December 2011
Monthly Family Communication
Helping Hand Center in the News & Community Outreach
Helping Hand Center's New CILA in the News
The local press ran a nice story about our new home opening in the LaGrange Highlands:
Helping Hand Center's newest house becomes a home
Helping Hand Center Donation
Helping Hand Center was in the news announcing a wonderful new donation. Check it out!
Helping Hand receives a boost
Cub Scouts and Helping Hand Clients
Our residential adult clients enjoyed a pizza and bingo night with a local boy scout troop at the Wellness Center. This social event was enjoyed by all. The scouts and their families gained a better understanding about disabilities and learned more about Helping Hand Center. Thank you to the staff who made this a great event for all!
Helping Hand Center Program Updates
DHS Bureau of Quality Management Yearly Review
The Department of Human Services reviewed Helping Hand Center this past month. The review team did a complete review on group homes as well as our Polices and Procedures. We are so pleased that overall the reviewers were extremely complimentary of the organization and quality of work that was presented. We received a 94% overall for the agency! Thank you to all the staff that have worked so hard to make sure that everything was in place for this year's review. They really went above and beyond to make sure our services remained high quality. This included late nights and weekends to get the work done. We are so proud of our team and the work we do everyday... they are amazing!
Success in School!
We are pleased to announce another student in our School for Children with Autism is transitioning back to their home school! This is because of their success in our program in reaching their developmental goals. Another great success!
Volunteer News
Our dedicated Helping Hand Center Volunteers have had a busy month! We continue to bring in and train new volunteers. In the last month, two of our volunteers were hired as staff – one in the School for Children with Autism and the other in the After Hours Special Recreation Program. Welcome!
A group of volunteers from St. John of the Cross jumped on a residential clean-up project and went well above and beyond our expectations. Bill Bright, Director of Outreach with St. John of the Cross, assembled and led over 30 volunteers, and in three weeks, cleaned, painted, replaced appliances, added furniture, and replaced blinds and shutters. Most importantly, they made this house a very comfortable home for the clients who will be moving in soon. A very special thanks to the kindness and generosity of the St. John of the Cross group!
Art groups from the Highlands Middle School and Brook Park School helped to prepare the ornaments made by our kids for the Christmas Tree at Brookfield Zoo. Thank you!
Two dedicated volunteers have spent hours organizing the books in the Children Services Library. After sorting through a large donation of books from Borders, they are preparing the library for the kids so they can “check out the books.” Thank you for your organization and time!
Over 80 volunteers have signed up to help us in December with our Craft Fair, the Children Services Holiday Party, and the Adult Services Holiday Party. Again, thank you for your time and support.
Joyous Holiday Celebrations
Helping Hand Center has been very busy with the holidays. At the annual Holiday Program, family and friends were treated to live performances from the clients, followed by a wonderful lunch for all. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season. We have a number of talented performers at Helping Hand Center! And the staff did a fantastic job "behind the scenes," making sure it was a great day for everyone!
The Helping Hand Center Family Association hosted its own wonderful Holiday luncheon recently. It was a great combination of elegance and fun! A full orchestra performed beautiful holiday music while families, friends, and clients reconnected. All was followed by energetic DJ music and dancing. Another wonderful holiday celebration; we cannot thank the Family Association enough for all their hard work in making this a joyous occasion for all!
Family Association Members
Speaking of the Family Association - why don't you join! It is a great way to support Helping Hand Center and our clients. Annual membership starts or renews in January. We will be mailing information out soon. Please contact us at Helping Hand Center if you have any questions.
Donations and Grants
Everyday, we receive donations to our organization. Thank you to all who give to Helping Hand Center - the support is wonderful and very much needed as we continue our quality programs and services! The following organizations and individuals recently provided donations to Helping Hand Center:
Mr. & Mrs. John Andrzewski
Mr. & Mrs. James Appleton
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Azark
Mr. & Mrs. Gus Baldwin
Ms. Grace Berry
Ms. Pamela Angeloni
Ms. Rose Bezouska
Ms. Mary Binder
Mr. & Mrs. Jim Bone
Ms. Nancy Boyle
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Breen
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas R. Brooks
Comfort 'N Spice, LLC
Community Memorial Foundation
Ms. Grace C. Conolly
Mr. & Mrs. James Coogan
Mr. & Mrs. Michael P. Cusick
DeVries Grocery & Meat Market
Ms. Glenda W. Duncan
Mr. & Mrs. David Dunn
Ms. Myrtle L. Egan
First Congregational
Church of LaGrange |
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Flynn
Frank Novotny & Associates, Inc.
Friends of the Brookfield Public Library
Ms. Olga I. Gardas
Mr. Matt Guidice
Mr. Tom Guidice
Mr. & Mrs. William Hannon
Ms. Marilyn Harrington
Ms. Mary Beth Hepp
Mr. & Mrs. John Hesselgrave
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth T. Hilger
House of Color
Ms. Elayne Ihnchak
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Janus
Ms. Stella M. Krueger
LaGrange Lock
Mr Daniel R. Larisey
Mr. & Mrs. Albert Lawson
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Leone
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Lilburn
Magic Wok Incorporated
Ms. Metta Marrello |
Ms. Lynn Marie Spence
Mr. & Mrs. Joe R. Milburn
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Novak
Mr. & Mrs. Bob O'Malley
Mr. & Mrs. Tim Phelan
Mr. & Mrs. Kazys Razma
Ms. Monica Rehwaldt
Ms. Kelly Rehwaldt
Rose Pest Solutions
Mr. & Mrs. James Ryva
Mr. & Mrs. Shahrooz Sepahdari
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Shaughnessy
Ms. Tracy B. Shaw
Ms. Patricia Sizemore
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Smetana
Ms. Lilylee C. Smithwick
Ms. Juanita M. Starr
Mr. Charles Taylor
Ms. Mary Ellen Thatcher
Mr. & Mrs. Anton Uljanic
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Voigt
Ms. Marion B. Zobjeck |
Events
2012 Helping Hand Center Gala & Auction
Gala planning is moving along. Mark your calendars for March 10th, 2012 for this year's Helping Hand Center Gala & Auction. We are busy securing fabulous items for the auctions and getting sponsors for this event. Please contact Carolyn Kline, ext. 280, or Lauren Narducci, ext. 293, if you would like to sponsor the event or make a donation.
Mary Beth Hepp
Helping Hand Center Executive Director |
