 Hello! If you're a customer of UCP, a family member of a UCP customer, or a UCP employee, we'd love to hear from you. We'd also love to share YOUR story with the world.
You can share almost anything:
 UCP Oregon is excited to announce the winners of the "2021 Employee Recognition Awards!" These awards were given to employees who provide direct care to our customers, folks who have titles such as Personal Assistant, Support Specialist, Support Coordinator, Personal Coordinator, Assistant Team Leader, Substitute Support Professional, Children's Support Professional, Job Coach, and Employment Specialist. All direct care staff were eligible to vote for the winners. Each winner received a $100 Visa Gift Card and an award certificate! If you happen to see one of these employees, please make sure to congratulate them. PS: there were two winners in every category. We don't have permission to share the names of ALL the winners, so a few folks will not be listed below. THE 2021 Employee Recognition Award WINNERS
 EDITOR’S NOTE: Lena is a “Personal Assistant” in our Supported Living Department, which means that she works one-on-one a customer (Anita), helping Anita live independently in her own home. Recently, we asked our staff to share stories of their everyday work lives, and Lena wrote the following. Thanks, Lena! By Lena Ruminski, Personal Assistant
Though I have worked for UCP for almost four years, I never knew the kind of joy I could bring someone until this last September when I started working with Anita. While Anita is a woman of few words (unless asked questions), there is one sure way to know that she is enjoying herself: her eyes. The first time I experienced her unique expression of joy was when I introduced her to one of the best things about fall: Starbucks’ seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte. While Anita is a mocha gal herself, I convinced her to try the PSL and upon first sip, she was sold. She looked up at me after her first taste—and her blue eyes were two huge saucers as she exclaimed, “That’s good!” And for the rest of her beverage, after every sip, her wide eyes returned. After we finished up, we started our walk back to her apartment. I started walking fast (and pushing her wheelchair quickly, too) because I was getting chilly. I heard her say “This is fun!” So, I picked up the pace to give her a bit more of a thrill. As I prepared to get her back inside her house, I stopped and turned to her. I saw those wide eyes again as she said, “Can we do that again?!?” Needless to say, we have been regulars at the Starbucks every Saturday shift for our weekly PSL fix.  It's rainy and cold here in Oregon, but we're excited because we have some great news for you!
UCP Oregon was awarded a grant from the Oregon Department of Human Services, which we're using to highlight and celebrate the hard work of our Direct Support Professionals. We created a "Share the Love" story project, where our direct support staff could share stories about their work life--the fun stuff, the hard stuff, and even the funny parts. Every person who submitted a story was awarded a $100 Visa gift card. We received so many fabulous stories. We'll be sharing several of them here (see the link below) and on Facebook over the next few weeks, so make sure to check back in. PS: Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a story! *DSP's are employees who provide direct support to customers, such as Personal Assistants, Support Specialists, Support Coordinators, Personal Coordinators, Assistant Team Leaders, Substitute Support Professionals, Children’s Support Professionals, Job Coaches, and Employment Specialists.  Happy National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)!
As you might have seen, we recently profiled one of UCP’s customers, Emanuel. Emanuel uses supports from UCP Oregon to work at a Portland-area hospital as a Transportation Aid. So now we’re profiling one of our employees, Lara, who works with Emanuel. Lara is a Job Coach at UCP, and has been working for UCP for three years. Here’s what Lara has to say about working with Emanuel: How long have you been working with Emanuel? “Emanuel and I began working together early in 2021. At that time, our Supported Employment team wasn’t providing in-person supports due to the pandemic, so initially, Emanuel and I communicated primarily through text message. Over time, we developed the plan we have now, which is a combination of remote and in-person support.” How would you describe Emanuel? “Emanuel has incredible perseverance; he maintains his job as a front-line worker in the pandemic while also balancing time consuming personal obligations every day. I appreciate that, despite working exhaustingly long hours, Emanuel still has the capacity to be a forward thinker and outline aspirations for his future. Emanuel is an incredibly caring person and a thoughtful communicator.” Thanks for the info, Lara! PS: You can learn more about UCP Oregon’s Supported Employment division (“Employment Solutions”) here.  Did you know that this week is “Direct Support Professionals” Recognition Week?
Direct Support Professionals (DSP’s) work directly with our customers, and are the heart and soul of everything we do. Currently, UCP employs around 120 DSP’s in a variety of roles. DSP’s work one-on-one with customers at home, on the job, and out in the community, ensuring that each customer has an independent and fulfilling life. Thank you, DSP’s, for all that you do!
Was last Wednesday the best day ever at UCP Oregon? Maybe! UCP was taken over by "Bunnies in Baskets" (a non-profit that brings therapy rabbits to local businesses and organizations). Lucky UCP employees and customers got lots of cuddles, and even a few bunny kisses. Want to watch a video? Check out this video on our Facebook page! |
|
UCP Oregon is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
©2022, All rights reserved. Privacy Policy |
UCP Oregon
305 NE 102nd Avenue, Suite 100 Portland, OR 97220 Phone: 503-777-4166 Fax: 503-771-8048 |