W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 / 2 0 1 5 FREE Times FREE Aligns with the National Employment First Initiative FREE stands readily aligned with the national Employment First Initiative. FREE’s Employment Division currently partners with OPWDD, the State Education Department/ ACCES-VR and OMH, supporting over 400 Affirmative Business individuals through supported employment (SEMP), Career Builders and the innovative Employment Training Program. Individuals receiving services under the FREE umbrella have been placed in employment settings such as law and accounting firms, hospitals, retail outlets and restaurants. Employers have consistently reported a high rate of satisfaction with the men and women we refer, and contact us regularly when additional opportunities become available. Individuals served within the FREE network are also afforded the opportunity to work and train in actual business settings, such as Fancy FREE (retail), Terry’s Place (food service), Bubbles (vehicle washing) and Swept FREE (janitorial/ maintenance). The latter is currently in the process of expansion, offering even more opportunities for our folks. Additional vocational training and paid employment opportunities are offered by our landscaping crews, the greenhouse at Saddle Rock Ranch and The Farm at St. Joseph. In 2014, 407 men and women within the Family of FREE FREE is aligned with the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and Office of Mental Health (OMH) and fully embraces its Employment First Initiatives. The initiative allows the individuals we support to experience the natural therapy inherent in meaningful, purposeful and gainful employment opportunities. We provide these opportunities through these and other businesses: Network are successfully employed. In our first year of the new Core Rehabilitation Services (CRS) contract, we have successfully conducted 25 evaluations, and placed almost 80% of the individuals authorized for supported employment or transitional coaching supports. Additionally, seven paid interns have gained employment opportunities in settings of their choice. With a highly trained and tenured staff, the possibility of increased community-based employment for our individuals appears imminent, particularly due to the emphasis placed on developing our affirmative businesses. • • • • • • • • Fancy FREE Swept FREE Bubbles Car Wash The Farm at St. Joseph Terry’s Cafe TRI Go-Green TRI-Us Catering Saddle Rock Ranch Bubbles Car Wash Swept FREE In Partnership with TRI familyres.org 1 F R E E T I M E S C O L L A B O R AT I O N . . . PARTNERSHIPS...SYNERGY!!! Common interests, passion for a cause and the ability to truly understand another citizen often are key elements that define the difference between someone loving what they do or just getting by. The Family of FREE Network remains rooted in the belief that a core part of our mission is to assist all those who comprise our family to realize their full potential. In many cases, this meaningful outcome is only achieved if the correct match in volunteer work and/or competitive employment is realized. Hence, we remain committed to our Employment First philosophy and are so pleased to share that there continues to be exponential growth in the number and types of matches created for those we support. We hope you will continue to support this vital initiative and consider contributing directly to our continued success. Unable to create a direct opportunity for volunteerism or employment? Not to worry, we have learned we all know someone! The range of interests is vast so don't rule out any suggestion or idea. If each of us created just one opportunity we could potentially have thousands of options for those we support. Remember, Together... Creating the Right Solution for Any Need! Synergistically Yours, Robert S. Budd, President and CEO “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which they are best suited” - Napoleon Hill 2 familyres.org F R E E T I M E S SAVE THE DATE: JobExpo Talent Connection: Uniting Long Island's Top Employers With Differently-Abled Job Seekers The "Talent Connection" Job Expo will offer men and women an opportunity to discuss their skills and abilities with recruiters from key businesses on Long Island. This event will be a great opportunity for individuals to become familiar with potential employers as well as learn valuable information at our employment workshops. The day will commence with an open forum of community leaders, followed by workshops which include “Tax Credits for Businesses”, “Veterans’ Employment Issues”, “Hire Me-Interview Preparation”, and “Employment and Your Benefits”, and a Job Expo with hundreds of potential job candidates. Friday, January 30, 2015 Registration: 8:00 - 8:30 am (continental breakfast available) Forum: 9:00 - 10:30 am Workshops: 10:30 - 11:30 am Job Expo: 11:30 - 2:00 pm Hosted at: Farmingdale State College- Roosevelt Hall 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, New York Register online at: http://goo.gl/tv9FRo For questions please contact Patrice Radowitz [email protected] (516) 870-1621 or Marissa Espinoza [email protected] (516) 880-8170. Hosted by FREE and YAI We’d like to thank Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone for their support. familyres.org 3 F R E E T I M E S Employment Highlights Stanley Stanley became a part of FREE’s OMH Supported Housing in May 2013. In October 2013, Stanley completed his Peer Specialist course and began volunteering at Pilgrim Psychiatric Center earning him high praise by hospital staff members because of his dedication to patients. Most recently, Stanley was offered the position of Peer Specialist with FREE’s Enhanced Mobile Crisis Team. Stanley is excited about this new opportunity and very happy to be a part of the FREE family. Ajay Ajay currently resides in FREE’s Apartment Treatment Program. In 2009 Ajay began to attend Terry’s Place PROS Day Program at FREE. Through his continued hard work and participation he was offered the opportunity to join the work arena. In 2010 Ajay began working at Whitsons Culinary Group in Islandia. Whitson’s Culinary Group is a frozen food company in which Ajay works to prepare food shipments for delivery. Ajay works three days per week. The past four years at Whitsons has afforded Ajay the opportunity to grow in the work arena while gaining the skills to be an effective part of the Whitsons team. Ajay is recognized as a dedicated employee and continues to show consistency in this commitment which has earned him a sense of great pride. Mary Mary from FREE’s Supported Housing is a "go getter" she has always tried to work, doing odd jobs, cleaning apartments, collecting bottles, and although she is a very good worker, it had been difficult for her to find a job without transportation. This past year we fundraised money to secure a vehicle and insurance for Mary. At present Mary is working three days per week as a home health aid, and continues twice per week at FEGS-which she is getting ready to graduate from. Mary continues to help neighbors who are in our program and provides transportation when needed. Mary is a "natural" in caring for others. It is reported that her clients love her, and she is "making a difference" in someone's life. ”Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” - 4 JamiePaolinetti Allen Allen has worked for the Nassau County Court for the last 18 years in their Microfiche Department. Allen travels from Sea Cliff by public transportation to Hempstead. familyres.org F R E E T I M E S FREE is Busy Working... Who... Where... How Long... Larry Stephen Vincent Christian FREE Maintenance Bubbles Stop & Shop Dollar Tree 2010 2011 2010 2014 John Lindsay Joe McDonald’s Stop & Shop Mary Haven 2012 2012 2010 Julia John Linda Fred Stop & Shop Home Depot Bagel Shop Bescor Video 2004 1998 2012 1981 Samantha Roger Kadeem Molloy College Pt, Jefferson Volunteer Ambulance Forever 21 2014 2014 2011 Mary Dolores Gliberto Richard Home Health Aid NUMC – Records RIDES Applebee’s 2000 1999 2014 2013 Paul Caryn Amadeo Skills Unlimited, Inc. Stop & Shop UCP 2007 2000 2011 Michael Justin Travis Kathleen PROS Reception Coliseum Kitchen Stop & Shop TJ Maxx 2014 2014 2013 2000 Diane Christmas Tree Shops 2010 familyres.org 5 F R E E T I M E S Try not eating at all after dinner…but if you want something, try a hot cup of tea with stevia or a drop of honey!! If you need to munch on something, make a choice from the list above. TAKE THE SNACK CHALLENGE…..LET US KNOW HOW YOU’VE DONE!!! Please email [email protected] with your comments! 2015 TALENT CONNECTION JOB EXPO JANUARY 30, 2015 FARMINGDALE COLLEGE - ROOSEVELT HALL 24TH ANNUAL DINNER DANCE APRIL 22, 2015 CREST HOLLOW COUNTRY CLUB DISABLE THE LABEL FASHION SHOW FREE BETHPAGE APRIL 23, 2015 Snack Attack Challenge! Snacking has gotten a ‘bad rap’ because of the unhealthy choices many of us make with foods like chips and candy. We all have times during the day in between meals when we want or need to eat something! With so many choices available, and so many unhealthy choices, it’s very easy to go down the wrong path… Start with throwing out food in your kitchen that isn’t healthy (you know what those foods are!) and stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy food choices. REMEMBER: IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN... PLAN TO FAIL!! Here are some suggestions which are satisfying, healthy and under 200 calories: Low-fat yogurt and a handful of walnuts or almonds Low-fat string cheese and a few reduced-fat Triscuits Air popped popcorn Health bars that are high in protein and fiber and low in sugar Carrots and hummus Sliced organic apples and 2 TBS of peanut butter Healthy single serving soups (like Healthy Choice or Campbell’s) Weight control instant oatmeal (like Quaker Oats) The most challenging time is after dinner… that’s the time most people pack on those extra pounds. Upcoming Events 24TH ANNUAL GOLF OUTING JUNE 25, 2015 MUTTONTOWN CLUB HAIRSPRAY JUNE 5, 6, 7, 2015 BROADHOLLOW THEATER COMPANY Black Bean Chili 1 LG ONION, CHOPPED 5 CLOVES OF GARLIC, CHOPPED 2 TBS OLIVE OIL 3 CANS BLACK BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED WELL 1 28 OZ. CAN WHOLE TOMATOES, CHOPPED 1 ½ TSP CUMIN ¼ CUP FRESH CILANTRO, CHOPPED 1 TBS CHILI POWDER, OPTIONAL ¼ CUP LOW FAT SOUR CREAM Cook onions in olive oil for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add beans, tomatoes and juice, cumin and ½ cup water, stirring occasionally for about 12 minutes. Stir in cilantro, chili powder (if using) and salt to taste. Spoon chili into bowls, adding a tablespoon of sour cream on top. (If you prefer meat chili, add 1 lb. of low fat ground beef, and reduce number of cans of beans to 2 cans.) ENJOY!! EVENING UNDER THE STARS SEPTEMBER 2015 SADDLE ROCK RANCH WIZARD OF OZ NOVEMBER 13, 14, 15, 2015 BROADHOLLOW THEATER COMPANY Amazon Smile Every time you shop with amazon smile a portion of your purchase is donated to Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. Buy the items you need and support a good cause at the same time! Type smile.amazon.com into your browser and select Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. as the charity! Parents Perspective Hello, my name is Ondina Garcia, I am the mother of Eddy Garcia. Eddy graduated from high school in June 2013. He was employed at The Ramada Inn at that time, working in maintenance. Eddy stopped working there in November 2013 as he was informed business was slow. He was referred to FREE's Supported Employment Program in May of this year. Eddy was eager to start working and was seeking a position in maintenance again. Job Coaches, Alanna Cameron and Jeannine Corsini began the search with Eddy to find him a job where he would gain confidence and enjoy the opportunity to learn new tasks. In the month of June, the Job Coach brought Eddy to Best Yet Market, which is a mile away from our home. The manager was friendly and open to having Eddy work at the store. There were no openings at the time but the manager told Eddy's Job Coach to keep in contact with him 'until something opened up.' In August, there was an opening for Eddy and the manager wanted him to start working immediately. Eddy was excited about the opportunity and was looking forward to starting. Eddy has been working at Best Market for three months now and is really enjoying his job. I am very happy with Eddy's employment and I am thankful to FREE's Supported Employment team for placing Eddy in a job close to home and that he enjoys going to. Eddy is happy working at Best Yet Market and it is building his confidence. He is now working four days a week and his job responsibilities are, putting away carts, managing the bottle machine, and maintenance inside the store. Eddy told me, "I have three friends at my job that I enjoy talking with." I am excited to see my son excel, feel comfortable and accepted by his managers and co-workers. 6 familyres.org F R E E T I M E S Did you Know? • The Association for Community Living (ACL) held their 2nd Annual Mental Health Recovery Event at FREE. • Christopher Long has written a book Swimming in a Pool of Peanut Butter from the perspective of his own children and graciously donated all proceeds from the book to FREE’s youth service division . • FREE’s very own Jessica “Big Guns” Gallone put the gloves on for the 11th Annual LI Fight for Charity event. • Individuals attending Day Services East (DSE) made and donated over 1,000 Wheelchair Buddies - allowing nursing home and assisted living residents on Long Island to hold their personal items on wheelchairs and walkers. • The FREE All Star basketball team took on the Harlem Wizards to raise money for FREE. • FREE partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension to launch a weekly farm stand in East Meadow, selling organic vegetables grown by the men and women at The Farm at St. Joseph’s in Brentwood. • FREE hosts movie screening of Kings Park an American Mental Institution with filmmaker Lucy Winer. • In October, the 37th Annual Celebration of Life Gala, emceed by Kristin Thorne, honored Samantha P. Miller from the Zeitgeist Foundation, Celebrating Youth Leadership. • FREE Celebrated National Coming Out Day in October. 37th Annual Celebration of Life Gala FREE Players Drumline - Columbus Day Parade Advocacy at FREE The definition of “Advocacy” is the action or process of supporting a cause. Advocacy at FREE plays many roles… our men and women learning to advocate for themselves, families advocating for their family member and legislative advocacy. The Self-Advocacy Department at FREE provides education, training and guidance to the men and women we serve, encouraging them to become strong self-advocates and future leaders. Individuals are taught about their rights and responsibilities and encouraged to express their opinions at various venues. Our men and women have advocated at St. Joseph’s College, Suffolk County Community College, The Staller Center at Stony Brook University and in Albany with our elected legislators to speak to people about their challenges and experiences. Another advocacy component is legislative action. With our elected officials, we raise awareness of services offered and discuss accomplishments our men and women have achieved. One-on-one meetings, participation in lobby days, calls and letter writing campaigns by families, self-advocates and our team members play an important role in educating our elected officials, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding the budget and policy changes. Many legislators visit our programs, attend our events and meet with representatives from FREE when we are in Albany, Washington, D.C., and locally in their home districts. An example of the power of advocacy is the amazing victory for the many family members, individuals and staff who advocated passionately and relentlessly for the restoration bill last year for OPWDD services. The bill passed the Assembly and Senate unanimously. Our voices were heard! FREE has established an active, involved Family Advocacy group whose focus is varied. Families are there to support each other, to support and advocate for their family member and to support FREE by communicating with legislators. Currently a main focus of our Family Advocacy group involves working with FREE to create a healthier, more active environment for our loved ones. When our Family advocates brought this initiative to FREE administrators, they took an active role in supporting our idea. They began health and nutritional training of staff and hired a recreation specialist familyres.org to encourage our men and women to become more active. Our voices were heard again! Advocacy benefits EVERYONE! If you would like to get more involved with any of the branches of advocacy mentioned in this article, please contact Mickey Michaels by email at: [email protected] or 516-870-1600, ext. 1694. FREE to Be FREE To BE is a community of men and women with disabilities who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT). The support network is dedicated to socialization, advocacy and education while providing a safe, engaging space for LGBTQ individuals, families, staff, friends and allies. We have established a partnership with The Long Island GLBT Network. We provide inspirational guest speakers, workshops, open discussion, social events and educational and support services. Meetings occur on the last Tuesday of the month and our next meeting with be on January 27th in Bethpage @ 4:30pm. For more information, contact Claire Miller (516.870.1645) or at [email protected]. The generosity of many Valued Team Members has offered Treasure Town the opportunity to support over 650 Valued Team Members since 2009. Get Involved! Sign Up! Application available on the Intranet or contact [email protected] 7 F R E E T I M E S What Will Your Legacy Be? It’s easy to Create a Charitable Legacy that Lives Forever and Fulfills Your Desires to Improve the Lives of Others! The National Foundation for Human Potential (NFHP) is proud to provide direct financial support to Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), the Family of FREE Network Affiliates as well as other organizations which promote educational, residential and support services for people in need. All gifts made to NFHP for the benefit of FREE and the Family of FREE Network Affiliates are overseen by NFHP to ensure 100% of these directed funds meet the donor's intentions. Many of you have already established a Special Needs Trust (SNT) for your loved one(s). SNT’s are great planning tools to take care of the “extra” things in life your loved one require which are not covered by various programs which support the individual. If you do not have a Special Needs Trust please contact Nancy Cohen and we will be happy to send you information. Also, did you know that if the SNT was funded with third party funds (funds from a parent, a friend or other relatives, etc.) you may leave funds (partial or full) from the SNT as a charitable gift to FREE? Please call Nancy Cohen, Vice President - Development and Mission Advancement, at 516-870-1612 if you have questions on these ideas or want to know what other type of Planned Gifts are available for your needs. The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. -William James Vocational Grants Awarded • AT&T Foundation – to support college and career readiness program for at-risk youth for Adelante of Suffolk County - $10,000 • Autism Speaks – Helping Hands Team Extreme to provide adolescents an “Intro To Work” experience - $2,800 • New York State Bar Association – to support our summer intern program - $5,000 • NYS Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) Innovation Fund – to address barriers to long term services & supports for 100 individuals $530,069 • NYS Balancing Incentive Program(BIP) Mobile Crisis – to enhance mobile crisis services in Suffolk County - $ 599,041 Lenz Wine Label One of our FREE artists, Laura Levy, designed a label for wine bottles for the Lenz Winery, which were giveaways at this year’s Gala in October 2014. FREE, headquartered in Old Bethpage, benefits more than 4,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness or traumatic brain injury and their families each year. 8 Connect with Us on Facebook! 516-870-1600 familyres.org familyres.org