Did you know that UCP has a fabulous Morale & Unity Task Force (“MUT”)? Here are 3 reasons MUT rocks!

1. MUT host multiple fun events a year, such as a Halloween party for our customers, and potlucks and Morale Moments for our employees. Next week, for instance, some Bunnies in Baskets are going to be visiting us! 
2. To fund all the fun, the Morale & Unity Task force holds an annual auction in June. Employee, customers and anyone else who is interested donates items or services, and UCP’s employees bid on the item. 
3. This year's auction (held last Friday) featured 41 fantastic items, such as a Burt's Bees gift basket, an Oregon wines basket, a Comic Con mystery box, and several homemade liquors.
   
4. The auction raised $657, which will fund a lot of fun events. Thanks to everyone involved, from the donors and bidders, to the the MUT members. Special thanks go to Kelly Castagnola (Training & Supports Manager), who coordinated the event, and our intrepid Auctioneer, John Barrios (Lead Personal Agent), for his amazing auctioneering skills!

​Hola! Alza tu Voz es uno grupo para padres de hijos con parálisis cerebral o otras discapacidades de parte de UCP Oregon. Todas las juntas seran el segundo jueves de cada mes de la 6:30pm a 8:00pm en las oficinas de Portland. Puedes aprender más aqui.

As you most people know, UCP Oregon believes in the power of real choice, real jobs, real homes, and real connections for all—a full life for those we serve.

But it’s obvious that, in many cases, experiencing a full life can be extremely challenging, given the funding and service delivery systems that currently exist for people with developmental disabilities.
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That’s why we are so excited to announce the creation of the Bill Porter Memorial Fund, designed to assist our customers to experience a full life, however that might look for each customer. Customers may apply to use funds for all sorts of purposes, including:

• Home modifications.
• Assistive technology.
• Travel to reconnect with a family member or friend.
• Funding for education.
• Job training.

• Joining a gym.

 
The UCP Oregon Board of Directors has designated $250,000 from the agency’s assets to seed the fund, with the intention of growing the principal to $1,000,000; including $500,000 contributed by individual donors and community businesses, and a further allocation $250,000 of UCP’s assets in the future.

Applications for funds will be available this fall. 

If you’ve been following UCP Oregon news, you’ll know that we’ve been doing various doll sale fundraisers this spring, thanks to a very generous anonymous donor who donated her one-hundred-year-old doll collection.
 
As a last hurrah, we’ll be having a final UCP Oregon Doll Sale in June. We’ll have lots of exciting bargains on:

• Antique collectible dolls, including Madame Alexander, Horsman, Effanbee, Ideal, & Gerber
• Limited edition & portrait dolls
• American Girl, Barbie, & Cabbage Patch

​Come check it out! All offers will be considered! And, don’t forget: all proceeds benefit UCP.

As many of you know, UCP Oregon has been passionate about the idea of community inclusion for adults who experience developmental disabilities for many decades. It is therefore with sadness that we announce that we are discontinuing our community inclusion service area (UCP’s “Choices” Department). The closure is effective May 9th for Choices customers, and May 11th for Choices employees. 
 
Throughout UCP Oregon’s 22-year history of providing community inclusion services, we have been committed to providing the best possible services to our Choices customers. For many years, we were able to offer Choices customers one-to-one staffing, a flexible schedule, door-to-door transportation, and a small monthly stipend that allowed them to attend community events.

However, due to changes in state policies, funding parameters, and service delivery models, we were forced to make major changes, including removing all of the options listed above. Alas, even these changes—and several years’ worth of intense logistical planning—were not enough, and in 2018, it became obvious we were no longer going to be able to offer Choices services that aligned with our rigorous Mission and Values.

Therefore, we made the extremely difficult decision to close Choices. Choices customers, employees and other service providers were given a month’s notice of the closure. Many former Choices employees are staying with UCP Oregon in a variety of capacities.

We are honored to have assisted so many Choices customers to be a true part of the community, making lasting friendships, volunteering, exploring, and discovering. We are grateful to everyone who assisted in these successes—our customers, our employees, and members of the larger community.
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As the closure of Choices is painful for all of those involved, we ask that you treat this issue with sensitivity and respect.
 
Please contact UCP’s Executive Director with questions, concerns, or comments.

It's not too late to join UCP at the May 12th Portland Thorns game!

Alas, all of our $5 tickets are gone, and so are the free event bandanas, but you can still get half-price tickets, and all the funds raised will go to UCP's Family Support Department!