Congratulations to Kelly Castagnola!

Many of you know Kelly. Kelly has worked for UCP Oregon for almost 23 years, most recently as UCP’s “Training and Supports Manager.” In that position, she supervised UCP’s employee training program and UCP’s pool of Substitute Support Specialists.

But we’re pleased to report that Kelly recently accepted a new position at UCP—that of “Employee Engagement and Organizational Development Coordinator.”

In her new position, Kelly will be able to focus 100% on employee learning, as well as employee development, retention and engagement activities. Woo hoo!

Kelly says, “I’m looking forward to making a positive impact on all UCP teams by enhancing our onboarding and ongoing learning opportunities, as well as enriching the overall employee experience and improving retention.”

PS: For those of you who are wondering, today we began to recruit internally for a "Direct Support and Quality Assurance Manager"--a new position that includes many of Kelly's old duties.

Wow! We did it! UCP Oregon’s 2023 Toy Giveaway was AMAZING! 

​The event was held on December 21st and 22nd, 2023, and was open to all families who use UCP Oregon’s Family Support Services.

Fun Facts:

• ​175 Kids: Woo hoo! 175 kids received toys through UCP Oregon’s 2023 Family Support Toy Giveaway.
• 875 Toys: Each child received approximately 2 toys and 3 stuffed animals.
• 17 Volunteers: We are so grateful for the folks who helped us pick up toys, decorate, greet families, and clean up. We couldn’t have done it without them!

 
Special Thanks Go To:

• The organizations that donated toys to UCP via their own toy drive events: KGW and KPTV.
• Ann Coffey, UCP Oregon’s Executive Director, for her continued support to children and families.

Many of you know UCP's fantastic Finance Director, Esther Large, and her fearless sidekick, Janet Fromdahl.

On January 2, 2024, after 20+ and 10+ years (respectively), Esther and Janet are retiring.

Dear UCP Community,
 
It’s December. Brrr!
 
This month, as the holidays arrive, the UCP Oregon community is celebrating in many ways. Some of us are sharing culture and traditions with family and friends. Others are engaged in spiritual practices, or pausing for a mindful moment. Others may be struggling with grief or other challenges. And many of us are sharing our resources with others in need.
 
Wherever you find yourself this season, know that UCP Oregon is holding you in our hearts.
 
As 2023 draws to a close, we’d also like to express our gratitude to the entire UCP Oregon community. Our customers. Our employees. The families and caregivers. Our dedicated volunteers, including our Board of Directors, task force members, and workgroup participants. And many more. We couldn’t do it without you!
​
Wishing you a joyful holiday season, and a new year filled with health, hope and happiness.


Sincerely,
 
Ann Coffey
Executive Director
UCP Oregon

We are excited to share UCP Oregon’s newest Annual Report, which covers the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The theme of this report is “Change.” 
 
As our Executive Director, Ann Coffey, states in the report, “There has been so much change... But, through it all, the UCP community stood strong and resilient. We stood together. We sought new ways to complete our work. We found new ways to connect. We discovered new ways to find balance and purpose.”
 
A gigantic thank you to everyone who contributed, as a writer, photographer, and/or editor!

From the Desk of Suzannah Newman, Human Resources Director
​
2022 was a busy year for UCP’s Human Resources Department. One of our main focuses was updating and improving UCP’s compensation structure.

In late 2021, we began working with a new compensation consultant. The consultant conducted an Internal Equity Study, using specific factors that are defined in the Oregon Pay Equity Act.
 
The Oregon Pay Equity Act requires employers to ensure that they are providing equitable pay for comparable jobs using five characteristics: job knowledge, skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions. Going forward, UCP’s compensation structure will be evaluated every third year based on compliance with Oregon Pay Equity. The consultant also conducted a market survey of each job at UCP. 

All of this was essential work, necessary to attract qualified and experienced candidates, retain talented employees, and create an environment that fosters teamwork, recognizes achievement, and aligns with UCP’s organizational commitments and service-level goals.
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We also continued to engage in a wide range of external advocacy activities, lobbying for increased funding to sustain our efforts to provide fair and equitable compensation for our employees.

We are pleased to announce that Nicole Vivanco has been promoted to the position of Employment Services Director, which oversees UCP's Supported Employment Department.

Prior to this advancement, Nicole was acting as the Employment Services Manager. Nicole took on the Manager position during a very difficult time in the early months of the pandemic.

Thanks to Nicole’s dedication, the Employment Solutions team is thriving, with customers working across the Portland area. Nicole participated in agency-wide strategic planning and implementation. She also fostered productive collaboration with community partners such as mental health and developmental disabilities agencies, area Brokerages, Vocational Rehabilitation, Oregon Commission for the Blind, families, advocates, Board members, etc.

Nicole brings 9 years of experience in the field of supported employment.

Nicole says, “I am so happy to accept this new role within our department, and I am excited to continue to support our customers, employers, and the employment professionals at UCP to find success and meet their career goals.”

She adds, “I’d like to thank our community partners for their collaboration and support. Seeing a person shine—in a job that is a great match for them and their employer—is the biggest motivator for me. Supported employment is so powerful for everyone involved.”

Thank you, Nicole, for everything you’ve done and continue to do. We are excited to begin this new chapter with you.