Living Resources

The November issue of Sharing The Journey is LIVE! Check it out now.

While all thoughts are on turkey this week, our thoughts are with those who are unable to be with family due to lack of handicap-accessible transportation. Help us break down barriers to independence and donate to our Van Fund today! Visit https://lnkd.in/gZUNiXkU to donate.

RaKwon loves the independence and freedom he has in the Community Habilitation Program! We're so proud of all the things you've accomplished RaKwon! Keep it up :)

Since graduating from the College Experience Program in 2019, Zahin’s goal has been to work in an office. In 2022, he was hired at Living Resources to assist with office tasks, including filing, scanning, and keeping the office tidy and well-stocked. He excelled in his new role, with his supervisor commenting, “Zahin is an outstanding employee of our Admin Department mainly because of his eagerness to learn new tasks and his willingness to explore ways to improve productiveness. He is truly a pleasure to have on the team and gets along very well with his coworkers.” While he was thrilled to be working in an office, he was still working a second job in foodservice. He was not as thrilled to be working in that industry still, as he was striving to expand on his skillset in an office setting. That’s when he set the goal of leaving foodservice behind and working solely in an office. When Image Care contacted Living Resources in search of some assistance in Medical Records, Zahin was excited about the position. He dressed the part and spoke well about the clerical tasks he assists with at Living Resources during his interview. They were impressed and offered him the job! He graciously accepted and handed in his resignation from his foodservice job. Zahin is now living his dream of working solely in an office! Keep up the great work, Zahin! https://lnkd.in/gB5b3q7w

Noah started off his senior year with an internship at Meals on Wheels where he excelled in his tasks due to his focus and dedication to his work. As a second internship, he asked to work at a school so he could have more interactions with children. In March, he began as a kitchen assistant with Miss Kelly at All?Saints Catholic Academy. They proved to be a great team. As a focused worker, he assisted by packaging up the meals for the kids so that lunch was ready in time. He learned how to tray up foods and then serve them up in individual serving sizes. Miss Kelly taught him as much as he wanted to learn about meal prep, proper food storage and temperature, use of digital cash register, as well as how to coax the kids to make healthy choices. In May, Noah graduated from the College Experience at The College of Saint Rose in May 2024. He was so proud! At the end of All Saints’ school year, Noah was offered a job in the kitchen for the following school year. He was excited to accept the position. This school year, Noah and Miss Kelly got right back into the swing of things, working together at the start of the school year to prepare and serve nutritious lunches to the students. This year, Noah has started to work more with preparing the food items?to be put in and removed from the oven, making sure items are cooked for the needed time. He has become more independent at cleaning up the kitchen at the end of the shift in alignment with standard food safety protocols and continues to enjoy using the cash register to punch in student IDs. He is always looking to learn more tasks and build upon his skillset. His job coach, Aidan, describes Noah as a “motivated, hardworking, and constantly growing young man. Noah takes his employment very seriously and has become independent and self-sufficient employee. It has been especially rewarding to watch Miss Kelly and him develop a professional relationship marked with compassion, understanding and teamwork. Noah knows what he needs to do when he gets to work, and gets it done with a smile on his face. He loves to interact with the children, and it has been great to see the students start to know him on a first name basis and wait for him to serve them their lunches for the day. I am so proud of how far Noah has come and continue to look forward to working with him. I know he will continue to progress and grow in the years to come!” Read more at https://lnkd.in/g3juXcru

It was a sunny, chilly day in Albany, and the energy in the air was palpable. People from all walks of life flocked to the War Room in the New York State Capital building, all with one specific goal: have their voices heard by Governor Kathy Hochul. The words, “Invest in me, invest in US” echoed throughout the room, a plea to legislators to support New Yorkers with I/DD by advocating for a 7.8% Medicaid rate increase, adequate wages for human service workers, and enhanced capital funding to ensure quality care. In addition to the chants, rally attendees wore orange to support the cause and there were many signs urging legislators to support adequate funding for the human service industry. There were speeches given, including one by Living Resources CEO, Elizabeth Martin. One heartfelt message from an individual with Cerebral Palsy urged lawmakers to increase funding so she can have better bus drivers and keep the staff she has. She told her story and emphasized how important transportation is to someone in a wheelchair like her. The crowd was roaring by the time she finished her speech. In Elizabeth Martin’s speech, she noted that the price of vehicles and auto maintenance has skyrocketed since 2019. That’s why Living Resources is currently seeking donations to buy a new van! Transportation is paramount in living a life of independence, dignity, and happiness, and we want as many individuals out and about living their best lives. Advocacy season is off to a roaring start with the first rally, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the season! If you would like to help us spread the message to lawmakers, call your local legislator today and tell them, “WE CAN’T WAIT FOR 7.8!”. The event was organized by New York Disabilities Advocates (NYDA). Organizers say more rallies are being planned in the months ahead and our Living Resources team plans to be there, to continue our advocacy efforts. To keep up to date on future events, follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

On ??????????????, ???????????????? ????, Living Resources, along with other I/DD advocates gathered in the War Room at the New York State Capital for the very first rally of advocacy season! Our CEO, Elizabeth Martin opened up the rally with a powerful speech. Check it out! ?????? ???????????????? ??????????: ? Investment in I/DD services through a 7.8% Medicaid rate increase to stabilize non-pro?t provider agencies. ? Creation of a Wage Commission to examine the roles and responsibilities of human service workers and establish fair, sustainable compensation standards commensurate with that work. ? Enhanced Capital Funding to help agencies modernize their operations, making them more energy-ef?cient and in alignment with the state’s climate goals. ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????????????????: - The Arc New York has launched a website that you can use to send a customizable message directly to Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature demanding that they invest in the workforce that supports the I/DD community. Click here to access that tool and make your voice heard: https://p2a.co/dk6jiuq

Did you catch our feature in the Albany Times Union? Check it out! ? “Going from being an artist in the program at a young age to still continuing?— I really appreciate how it all came full circle,” Cronk said. “And I definitely am very thankful to Living Resources for making all this happen.”

It’s been a while since we checked in with our community living folks, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy. Intrada has been bustling with activity! From participating in this year’s election, learning about preparing healthy meals, and meeting horse jockeys, it has been a fun-filled season for the individuals at Intrada! Let’s see what they’ve been up to: ? Michael, a big horse racing fan, looks forward to Saratoga Race Track season every year and always grabs a season pass. Recently, while picking up his favorite Dunkin treat, he had an unforgettable encounter – he met his all-time favorite jockeys, the famous brothers Irad and Jose Ortiz from the New York racing circuit. ? The individuals at Intrada recently enjoyed a visit from Judy Carr, a nutritionist from Saratoga Hospital, who stopped by to discuss healthy eating and meal preparation. Judy answered questions about nutritious foods and shared tips for making healthier choices. She plans to return after the holidays to continue supporting them on their journey to healthier eating. ? Recently, Lynda and Emily were thrilled to vote, accompanied by their community habilitation staff member, Michelle. They chose to participate in early voting and eagerly went to their polling place to cast their ballots. Before the election, the staff at Intrada helped residents check their voter registration to ensure they were ready. As early voting began community habilitation staff assisted anyone interested in voting, helping them to find their polling place and accompanying them as needed.?Thanks to the support from staff, individuals living at Intrada were able to exercise their right to vote both during early voting and on Election Day. The Community Living Program at Living Resources provides independent living for disabled adults. The mission of the Community Living Program is to provide quality and consistent habilitation services to individuals living in the community in various settings. Such services may include, but are not limited to, assistance with activities of daily life, socialization activities, recreational activities, general household maintenance, as well as teaching independent living skills for individuals with disabilities. To learn more, visit?https://lnkd.in/gr3QNk_r. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYCRvqeH

???? LIVING RESOURCES IS HIRING ASSISTANT MANAGERS!! ???? Now is your chance to join a team of passionate individuals dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities. Scan the QR codes now or visit our website for more information!