Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Today, UCP Oregon expresses profound gratitude for the support of the UCP community—our customers, employees, supporters and partners—and the larger intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) community. We couldn’t do it without you!
 
UCP Oregon also recognizes the complex history and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples. Today is Thanksgiving, but it’s also the National Day of Mourning.
 
The National Day of Mourning serves as a reminder to honor the resilience of Indigenous peoples, acknowledging their contributions and confronting the injustices they continue to endure.
 
As we gather with friends and family, let us use this time not only for gratitude but also for reflection and commitment to a more just and inclusive society for everyone.

​Two of UCP Oregon’s teams (UCP Connections and UCP Mentors), and UCP’s Director of Brokerage Services, Sarah Noack, would like to share the links below. These links celebrate thoughtful, action-oriented ways to acknowledge the traditions and people who are the original stewards of the land we all live and work on.​

• You can identify the people indigenous to the land you are visiting (or live on) here.
• This video is a call-to-action for acknowledging traditional Native lands at the opening of all public gatherings. 
• This is an 8-minute video: Chinook Justice: A Pacific Northwest Tribe's Fight for Recognition.
• This 55-minute podcast is extremely helpful: All My Relations Podcast Episode: ThanksTaking or ThanksGiving.
• The Haudenosaunee (known as the Iroquois Confederacy in French or as Six Nations in English) begin every gathering by offering greetings and thanks to all the elements of life that sustain us: https://earthtotables.org/essays/the-thanksgiving-address/

Did you know that November is Native American Heritage Month?
 
UCP Oregon is headquartered in Portland, Oregon (in Multnomah County). This region encompasses the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin Kalapuya, Wasco, Molalla, Tumwater, Cowlitz and Watlala bands of the Chinook, and others.
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In November, and always, UCP Oregon celebrates the rich and diverse contributions, cultures, and histories of the Native peoples of North America. We acknowledge the challenges Native people have faced in the past and today. And we amplify Native voices. 
 
If you’d like to learn from and participate in the 2023 Native American Heritage Month, here are some ideas:​

• ​Support Native-owned businesses in the Portland area.
• Attend the “Indigenous Marketplace” on Black Friday weekend (November 24-26, 2023).
• Participate in Multnomah County Library’s roster of related events.

​Did you know that November is "National Family Caregivers" Month (NFCM)?

NFCM is a time to honor America's family caregivers, raise awareness about caregiving issues, and (hopefully!) increase support nationwide for caregivers.

Family caregivers often struggle with feeling invisible or alone. And yet, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, family caregivers are the primary source of support for people with disabilities.
 
That’s why, this November—and always!—UCP Oregon is incredibly thankful for the family caregivers in our community. We see you, and we appreciate you.

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!

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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:

• Chief Financial and Grants Officer (National Association for the Dually Diagnosed).
• Chief Financial Officer (Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Inc.).
• Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Albertina Kerr Centers).
• Assistant Controller (Morrison Child and Family Services).

 
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:

• Resume creation
• Job search support
• Interview prep and support
• Job coaching (we can coach both on and off the job site)
• Training

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. 

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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 jgarcia@ucp.org 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’d like to share some great “behind-the-scenes” news.

UCP applied for—and received—funds via the federal government’s Employee Retention Credit (ERC).

After we received the funds, we asked all of our departments to create a “wish list” of wants and needs.

Below are some of the items from those wishlists that we’ll be funding in the coming months:

• A contribution to the Bill Porter Memorial Fund, which supports UCP customers who have needs that aren’t supported by formal funding streams.
• Bonuses for all employees.
• A continued investment in UCP’s E.Q.U.A.L. Committee activities. (The E.Q.U.A.L. Committee’s mission is to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion practices within our organization and our broader communities.)
• Support of additional Family Support activities.
• Leadership coaching, team building, and strategic planning support for UCP Oregon’s Leadership Team.
• Funding for a gathering for all of UCP’s customers.
• Funding for a celebration with all of UCP’s employees.

We’d like to thank Esther Large (UCP’s Finance Director) and John Hancock (a long-term member of UCP’s Board of Directors), for their work related to the ERC funds!

​We’d also like to thank the entire UCP Board of Directors for their ongoing commitment to supporting UCP’s workforce and our delivery of quality services.