughthisexpansion.Twoofthementhatwearenow<br />
privilegedtoprovideservicestoaregetingoutintothe<br />
communitymore,enjoyingthethingsthattheylovetodoas<br />
communitymore,enjoyingthethingsthattheylovetodoas<br />
welasworkingfultime.Carl(picturedright)hasexpressed<br />
howexcitedheisaboutTIbeinghisnewprovider.Weare<br />
alsoveryhopefulandexcitedaboutthecontinuedgrowthin<br />
MiamiCounty!<br />
Wehadtheprivilegeofsitingdownto<br />
interviewJefrey.Herecentlymovedinto<br />
hisownhomeandaskedustobehis<br />
provider.Jefreywasbornintoan<br />
abusivefamily,andatayoungage,he<br />
wasdiagnosedwithShakingBaby<br />
Syndrome.Hehashadalotofuphilbatlesthroughouthislifeandhasconquereda<br />
Syndrome.Hehashadalotofuphilbatlesthroughouthislifeandhasconquereda<br />
lotofobstacles.“Iwasthrowndownthestairs,Iwaskickeddownthestairs.I’ve<br />
beenabused,neglectedandalotofotherthings,”Jefreysaidabouthischildhood.<br />
Jefreyhaseveryrighttobeangryatthisworldandtohaveanegativeviewof<br />
people.Butifyoucouldsitdownwithhimandtalktohim,youwouldseethatheis<br />
theexactopposite.“Iturnedouttobeapretypeacefulguy.”Heatributeshis<br />
abilitytoovercomewithpositivitytohisfaithandhisnewfamily.Jefreywasadopted<br />
onNational<br />
onNationalAdoptionDay,whichisalsohisbirthday.“Itwasaveryspecialthingto<br />
me,”hesaidaboutbeingadopted.Wecanallearnalotaboutourselvesandhowwe<br />
reacttothisworldthroughJefrey’sexample.Ifwecouldseetheglasshalffula<br />
litlemore,thisworldwouldbeabeterplace.TohearJefrey’sstoryfirsthand,you<br />
canfindhisvideoatvimeo.com/towardindependence/jefrey.<br />
WINNEROFTHE<br />
ERINRITCHEYCOMMUNITYAWARD<br />
TheErinRitcheyMemorialAwards,<br />
foundedin1989,recognizeindividuals<br />
and/orgroupswhosepersonaland<br />
professionaleffortshavecontributed<br />
significantlytoimprovingthequalityof<br />
lifeforpeoplewithdevelopmental<br />
disabili<br />
disabilities,orwhohaveachieveda<br />
levelofexcelenceintheirendeavors<br />
thatgoesaboveandbeyondwhatis<br />
expected.<br />
Thisyear,theArtand<br />
Souleventwasnominated<br />
andwontheCommunity<br />
Award!Thisisa<br />
distincthonorthat<br />
displaysthequalityof<br />
servicethatweprovide<br />
toourcommunityand<br />
beyond.<br />
TheawardsaregiveninAprilofeach<br />
yearataspecialbanquet.Thee<br />
yearataspecialbanquet.Theeventis<br />
sponsoredbytheMontgomeryCounty<br />
BoardofDevelopmentalDisabilities<br />
ServicesandtheBrighterTomorrow<br />
Foundation.<br />
Brendaisstealingasmoochfrom ourCOO,<br />
JoeHarmon!
ThiswasourfirstyearcoordinatingtheBenefitGolfOuting.TheGreeneCountyBoardofDDhasruntheoutingforthepast23yearsand<br />
graciouslyaskedustotakeitover.BeingthatourCEO,MarkSchlaterisanavidgolfer,wegladlyacepted.Therewerecrunchedtimelines<br />
andlearningcurves,butoveralthisfirstyearwasagreatsuces.Wereceived$16,550insponsorsthisyear!Everydolarthatweraisedis<br />
goingdirectlytotheindividualsthatweserve.Thesedolarswilgotofundingcrucialneedssuchaswheelchairs,medication,educationand<br />
more!<br />
more!Wedidgetrainedout,howeverwewerestilabletogiveoutouramazingdoorprizesandhadagreatmealprovidedtothegolfers.<br />
Welookforwardtohitingthegroundrunningfornextyear’souting!Keepaneyeoutlaterthisyearforinformationonhowtosignup.<br />
Ifyouwouldliketodonatetoourmisionofempoweringlives,<br />
youmaymailachecktotheaddresonthisenvelope,visit<br />
www.ti-inc.organdclickon“donate”orcal937-376-3996.<br />
BENEFITG LFOUTING<br />
IthasbeenaverybusySpringand<strong>Summer</strong>formany,andatTowardIndependence<br />
thesameistrue.ThroughoutOhio,thenumberonepriorityforagencieslikeours<br />
isstabilizingtheworkforcecrisis.AsCEO,thatismynumberonepriorityaswel.<br />
Wehavebeenrecognizedastheleaderinbringingawarenestothiscrisis.I<br />
believetherearemanymorecandidatesforthisfield,butnotenoughisbeingdone<br />
topromoteawarenes.WehavehiredanadditionalHiringSpecialistandina<br />
combinedefortwithourmar<br />
combinedefortwithourmarketingdepartment,theyhavespearheadedtheuse<br />
oftechnologythroughsocialmediatoinformothersoftheavailabilityofjobs.In<br />
additiontothesehiringeforts,wehavealsocoordinateda30-minutetalkshow<br />
onWHIOchannel7dedicatedtobringingawarenesoftheroleoftheDirectSupportSpecialist<br />
(DSP).Finaly,withsupportfromOPRA,(ourmembershiporganization)wehostedseveralState<br />
Representativesaskingfortheirbudgetarysupportforincreasedfundinginthestatebudgetbilto<br />
supportworkers.WorkingwithOPRA,wearelaunchinganewcampaigncaled“DSPOhio.”This<br />
campaignwilefectivelyrecruitDSPsandotherneededstafonanongoingbasistoincrease<br />
awarenesofandfamiliaritywiththeroleofDSP.Thiscampaignwilcombinedata-driveninformation,<br />
targetedDSPbrandingandrecruitmentadvertisingwithanonlinedirectlinkthatconnectspotential<br />
targetedDSPbrandingandrecruitmentadvertisingwithanonlinedirectlinkthatconnectspotential<br />
employeestous.Throughtheseeforts,wehaveseenimprovementinboththenumberofemployees<br />
hiredandtheretentionofouremployees.Butweneedtodomore.Theeforthastocontinueasitis<br />
sovitalyimportanttothesucesouragencyandcommitmenttoouroveralmision.Our<br />
employeesarethenumberonepriorityforouragency.Theirrelationshipwithourindividualsweserve<br />
iswhathashistoricalymadeusastrongagency.Ourreputationistrulymeasuredbythepersonal<br />
relationshipourstafhavewiththepeopleweserve.<br />
Wecontinuetocelebrateoursuccesesasanagencyandthankalourstaffor“givingof<br />
themselves”tomakeourindividualslivesthebestitcanbe.Wewilagainthankeveryonelaterthis<br />
yearatourEmployeeRecognitionBanquet,aperfecttimetocelebratethesesucesesand<br />
recognizingtheefortandworkofouremployees.<br />
Sen.RickPeralesdiscussesstrategy.<br />
TheCofeeHubhasoficialyopened<br />
insideofourXenialocationandwe<br />
couldn’tbemoreexcited!TheCofeeHub<br />
isbringinghighqualitycofeeandbakery<br />
itemstoXenia!Notonly<br />
aretheyselingtasty<br />
concoctionsand<br />
concoctionsand<br />
applefritersthesize<br />
ofyourhead,butthey<br />
arealsooferingan<br />
opportunityfortheadults<br />
thatatendourCCCDayProgram to<br />
learnhandsoncofeeshopexperience<br />
andjobtraining.Cymp,Co<br />
andjobtraining.Cymp,CofeeHubowner<br />
says,“Iam excitedtohaveToward<br />
IndependenceasapartnertotheCofee<br />
HubbecauseIthinkit’simportantfor<br />
them tobeintegratedintosociety.Iwant<br />
peopletoseepeoplewithdevelopmental<br />
disabilitiesasjustpeople.”Toseetheful<br />
interviewwithCo<br />
interviewwithCofeeHubowner,Cymp,<br />
visit:<br />
vimeo.com/towardindependence/cofee<br />
DIDYOUKNOW?<br />
TowardIndependencewasfoundedbyagroupofparents<br />
whowantedanalternativetostatedevelopmentalcenters<br />
in1976.That’salotofyearsofchanginglives!<br />
COFFEEHUB:PROVIDING<br />
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
OurMission<br />
Empoweringpeoplewith<br />
developmentaldisabilitiesto<br />
experiencethefulestlifepossible<br />
andenablethem to<br />
integrateintotheircommunity<br />
www.ti-inc.org<br />
81E.MainStreet<br />
Xenia,OH 45385<br />
(937)-376-3996
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