 Hi! As you probably know, February is known as Black History Month (and also as Black Futures Month).
It’s a time to collectively celebrate Black history and to imagine a world where Black people are free and self-determined. This time would not be complete without acknowledging the labor and excellence of Black disabled people, and their place in the necessary movement towards Black freedom. At UCP, we’ve been seeing lots of great resources about being both Black and disabled. Here are some of them:
To our Black colleagues and customers, we see you and celebrate you! May this month be full of joy and connection. And to our non-Black community reading this post: may all of us continue to learn, address anti-blackness behavior, make changes, and take action.  Well, that’s a wrap!
The 2022 round of applications for the Bill Porter Memorial Fund closed on February 18th. We received 50+ applications, getting submissions from customers in every department. Over the next few weeks, our Executive Director, Board of Directors, and several members of our Leadership Team will be reading the applications. They will then make the incredibly exciting (but difficult!) decision about which customers will receive funds. We’ll be announcing the award recipients in late March.  Hello! Here we are, almost two years into the pandemic.
UCP’s Supported Employment division (“Employment Solutions”) is hard at work. We support adults with disabilities to have great jobs in the community. As you might imagine, this can be somewhat difficult during a pandemic. But our customers are working, challenging themselves, getting raises and promotions, starting new jobs, and making new connections. Being able to celebrate their successes keeps us smiling, even though we (like you!) are tired. Here are a few recent stories that will make YOU smile, too!
 As you may have heard, we opened our "Bill Porter Memorial Fund" (BPMF) for 2022 applications on February 1, 2022.
UCP customers, with assistance as needed from UCP staff, are applying to fund for life improvement projects that fall outside of the typical scope of funding. Here are some examples of how folks used their BPMF funds.
 FROM THE DESK OF SUZANNAH NEWMAN, HR DIRECTOR, UCP OREGON
Happy almost spring! Before we move into a new season, we want to make sure to catch up on all the “winter” news from UCP. First up: a giant shout-out to UCP’s Recruiting and Employment Strategies Manager, Kristin Heying! Kristin single-handedly secured a grant from Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS). The grant allowed us to fund retention bonuses for UCP’s direct support staff. Bonuses were issued at the end of December, 2021. Thanks to everyone who helped make the bonuses happen, including our Finance Department (Janet Fromdahl and Esther Large), and, of course, our direct support employees themselves, who have been working so hard during challenging times. This year, we are applying for additional grants, and are continuing to lobby at a state level, with the goal of ensuring that all direct care staff in Oregon are receiving fair and equitable compensation.  As you may have heard, UCP Oregon opened our “Bill Porter Memorial Fund”(BPMF) for 2022 applications on February 1, 2022.
UCP customers, with assistance as needed from UCP staff, are applying to fund for life improvement projects that fall outside of the typical scope of funding. We thought it might be fun to share some past examples of how folks used their BPMF funds.
 February is Black History Month. It’s a time to hold space for Black Americans, to recognize and celebrate and grieve parts of American history that may feel all too invisible. For UCP Oregon, it’s also a time to celebrate the contributions and struggles of Black people who experience disabilities. Currently, 5.5 million Black Americans are living with a disability. But, as Ola Ojewumi (a Black, disabled activist and business owner) says, “to be Black and disabled in America is to be invisible.” Yet, as Ola adds, “when you look at Black history, there is an undeniable link to disability; some of our greatest Black heroes and heroines have been disabled.” Below are just a few. Many of the current-day celebrities on this list are using their influence to educate people about disabilities—both visible and invisible.
 Hello! We are pleased to announce that UCP Oregon’s “Bill Porter Memorial Fund” (BPMF) is open, circa 8am on 2/1/22!
***Applications will be accepted from 8am on 2/1/22 to 5pm on 2/18/22.*** The BPMF is designed to assist our customers to experience a full life, however that might look for each customer. Customers have applied for funding for:
Note: Applicants must be currently receiving services from UCP Oregon to be considered. |