(left to right) Lisa Eppler, Tommy Taylor and Eleanor Whipple

Rome, NY - For Tommy Taylor the smile he wears while knitting beautiful baby hats at the Rome Day Program at The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter says it all.

“He is so proud of the work he does and it shows,” said Day Hab Specialist Michele Meeks. The hats Tommy knits are donated for newborn babies on the maternity unit at Rome Memorial Hospital.

Tommy, along with the other individuals that attend the program at the Gore Road location, have donated hundreds of hand-made crafts, and thousands of hours of volunteer time to Rome Memorial Hospital, the Rescue Mission, Ava Dorfman Center, area churches and area nursing homes, as well as The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Throughout their day, these men and women are busy doing wonderful projects that include baking, chorus, knitting, jewelry making, painting and much more.

“Each one of the men and women here have talents that are unique to each one them,” said Christine Sperl, administrative assistant. “Our staff shows their dedication to the individuals we serve by taking the time and effort to showcase these.”

This is seen first-hand as you walk the hallway to each of the rooms where wreaths, pillows, quilts, and artwork adorn the walls. “It is very dignifying for Tommy and his friends to know that what they are doing is appreciated by staff, visitors and the community,” Sperl said.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

Residents from throughout Columbia County came out to Coarc’s Prospect Avenue building in Hudson to support the Red Cross’ efforts to cull one of the worst emergency blood shortages in recent memory.

Within its first hour the drive had already taken in 15 pints of blood, and expected to see more as the day went on.

“We’ve had a good turnout so far,” said Karena Majkowski, Red Cross supervisor of operations for the drive. “It’s one of the worst shortages we’ve had in a long time … so we’re heavily relying on the community.”

Majkowski said she was unsure why blood supplies have been so much lower than previous year, but said this time of year is more difficult to get people to donate because people are away from home over the summer.

Coarc Coordinator of Public Relations Donna Barrett said hosting the event was just one way the organization could give back.

“We are a part of this community and a way we can give back is by hosting this and by giving (blood ourselves),” said Barrett. “This community has been so supportive of us, it’s the least we can do.”

Read the full story at the Register-Star

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

Flame, Lexington’s world-renowned rock band, performed at the concert where all proceeds from the concert ticket sales were designated for the food pantries.  In addition to the $2100 that is being split among six agencies, almost 2000 non-perishable food items were collected at the concert.  The Salvation Army’s food pantry in Gloversville, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnstown, Fulmont Community Action Agency in Northville, the Ecumenical Food Pantry of the United Methodist Church in Broadalbin, the Dolgeville United Methodist Church and the Capital City Mission in Albany each received $365.  Individuals who helped collect the food from a variety of Lexington programs and employee sites presented checks.  Lexington participates in fundraising and food collection throughout the year to benefit a variety of community agencies.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

Military veterans can visit the store at 129 E. Albany Street in Herkimer, show their military ID, and mention “Goodwill Suits Vets” from Friday through Monday, May 25-28, 2012. Store hours are Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Store personnel will assist them in selecting an outfit free of charge.

Herkimer ARC President/CEO Kevin Crosley said, “Goodwill and the Herkimer ARC partner to empower people and to enrich lives in our community. Career Connections, our employment division, has been working with area veterans to assist them in finding work. We are committed to being a hometown resource for veterans who have served our communities and preserved our freedom. We want to support their transition to the workforce and civilian life. Professional or work clothing will help them put their best foot forward in their job search.”

Area residents can also join the Herkimer ARC and Goodwill in honoring and remembering those who have sacrificed so much for our country by donating professional clothing for men and women, including suits; suit jackets; dress pants and skirts, shirts and blouses, and shoes; ties; scarves; and accessories. Vets also need work clothes: khakis and casual shirts, jeans and sweaters, sneakers and uniforms. Donations can be dropped off during store hours and tax receipts are available.

In addition to supporting the troops, the Herkimer ARC provides affordable clothing for the public at the retail store, and supports individuals with disabilities and others in the community to achieve their full potential and to live enriched lives.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

“This reading program not only gave these adults a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem, but they thoroughly enjoyed reading to the little children,” says Susan Limiti, Activities Coach at AHRC Nassau who oversees the reading program.

The group of adult readers from AHRC Nassau would like to visit other schools in the community. If you would like to invite the readers to your school or library please contact Susan Limiti at 516- 546-7700.

The National Week of the Young Child’s purpose is to bring awareness to the needs of young children, their families, and to recognize services which meet those specific needs.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

Employees and the people they support worked together to make contact with community vendors to display ARC food donation boxes, designed and decorated by program participants from their day hab center.   The individuals and staff from the day hab center collected food from the boxes weekly and transported the items to their work center where they were weighed and then stored until April 4, 2012, when staff and three active program participants split the food donations in half and delivered a little over 1500 pounds of food to each of the food shelves.  Both food shelves were extremely surprised and grateful at the amount of food we collected and Kathy Bishop from JCEO sent along these kind words:

“It was nice seeing you again. On behalf of Clinton County’s neediest residents, Joint Council for Economic Opportunity (JCEO) thanks you for your generous donation of 1600 lbs of food. This donation will enhance our ability to achieve our mission and continue to meet the needs of others. JCEO is truly grateful for the support the Advocacy and Resource Center has shown our agency.”

The Chapter could not have been as successful as they were this year without the help of the community businesses that supported their efforts and their agency employees who donated as well.  The Chapter extends a special “thank you” to Hannaford’s, Kinney Drug, Remax, Primelink, Durocher’s, The Pennysaver, Yandos, H&R Block, Southside Grocery, Country Corner Diner, Sam’s Club, CVPH Medical Center, Adirondack Stables, DDSO, Glens Falls National Bank, Dannemora Federal Credit Union, Casella Waste Management, Plattsburgh Convenience Store and Deli, YMCA, Phil’s Chevrolet, Town of Plattsburgh, and Hometown Deli for all participating in the food drive.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

Bringing Food “Over the Mountain”

Long-time volunteer Gerard Minn from Ellenville Day Hab stocks the food pantry at FAMILY of Ellenville.

Ulster-Greene ARC Ellenville Day Hab staff and individuals have provided assistance to FAMILY of Ellenville’s food pantry every month without fail since 2000! For twelve years now, our Ellenville Day Hab has coordinated the pick-up of FAMILY’s monthly order from the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York order in Latham, NY, delivering it “over the mountain.” Two or three individuals out of six “regulars” assist with the large delivery. In a related project, individual Gerard Minn has also been volunteering on a weekly basis at FAMILY, breaking down and measuring caseloads of bulk rice, macaroni, etc.f and filling quart-sized bags with gloved hands.  Since the economic crisis hit, food requests have grown steadily, which has meant more work for the volunteers. Says FAMILY of Ellenville Director Lisa Cavanaugh, “The help we receive from Ulster-Greene ARC to provide emergency food to community members in need is a shining example of community members helping each other. We especially wish to acknowledge Day Services Manager Peter Campbell. It was his idea more than a decade ago to assist us with the food orders, and he and his staff and consumers have been faithfully meeting the truck every month since then. Most recently, in one of the big storms, Peter drove over the mountain from his home to get the van and then drove to Monticello and picked up a large order for us. We were awestruck by his sense of responsibility, and his dedication is an acknowledgement of our work and an inspiration to us.”

Working with the “Angels”

Ulster-Greene ARC Wall Street Day Hab has been volunteering for the last four years with Angel Food East, a non-profit organization providing daily hot meals to home-bound people living with HIV and AIDS in Ulster County. Individuals volunteer on a rotating schedule of four days per week that allows everyone to take part, and they look forward to the opportunity to interact with fellow members of their community. When asked why they wanted to participate, some mentioned “helping others,” the chance to “meet new people,” and the bonus of “a lot of fun!” The almost-daily excursions enable them to see other parts of the county, but what’s most significant is how their long-term service to their community enables them to see themselves.

Providing for “4 Paws”

Ulster-Greene ARC Pecora Center Day Hab has been working with the Town of Saugerties Animal Shelter for one year now, collecting a variety of pet food for the shelter’s “4 Paws Pantry.” In April of 2011, the Kingston, NY ShopRite allowed the agency to place a collection box inside of the store’s exit, and Day Hab individuals keep watch on the growing donations. Once a month, they bring donated goods to the shelter and help the staff to put them away. While there, participants also take time to hold and play with the cats. Shelter Director Marie Post regularly sends them thank-you cards and refers to them as her “angels.”

Bringing Books to Children

In Kingston, NY, Ulster-Greene ARC individual Tim Russell has been a long-term volunteer for The Lisa Libraries, a non-profit organization which donates new books to organizations working with children in poor and under-served areas. Tim does data entry and stocks books for the organization, which supplements under-filled shelves as well as provides books to many children who may never have owned a book before. “I love going to work,” says Tim, “and helping children to get books that they can’t get themselves.” Tim helps out two half-days each week for the local program, part of the national project which, since 1990, has contributed over 350,000 books to nonprofit organizations.

Celebrating Spring with Seniors

Ulster-Greene ARC individuals from our ARC Apartments decided to commemorate “NYSARC Gives Back” Week by creating spring decorations for The Family Lodge Senior Residence in Saugerties, NY. Eight individuals wanted to do something special for the seniors living at The Family Lodge because their van often drove by it and one individual asked who lived in “that nice house.” Because of their interest, Ulster-Greene ARC staff contacted the residence and arranged for a get-together. As individuals created spring table décor to their new “old” friends and got to know each other!”

The effort is part of WWARC’s NYSARC Gives Back President’s Project Week that took place March 25-March 31.  NYSARC, Inc. is WWARC’s parent company which has 49 local Chapters throughout New York State.  All chapters are initiating similar efforts throughout the state.  WWARC Chapter President and volunteer Anne Marie Lockhart said, “As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary of serving and being supported by our community, this is a small way that we can say ‘thank you’ by helping another local worthwhile not-for-profit agency like the SPCA.”

Warren and Washington Counties ARC provides services, advocates for, and offers opportunities to over 300 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, enabling them to realize their full potential.

Cathy Cloutier, Executive Director of SPCA of Upstate NY, stated that the call could not have come at a better time to help.  “I don’t think that many people think that tough economic times can affect our pet population, but it really does.  WWARC’s offer to help is coming at a time when donated supplies are running low”.

WWARC collected supplies at their 26 facilities throughout Warren and Washington Counties as well as the just opened Petco on Upper Glen Street.

This story is one of many examples of how NYSARC Chapters and their staff give back to their local communities. For more examples, please see our NYSARC Gives Back publication.

NYSARC Gives Back: We make a difference. We Are NYSARC!

DELMAR, NY (04/04/2012)(readMedia)– Every day, volunteers from NYSARC, Inc. Chapters participate in a large variety of community activities. From food drives to Meals on Wheels to blood drives, NYSARC’s involvement in the local community is vital to the survival of many other non-profits. This was never more apparent than last week when NYSARC’s 55 Chapters around the State joined together in a celebration of community called the NYSARC Gives Back President’s Project.

“Volunteers from [NYSARC's Putnam County Chapter (PARC)] are an integral and invaluable part in the successful implementation of our programs,” said Rosemarie Yasiejko, site manager at the East Fishkill Friendship Center, part of the County Office for the Aging. “PARC has provided nearly weekly services at the East Fishkill site for at least 10 years and has been instrumental in running meal delivery routes for our Beacon and Fishkill locations as well,” she added. The Putnam County Chapter also participated in Meals on Wheels and local recycling projects.

Elsewhere, the Columbia County Chapter’s employees and volunteers donated more than 1,500 cans and packages of food to the local BackPack Program and sold flowers to support the American Cancer Society, raising more than $2,800. The Broome-Tioga (ACHIEVE), Genesee, Livingston-Wyoming, Montgomery (Liberty), Niagara (Opportunities Unlimited), Oneida-Lewis, Ontario, Orleans, Rockland, Saratoga, Seneca-Cayuga, Sullivan, and Ulster-Greene Counties Chapters all participated in food drives in association with their local food banks, a partnership made possible by the Food Bank Association of New York State. Together they collected more than two thousand pounds of food, benefiting hundreds of families. The Schuyler, Steuben, and Chemung Counties Chapters combined their efforts and packed 1,080 bags for the BackPack program of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.

“I think this is very unique and wonderful that a nonprofit organization like Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara had their participants, their participants’ families, and their employees do something like this for another nonprofit agency,” said Carol Palumbo, NiaCAP’s family development and nutrition supervisor.

NYSARC’s Otsego County Chapter exceeded their blood drive goals, collecting 33 units of blood, enough to save the lives of 99 people. The Madison-Cortland Counties Chapter also held a blood drive. Paula Sheehan, a Madison Cortland ARC employee, commented, “I like helping people–it’s amazing to think that you’re saving a life by donating blood!” Other Chapters held community clean-up projects, volunteered at their local veteran’s centers, and worked at nearby animal shelters. The St. Lawrence County Chapter alone participated in more than 25 different volunteer programs and the Self-Advocacy Group from the Delaware County Chapter continued its practice of holding monthly fundraisers.

“We’re hoping other community agencies with needs for volunteers will contact us,” said Jeanette Frank, executive director of the Arc of Schuyler. “Maybe they can be helped by people with developmental disabilities. We want to be involved and feel good about having the opportunity to help.”

NYSARC, Inc. President John A. Schuppenhauer, who developed the idea of the NYSARC Gives Back President’s Project and kicked off the event through a food drive at his local Chapter in Ontario County, couldn’t have been happier with the event: “To see and hear these stories of how our employees, the people we support, and their families gave back to the local community really underscores the important role that NYSARC plays in New York State. It is amazing that many non-profits rely on NYSARC volunteers to make their programs possible.”

The volunteer efforts do not end with the President’s Project: NYSARC Chapters will continue to give back to their local communities as they have done, every year, since the Organization was founded in 1949.

About NYSARC, Inc.

NYSARC, Inc. is the largest not-for-profit organization in New York State and the United States supporting people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families. The 55 Chapters comprising the family-led Organization provide services in every County in New York State. NYSARC, Inc. supports over 60,000 individuals, employs 30,000, and has a membership of nearly 87,000.

During the month, there was an increase in the number and types of volunteer activities that individuals who receive ARC services will be providing for the community.  Ongoing efforts include delivering meals on wheels, stocking shelves in local food pantries, assembling and donating gift bags for pediatric patients at Geneva General Hospital, and making cards for our troops overseas and for residents in local nursing homes.

For the week of March 25^th, SCARC joined 54 other ARC chapters throughout New York in the NYSARC Gives Back Campaign, a statewide effort to unite volunteer efforts and to raise awareness of the contributions that people with disabilities are making to their communities each and every day.  This initiative was spearheaded by NYSARC, Inc. president and local attorney, John Schuppenhauer of Canandaigua.

During the NYSARC Gives Back Campaign, SCARC made animal treats for Beverly’s Animal Shelter, created centerpieces for Seneca County Office for the Aging, and assembled pizza boxes for Nice ‘n Easy locations.   The agency continued its agency-wide food collection for food pantries in Waterloo, Seneca Falls, Auburn, Union Springs and Throop.