CHANGING

LIVES

Spring 2014

A NEWSLETTER OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES DISABILITIES SERVICES IN THIS ISSUE:

ST. THOMAS VOLUNTEER DAY A big thank you to the St. Thomas the Apostle Students for volunteering with Catholic Charities!

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AARON WINS HVCC AWARD Aaron Klob, who receives supports from CCDS, won the Spirit Award from Hudson Valley Community College. Read more about his journey.

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From Anne’s Desk Anne Ogden, Executive Director

Next month, I celebrate my three year anni-versary in the role as executive direc-tor. The last three years have been challenging within

the disabilities field; however, I am proud to say that our workforce has risen to meet the challenges of our changing land-scape of service delivery. Over this time, expectations for excellence and in-creased responsibilities of direct sup-port professionals has grown in New York State. These are good areas for raising the bar; however, the drive to curtail expenditures coming from the federal and state governments has added additional challenges to our work. I appreciate the fiscal reality, but do not believe that people with disabilities, their families, and the voluntary sector should shoulder a disproportionate burden in respond-ing to the current fiscal situation. At CCDS, we have done our best to cut

costs where possible and invest in our services and workforce as we are able. On Tuesday, February 11, 2014, I was pleased to provide testimony on behalf of the NYS Developmental Disabilities Com-mittee of the Council on Catholic Charities Directors, at the 2014-15 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Mental Hygiene. We advocated for the transition of employ-ment supports for individuals ready for employment opportunities, the additional funding needed for development of ser-vices, especially for those with aging care-givers, and the restoration of cost-of-living increases for direct support professionals. My testimony can be viewed on our web-site, www.ccdservices.org At CCDS, we have been efficient, produc-

tive, and have not lost focus on the fact

that the most important people in the

agency are the ones that we support. We

will continue to sustain and improve our

quality, operate efficiently, and advocate

for the needs of those we support.

Changing Lives

AN AGENCY OF:

St. Thomas Volunteer Day

Students Assemble Valentine’s Day Care Packages A Big Thank You to Mrs. Ridzi’s Fifth Grade Class!

UPCOMING EVENTS – JOIN US!

Hop Into Spring Event: April 17, 2014, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm A fun spring break event is being held for the children served by CCDS.

There will be a DJ, dancing and crafts, siblings are also invited. It will be held at the Albany Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall, 375 On-

tario St, Albany, NY 12237. There is no cost but RSVP and adult supervision is required. RSVP at ccdservices.org

Volunteer Day at CCDS: May 18, 2014 Come join us for the Second Annual Catholic Charities Disabilities Services Volunteer Day. The

goal of this day is to harness the power of volunteers to enhance the “curb appeal” of some of our fifteen residential locations. For

more information contact Jeff Covington at jeffc@ccdservices.org or at 724-1790.

Visit our website www.ccdservices.org for more information

A big “Thank You” to the fifth grade

students of St. Thomas the Apostle

School in Delmar, NY! They came to

our administrative offices and put to-

gether Valentine’s Day care packages

for some of our clients. This was part

of the school’s day of volunteering,

and we couldn’t be happier to have

their help.

CHANGING LIVES | Catholic Charities Disabilities Services 2 CHANGING LIVES | Catholic Charities Disabilities Services 3

South Africa is a country of beauty and enchantment. The people and the music have a unique way of sticking with you and welcoming you back again and again. I have returned to South Africa many times and have built strong relationships with a primary school, an orphanage, and a family who have become part of my own family. Over the years, I have wit-nessed wonderful changes and watched many children grow into young adults.

My parents and I have taken students from Hartwick College to South Africa for the past 18 years. My mother, Dr. Connie Anderson, Anthropology Professor at Hartwick, and my father, Dr. Craig Bielert, Psychology Professor at Oneonta State, lived in South Africa from 1978 to 1986. They met there during their research projects; then married and had children.

My family and I moved to Oneonta, NY in January 1986 at the height of South Afri-ca’s liberation struggle against apartheid. My sisters and I had never seen snow, so we quickly realized that New York was going to be a big change. We befriended a South African Hartwick student, Sandile Sayedwa, who became a very close family friend. All of us cried together watching Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in

1990 and began trying to return.

It took a few years and a lot of planning before the first trip by Hartwick College to South Africa in 1997. The col-lege has sent students every January since. It is amazing to realize that we have taken almost 400 students over the years.

The students who go come from a variety of backgrounds and majors. The majority come back declaring that it was a life-changing experience that they will re-member forever. A few have returned to work or settle in South Africa. Dr. Luke Sinwell first went in 2002 and is now a professor at the University of Johannes-burg; a recent graduate, Erika Mohr, is an epidemiologist in a tuberculosis research foundation in Johannesburg. Many other students have returned for internships.

The orphanage we work with is in a very rural area of KwaZulu Natal. The children are from a few weeks to 18 years old. Almost 50% are HIV+ and have faced tre-mendous trials. We donate clothes, sports equipment, school supplies, first-aid kits, toys and money. It has been wonderful to see many of these children grow into independent young adults in university or jobs.

The primary school we visit is located in Soweto, a black township southwest of Johannesburg. Each year the school wel-comes and entertains our students with dances, songs, skits and other activities. Some of our students returned to com-plete their student teaching there. We provide school supplies, books and mon-ey.

I am blessed to be a part of this wonder-ful educational experience. I get tremen-dous satisfaction from introducing stu-dents to a country that I know and love. This is a palpable experience that they remember for their entire lives. Concom-itantly, it’s heart-warming to see firsthand the positive impact we and our students have had on the school, the orphanage, and our Shangani extended family in South Africa.

Troy Bielert, MS, is a Service Coordinator for Catholic Charities Disabilities Services.

Troy Bielert, second from left, and Dr. Luke Sinwell, second from right, with South African Friends

South Africa A Catholic Charities Disabilities Services Employee reflects on his time volunteering in Africa.

By Troy Bielert, Service Coordinator

Aaron Klob Receives Spirit Award from HVCC By Troy Bielert, Service Coordinator

Aaron Klob is a freshman at Hudson Valley Community

College (HVCC) and lives with his family in Colonie. He is

interested in computers and information technology. Aa-

ron has had tremendous success and received the Spirit

Award from the learning center at HVCC this past fall. Aa-

ron is extremely hard-working and driven. The interview

with Aaron provides a glimpse into the obstacles he had to

overcome, the hopes he has for the future, and advice he

would give to other individuals deciding about whether or

not to go to College.

Question: What are some of the biggest challenges

you’ve faced at HVCC?

Answer: “Mostly the reading. There is a lot of reading and

comprehension can be difficult. I sometimes have to read a

paragraph a few times to completely understand it. Getting

assignments done can be challenging and takes a lot of time”.

Aaron has overcome this by working harder. Aaron is also a

great advocate for himself and understands his limitations. He

receives a tremendous amount of support from his mother,

Sharon. Aaron has learned to follow-up with his professors for

clarification and understanding. He utilizes an e-book reader

which cuts down on how long it takes to get things done. The

CAAT (Center for Access and Assistive Technology) provides

Aaron with tutors, note-takers, and additional time for tests.

Question: What motivates you to do the work?

Answer: “I am motivated to get the work done so that I can get

free time on the weekend. I also want to get a good job, make

money, and lease an SUV.”

Question : What types of things do you do for enjoyment and

release?

Answer : “I enjoy playing games on my phone and checking on

other apps if I have a free moment on Campus.”

Question: What are your goals for the future?

Answer: “I want to graduate, take a few months off, get an IT

job, and have my Mom drive me to my first week of

work.” (Aaron received his driver’s license this fall, and is anx-

iously awaiting modifications to be completed with a car so he

can drive on his own.)

Question: What advice would you give to people contem-

plating College?

Answer: “They are going to be pushed, but it depends on the

major. I think that everyone should try it and not doubt them-

selves. You don’t know if you will be successful until you try.

However, it’s also important to not take too many courses all

at once. They should also take full advantage of the supports

available. I couldn’t do it without my supports.”

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to get to know Aaron

and his family over the past year that I have worked with them

as Aaron’s service coordinator. Aaron has a zeal for life which is

contagious and inspiring. He has a bright future ahead of him

and I look forward to following his progress. I was thrilled that

he could take time out of his busy schedule to talk with me.

We’re fortunate to hear wonderful stories about our work and the

difference it makes in the lives of our clients and their families.

One such letter came to Kim Yetto, our Director of Service Coordi-

nation. It touched our hearts, speaking of the bond that our

workers form with their families. We wanted to share an

excerpt:

“I’d like to share my success story with you and others. First of

all, thank you so much for the wonderful services my son Ricky

has received… it was a very hard and long road for us. Denise

[Ducatte, Service Coordinator for Catholic Charities] came into

our life in 2011. We were hit by a horrible flooding which devas-

tated us badly. A family took my son in temporarily but it ended

sadly… I called Denise and cried my heart out. She guided me

through all this mess. Denise has been my inspiration to me and

my son, and I’ve gotten the help my son deserves. [Catholic Char-

ities] has helped provide a big brother or sister for Ricky to go out

and socialize to learn what to do when in public or to learn to

work with other students. I am proud to say my son now has a

driver’s license and has been a volunteer firefighter of two years

and is loving every minute of it. Denise has been an Angel to us.”

RECOGNITION CORNER

Congratulations to Susan LeMorta, RN, who is the latest CCDS Snap-shots in Excellence Award Winner! Nurse Sue received two nominations and we are very pleased to see her win. Sue is the RN for many of the IRA programs.

Aaron at the Hudson Valley Community College Campus

The Best Letter…

CCDS Seeks Council on Quality

and Leadership Accreditation

CQL has been in business for over 40 years and has provided international leadership in

designing progressive practices in services for individuals with ID/DD. Based upon the

principles of self-direction, community, and personal quality of life, they have devel-

oped performance indicators and improvement methods. We are pleased to have

stared the journey for accreditation at CCDS. Find out more at www.ccdservices.org.