You are viewing 4 posts for January 2012
Start Training and Help UCP, Too!
If you've ever wanted to start running, now is the time. One of UCP's sponsors, Foot Traffic, is running Foot Traffic University, a series of classes designed to help runners and walkers of all ability levels. When you register, if you mention UCP, Foot Traffic will donate a portion of your entry fee to UCP!
An Announcement
United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & SW Washington has long been a leader in the area of community-based employment for people who experience developmental disabilities.
Around the state today, however, a high number of people who experience developmental disabilities work in “sheltered workshops” where they are often paid less than the minimum wage and are segregated from the community. Some workshop participants have asked for numerous years to leave the workshop setting in order to pursue community-based employment opportunity, without success or support from their teams.
At a press conference today, United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & SW Washington announced that it will act as an organization plaintiff in a Class Action Lawsuit filed against the State of Oregon and other identified leaders within related program areas. Joining us in this lawsuit are individual plaintiffs who experience developmental disabilities who wish to seek community-based employment, but feel that they have not received the support they need to leave sheltered workshops.
If you’d like to learn more about this issue, please visit these links:
- http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/01/oregonians_with_disabilities_f.html
- http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/01/25/disabled-workers-advocates-sue-state.html
Questions about the lawsuit should be directed towards our Executive Director, Ann Coffey, at 503-777-4166 or by .
Sam's New Job
As you may know, UCP has an employment division, Employment Solutions, that supports adults with disabilities to find and keep their dream jobs.
Here is one of Employment Solutions' newest success stories. Congratulations, Sam!
- New Employee: Sam Vranizan
- Employer: Roots Toddler Community
- First Day of Work: January 9, 2012
- Job Duties: Monitor children while they sleep, alert teacher when they awake, transition children from nap to snack and help children get ready to go.
- Most Extraordinary Aspect of Sam’s Job: Sam uses a computer (called an Echo) to communicate with the children. The children listen to him, respect him and treat him like a friend.
2012 Family Support Conference Keynote Speaker Announced
We’ve been fortunate that every time we put on a Family Conference, we have an exciting Keynote to share with everyone. This year is no different. Gregg Mozgala will be the Keynote Speaker at the 2012 UCP Family Support Conference, which will be held November 2-3, 2012 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.
Gregg has cerebral palsy, and is an actor and writer. He's made national press recently because of his work with Tamar Rogoff, a dance choreographer. Tamar first saw him acting in a production of “Romeo & Juliet," Tamar wanted to work with him, even though she knew nothing about cerebral palsy. She created a 10 minute ballet for him.
Ten months later, Gregg’s posture and walking had changed, and Tamar put him in a 90 minute dance production. Learn about Gregg and Tamar’s work together and see a clip from the performance here.
After working with Tamar, Gregg felt his Achilles tendon for the first time. He also discovered that his old "pigeon toe" walk was now a thing of the past. His feet straightened and, today, he walks upright and straight.
Gregg and Tamar have raised funding to put the 300 hours of film of their work together into a movie for therapists, families, and adults to learn from their experiences.
All we’ve ever heard is that CP cannot be changed, but here we have a young man who experiences cerebral palsy, in his 30’s, whose body and gait have been changed through work with someone who knew nothing about CP.
We hope you will save the date and plan to join us.
For more information about the Conference, please contact Susan at 503-777-4166 x332 or send an .