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This is cool! At our upcoming Family Support Conference (which will be held November 3-4), we'll be showing a documentary called Including Us: Exceptional Teens at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The documentary is a rare insider's look backstage at the building of Hairspray for the 2019 season of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It focuses on four teenagers who experience disabilities who were hired as professional actors for the ten-month run. Included in the cast were two teens that are in UCP Oregon’s Family Support Program. The documentary has not yet been released to the public. UCP has been given special permission for this one-time viewing. NOTE: Photo credit to photographer Jenny Graham. ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE?
We'll be showing the documentary in the main ballroom at 4pm on Friday, November 3rd. See you then!  One of UCP Oregon's most popular Family Support events is the annual Cinnamon Bear Cruise. Our families gather together to share a meal, enjoy a boat ride on the Willamette, and partake in festive holiday-themed entertainment.
So far, 82 families have signed up to participate this year! Please sponsor a child, a family... or even several families! $44 is all it takes for one child to attend. Thank you for helping to bring cheer to our UCP families and children this season!  As some of you may know, UCP’s Finance Director (Esther Large) is retiring, effective 1/2/24, after 20+ years at UCP. UCP’s Payroll/Accounts Payable Clerk (Janet Fromdahl) will be retiring on that date as well. We’d love you to share your favorite memories and best wishes with Esther and Janet; see the form at the end of this post. About Esther Esther came to UCP in 2003, and has been a stronghold for UCP through two decades of growth and change. Esther supported UCP’s financial operation as we grew from $1.3 million to $13 million in annual revenues. No small feat in the accounting world! Esther says, “It has been my pleasure working at UCP Oregon over the last few years. I feel so lucky to have been able to work with such a talented team of individuals that care so much for our mission, and would personally like to acknowledge Ann Coffey for her leadership and compassion for the Agency. And while I am excited about my new adventures, I will truly miss all of you.” About Janet Janet started at UCP in 2013. Janet has been treasured for both her thoroughness and her kind, helpful approach to her work. Janet says, “I always say that when going to work stops being fun, I am going to stop going to work. The fact that I am still at UCP 10.5 years after starting here says it all!! The employees, the customers, and the mission have all brought joy into my life! But it is time for me to get to the next stage of my life—more time for family, travel, and whatever else life has in store for me! Don’t be surprised if my smiling face occasionally appears in the office just to say, ‘Hi!’ I will miss all of you!!” Esther and Janet will be moving into another stage of their lives, with plans to kick back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Celebrating Esther and Janet Both Esther and Janet be incredibly missed. As UCP’s Executive Director, Ann Coffey, says, “Over the years, we have all come to know and rely on Esther and Janet. They are amazing to work with. Always available at a moment’s notice to support excellent customer service to all of us, and in turn to support quality services to the customers we support. Esther and Janet, you will be missed.” As we say goodbye, we also say hello to UCP’s new Finance Director, Jerry Hoffert who started in his new position in early October, 2023. If you’d like to learn more about Jerry, click here. Please share your memories and/or best wishes for Esther and Janet below. Comments will be shared directly with Esther and Janet, and may be shared in a Facebook post, in the Employee Newsletter, and/or on the UCP website. Thank you!  We’re thrilled to introduce you to our new Finance Director, Jerry Hoffert!
As you may know, Esther Large, who served as UCP’s Finance Director for 20+ years, is retiring in December of 2023. Also retiring is Janet Fromdahl, who has been UCP’s Payroll/Accounts Payable Clerk since 2013. We'll be sharing more about Esther and Janet's time at UCP in a future post. UCP Oregon conducted a thorough and competitive recruitment process to fill the Finance Director position. Jerry brings 20+ years of strategic leadership experience in non-profit finance and grant financial management. He also has a Master of Business Administration from George Fox University, with a focus on management and leadership. Some of Jerry’s experience includes:
Some of you may already know Jerry; he is the former President of UCP Oregon’s Board of Directors. Jerry has also served on the board of Family Promise of Metro East. Jerry began in his new position in early October, and will have several months of overlap with Esther and Janet. He is currently settling into his new position, and is also leading the hiring process for hiring a new Payroll/Accounts Payable Clerk. Congratulations, Jerry! We’re excited to work with you in your new capacity at UCP.  It's October, and you know what that means... fall leaves, cooler weather… and NDEAM! NDEAM stands for "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." NDEAM happens every October, but at UCP Oregon, we believe in creating and celebrating access and opportunity every day! Our Supported Employment division (known as “Employment Solutions”) has been assisting people with disabilities to find and keep their dream jobs in the community since 2006. Want to find out more about we can do for you? If you’re a job-seeker who experiences disabilities, our services (include:
If you’re an employer who’s interested in hiring a more diverse workforce, or if you’d like to make a difference by sharing an hour or two of your time, we’d love to talk to you.
 This October, the national United Cerebral Palsy organization is hosting its second annual UCP 2023 Conference on Latinos with Disabilities.
The event is open to the public, and admission is free for all UCP Oregon staff, board members, and others in UCP Oregon's community network. (Email [email protected] for special promo code.) The event happens October 17-19, 11am to 3:30pm EST each day. The conference will be held virtually, and will spotlight the role, impact, and influence of Latinos in the disability community. While many of the topics addressed will be of interest to the general disability community, the conference highlights the distinct ways (culturally, socially, economically and historically) that Latinos with disabilities, their families and service providers shape our society and communities at large.  It's October 6th, and around the world people are honoring World Cerebral Palsy Day. Last year, this day reached over 10 million people and was celebrated in 100+ countries.
World Cerebral Palsy Day holds special significance for UCP Oregon. As you may know, we started operations in 1955 by supporting children who experienced cerebral palsy. Over the years, we expanded our services to support adults and children who experience any intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD). But we never lost track of our roots. Today, our Family Support Department supports hundreds of families who are raising children with cerebral palsy or a closely-related disability. On October 6th, we celebrate and honor everyone who experiences cerebral palsy in our community. We also shine a light on the 17+ million people worldwide who experience cerebral palsy—and the 350 million people who are closely connected to them. Today and always, let us remember our community’s history; honor our joys and our struggles; and continue to work towards a future where there truly is a community for everyone.  We're excited to announce that we've made it even easier to register for UCP Oregon’s 19th Family Support Conference! Now you can register via Eventbrite. Woo hoo!
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