 Hi, UCP Oregon Families!
Are you looking for a chance to connect, share stories, and enjoy some coffee? Join us for a Coffee Date! These gatherings are an opportunity for you to meet UCP’s new Family Support Coordinator, Grace. She’d love to learn about your experiences, hear your feedback and ideas, and chat about how we can support your family. Coffee Dates are also a great chance to chat with other families from UCP Oregon's Family Support Department, share experiences, and maybe even make a new friend! Notes:
PS: If you’d like Grace to host a coffee date on a more convenient date or in a more convenient location, please let us know.  Awww, look at those smiles! UCP Oregon’s 2024 Toy Giveaway was AMAZING! The event was held on December 21st and 22nd, 2024, and was open to all families who use UCP Oregon’s Family Support Services. A total of 110 kids received toys. For the first time ever, we were able to offer adaptive toys, thanks to a partnership with Go Baby Go Oregon. Twenty-four of UCP’s families chose this option, and they’ll be receiving the specially adapted toy of their choice in January. Gigantic thanks to Go Baby Go (and especially UCP Board Member Bethany Sloane) for making this possible! We also wish to thank:
VIDEO:SLIDESHOW: From the Desk of Ann Coffey, Executive Director
Dear UCP Oregon Community, What a year! There has been so much growth and change. It’s been thrilling, challenging, interesting, and engaging, and I am so grateful that we were together. High fives all around! I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to every member of this community—customers, employees, families, board members, donors, and supporters. To the employees who are working through the holidays to ensure that our customers have many joyful moments, we are especially grateful. When you have time, please take a moment to reflect. What have we shared? What have we learned? How will we show up to provide excellent supports to customers? How will we support one another? Thank you again for all that you do. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, and a new year filled with health, hope, and happiness. Sincerely, Ann Coffey Executive Director UCP Oregon  Great news! We still have openings for our Family Support Toy Giveaway, which will be held on Saturday & Sunday, December 21st & 22nd.
This event is only open to families who use services from our Family Support Department. Event Details:
Accessible Toys This year, we are hoping to offer some switch-adapted toys, adapted books, or other modified, accessible toys. If an accessible toy would allow your child to engage in play more independently, please let us know when you RSVP, or email Grace Tunning, UCP's Family Support Coordinator. While we may not be able to fully meet every request this year, we're asking and gathering feedback so we can be better prepared for next year. We hope to provide even more accessible toy options in the future! We Are Also Looking for a Few More Volunteers! Thank you so much to everyone who has already signed up to volunteer at the event. If you or your family are interested in volunteering, please click here to view available volunteer shifts. We're excited to share the season with you! If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out Grace Tunning, UCP's Family Support Coordinator. Awww! Check out the amazing photos (above) and video (below) from UCP's Cinnamon Bear Cruise, held on December 7, 2024.
Thanks to our incredible donors, this festive holiday event was free, and open to all families in UCP Oregon’s Family Support Department. Twenty-four families (including 42 kiddos) set sail on the Portland Spirit. They got to meet the famous Cinnamon Bear, and enjoyed live entertainment and holiday treats. Grace Tunning, UCP’s new Family Support Coordinator, shared her experience: “Coordinating this event and being part of such a special holiday tradition was truly an honor. I loved meeting so many families and kiddos and witnessing the joy and celebration aboard the cruise. This community is truly wonderful, and I’m so grateful to be part of it!” A huge thank you to:
Here’s to more moments of joy and connection in the new year. ❤️  Great news! UCP Oregon was able to snag a few more tickets for the 2024 Cinnamon Bear Cruise! 🎄🐻 These tickets are exclusively for families who use our Family Support services. If that’s you, check your email for details or register below! PS: We've had a bit of trouble with our email system, so if you didn’t receive an invitation, please reach out to Grace Tunning, our Family Support Coordinator.   Happy Giving Tuesday!
UCP Oregon is thrilled to tell you that 100% of this week's donations will directly support our Family Support Department! 💙 Your generosity will help us create joyful experiences for kids who experience developmental disabilities, including fun outings such as adaptive skate nights. You'll also help us provide valuable support groups for parents. Plus, you’ll be part of bringing the 2025 Family Support Conference to life—connecting hundreds of parents and professionals right here in Portland to learn and grow together. Thank you for making a difference! Your support means the world to the 800+ families we serve. 💙  Happy Thanksgiving, UCP Family!
Today, we’re feeling extra grateful for all of YOU—our amazing customers, staff, families, board members, supporters, and partners, as well as the larger intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) community. You’re the heart of everything we do, and we couldn’t be more thankful to have you in our corner. We also want to take a moment to reflect on what this day means for Indigenous peoples. For many, it’s not just Thanksgiving—it’s also the National Day of Mourning, a time to honor the strength and resilience of Native communities and to remember the injustices they continue to face. So, as you gather with loved ones, let’s celebrate all we’re grateful for while also committing to building a world where everyone feels seen, valued, and included. Wishing you love, connection, and a full plate this Thanksgiving!  Hello from UCP's Family Support Department! We're excited to tell you that our new Family Support Coordinator, Grace Tunning, has been hard at work. She started on November 4th. So far, Grace is loving her job. She says, "It has been a joy these past couple weeks learning all the incredible ways the Family Support Department has impacted and supported the children and families in our community for so many years. I am honored to carry on this important work and tradition!" Upcoming Family Support Events:
Contact Grace: Are you a family who uses UCP's Family Support services? If so, you should have received an email from Grace today with more information. If you didn't receive the email from Grace today, you can contact Grace below, and she'll add you to our Family Support email list. Thanks!  UCP Oregon is hiring!
We’re on the lookout for an Operations Coordinator for our Employment Solutions team. If you're all about social justice, organizing, problem-solving, and supporting others, this could be your dream job. Plus, you'll get to work partly from home on a hybrid work schedule. Your role will be to keep the team’s operations running smoothly—think project management, billing support, and data management, with plenty of collaboration with our awesome team. Plus, you’ll help adults experiencing disabilities pursue their career goals and passions! |