Highmark Walk 2023!

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The 2023 Highmark Walk officially kicks-off February 1st! This year will mark our 8th year participating and each year we are so incredibly thankful for the support we receive from our partners, friends, and community. We expect 2023 to be no different. Below you will find more information about how you can support AUCP in the 2023 Highmark Walk in reaching our total goal of $7,500!

Here’s what to do:

  • Register: This is the first step towards supporting AUCP, follow the links below:
  • Share: Support from outside agencies and individuals is our biggest help when it comes to the Highmark Walk. Start sharing about the walk with your coworkers, friends, and family. Get them excited about joining your team!
  • Recruit: Grow your team by asking friends and family to walk with you!
  • Stay tuned: Visit us on Facebook to stay up-to-date.

“Be the Future Scholarship” AUCP’s Fund will award $1000 to two local high school students.

For four years prior to the pandemic, Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy had offered a “Be the Future Scholarship” for a total of $1,000 that go to two high school seniors, that will continue their studies and pursue a career in the field of human services (i.e. social work, special education, occupational therapy, etc) at an accredited 4 or 2-year school or a student living with a disability.

We are proud to announce that AUCP will be once again resurrecting the scholarship to be awarded to two high school seniors from the graduating class of 2023.

It is preferred that applicants have at least a 3.0 GPA. However, the GPA is not a strict requirement, AUCP’s hope is to see these scholarships offered to students that might not receive other scholarships. Additionally, the students must have a financial need.

AUCP’s Be the Future Scholarships are funded by the AUCP Community Fund which sponsors the scholarship and other numerous community needs.

Our goal is that these scholarships will make an impact on the future of the young adults in our communities. Over the 4 years (prior to the pandemic), a total of $8,000 has been awarded to 8 different students.

For questions regarding the scholarship or to donate to the fund, please contact Dan Hockenberry at 814-915-4055 or dhockenberry@scalucp.org.

Giving to Frontline Workers

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Recently, our agency had the opportunity to donate to a great cause, providing a small token of appreciation to the doctors and nurses who work tirelessly in the ICU at Conemaugh Hospital.  With our assistance and members of the community, 75 gift bags were provided in just three days.

Foster Love Project Donation Drive

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Throughout the month of September, we held a donation drive for the Foster Love Project in Pittsburgh. The Foster Love Project is a donation center that doubles as a “store” for foster kids and parents. Since 2014, they have provided 12,000 placement bags that are used to ensuring that kids are able to take a bag of new belongings with them when they change homes. Additionally, they have had around 2,000 kids come through the center where they are able to shop for clothing, toiletries, toys, and other necessities!

AUCP staff participated in the donation drive by purchasing items off of an Amazon wishlist. The agency agreed to double their donations, plus $100. We ended up donating over $800 worth of items (shoes, toys, and toiletries, etc.)

On October 15th, we made the trip to their facility in Pittsburgh to drop off the donations. While there, they gave us a tour of their facility and allowed us to take a few videos to take all of you on a little virtual tour. We invite you to watch the video here on Facebook.

If you would like to learn more about the Foster Love Project, volunteer, or make a donation, visit their website. They are always looking for support in order to continue providing love in action to foster youth.

Serving Our Community

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Here at AUCP we are passionate about making an impact on our community in big ways and in small. So, when an opportunity arises we are  honored to be able to volunteer to support our community in any way we can.

In May and June, staff from the Johnstown area volunteered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank distributing boxes of food to members of the community in the parking lot of the Galleria Mall. They were able to help distribute close to 2,000 boxes of food to community members in need. Both days were full of smiles and laughter had by all!

For more information on how the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is helping their neighbors in receiving much needed food assistance, visit their website.

AUCP Announces 2020 Scholarship Recipients

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For the second year, Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy offered two $1,000 scholarships to Pennsylvania graduating seniors. The 2020 recipients have been announced by their schools and we are pleased to introduce them to you: Emily P. Sherry from Central Cambria HS and Brandon Augustine from South Western HS.

Both students have plans to go into nursing and we know how important it is to support our current and future front-line workers. Thank you, Emily and Brandon, for choosing to make a lifetime commitment of ensuring the health of your community. We wish you the best of luck in all that you do.

AUCP also thanks all of our generous donors for making it possible to present these two $1,000 scholarships to Brandon and Emily. You are helping us make an impact on the future for these young adults.

If you would like to help us continue providing scholarships for future graduating high school students, you can do so by making a donation towards our Community Fund, learn more here.

All-Staff Meeting December

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On Friday, December 6th, all of our staff from across the state came to our Johnstown office for a quarterly Service Coordination meeting. The day was full of agency updates, socializing with fellow coworkers, and a special presentation from motivational speaker Jeff Corle (pictured above right) from Windber, PA. We also recognized 6 staff members for their one-year anniversary (pictured above left) and celebrated the holidays with an Ugly Christmas sweater contest and games. A special thank you to our staff for their hard work and dedication to our participants!

Holiday Blessings 2020

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Alleghenies United Cerebral Palsy (AUCP) celebrates the holidays by sponsoring a Holiday Blessings initiative to help individuals in our local communities and our participants. Each year our service coordinators and members of our community are invited to submit applications for families that may be in need of extra assistance during the holiday season.

It was our pleasure to be able to sponsor each of the four families that were nominated this year. AUCP provide financial assistance paying towards utility bills and purchasing gift cards for each of the four families of up to $1,000 per family. Additionally, gifts were presented to the families that were purchased by our staff members through a Giving Tree system.

One of the recipients, a single dad to two young daughters, could not believe that he was nominated and chosen. He wasn’t able to buy many Christmas gifts for his girls this year and he felt like a “weight was lifted” and was so relieved that his daughters won’t be disappointed in “Santa” this year.

Another family was nominated by their Service Coordinator because she could see that they were going through a hard time this year, both physically and financially. When presented with their blessing neither mom nor dad could believe it and their three year-old was so excited about all his gifts!

Having the opportunity to spread a little holiday cheer to our community brings us so much joy and seeing the response of families when they receive their gifts is truly a blessing to us. We would like to thank each individual and agency that has provided any type of support to our Community Fund and our staff that purchased gifts for the families. It is because of you that we are able to bless our community in these ways.

Pick Your Passion AUCP – The Learning Lamp

On Wednesday, November 27th Kala Penrose visited The Learning Lamp in Johnstown, PA to spend the day with children between the ages of 3-9 to teach them about individuals with disabilities. “I wanted to take the time with children from 3-9 years old and talk to them about disabilities and show them the amazing things people that have different abilities can do.”

Thanks for taking the time to teach youth about such an important topic Kala!

#PickYourPassionAUCP

Pick Your Passion AUCP – Johnstown Christian School

On Thursday, November 21st Kayla and Sam went to Johnstown Christian School to serve. Throughout the day they organized packets, assisted in cleaning classrooms, and ran centers in pre-school.

Thanks for serving ladies!

#PickYourPassionAUCP