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.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2020

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Many of the symptoms of breast cancer are invisible and not noticeable without a professional screening like a mammogram or ultrasound. But some symptoms can be caught early just by looking out for certain changes in your breasts and being proactive about your breast health.

In honor of National Breast Cancer Month, we’d like to share the National Breast Cancer Foundation LLC’s Know the Symptoms guide. It provides a checklist of symptoms that will help you know what to look for in your breasts during a self-exam and take note of the important information to provide your doctor to guide them in their professional evaluation of your health. Know what to look for when checking your breasts by getting this free guide.

Reused and Exchanged Equipment Partnership Award 2020-2021

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We are excited to announce that we have been awarded a contract for the Reused and Exchanged Equipment Partnership (REEP) for 2020-2021 through TechOwl and Temple University. This grant allows us to run our ReUse It program that accepts and redistributes medical equipment and assistive technology to Pennsylvanians with disabilities and the elderly for free.

Between our efforts and the efforts of other Reuse partners, over 3,100 equipment exchanges have taken place across Pennsylvania in the last twelve months.

Due to Covid-19, our ReUse It efforts had to be put on hold for about 3 months in the 2019-2020 award year. However, we have been preparing to build the program and increase our donations in the years to come. If you have any questions about the ReUse It program or would like to see a list of available inventory, please visit our website.

Facts About the Flu

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How to Prevent the Flu? – Want to avoid spending the winter curled up with a pile of tissues and painkillers?  The single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each fall before the season begins in November.  While getting your annual flu shot can’t offer total protection, it will greatly reduce your chances of contracting this potentially deadly virus – or passing it on to someone else.

Who should get the shot? – The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive a flu shot.  The vaccine is especially important for people at higher risk of complications from the flu: pregnant women, people with certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, people who live with or care for infants, adults age 65 and older, and children ages 5 and younger.

Some people should NOT receive a flu shot without first speaking with their health care provider, including those who:  Have had a bad reaction to the flu shot in the past, are allergic to chicken eggs, or have a fever on the day they are scheduled for a flu shot. If you believe you may be at increased risk for developing flu complications, talk with your doctor!

https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/facts-about-the-flu

PARTICIPANT HIGHLIGHT- Evelyn Goehres

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Here at AUCP, we like to showcase our participants because they are the reason why we’re able to do what we do. We are so excited to introduce you to Evelyn Goehres. Evelyn lives in Johnstown, Pa and has been a participant of AUCP since 2008.

Originally from Michigan, Evelyn has moved around the United States throughout her life. From living in New Mexico to Ohio, and now in Pennsylvania. Traveling is something Evelyn has always loved to do and if she could go anywhere, she’d love to visit England where her family originates from. She is a mother of 4 and has multiple grandchildren. She loves to read, specifically historical and mystery. She also enjoys being outdoors camping, swimming, boating, and riding her new bike (pictured).

One of her favorite memories was living in the countryside on a farm in Michigan as a child. The thought of being surrounded by trees, hills, and a pond fills her with joy. She even had her own pony, Ginger (aka Spunk)!

While talking with Evelyn, one can instantly sense her joy. She says she was born happy. Although she has struggled with her mental health, she does not let it stop her. It can be a daily challenge, but she continues to work on bettering herself and her life. Evelyn’s AUCP Service Coordinator, Corri, sums it up by saying “Evelyn is a joy to assist and remains positive despite any obstacles that are thrown her way!”

August Staff Highlight

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For June, we would like to introduce you to Amanda Urban as our staff highlight. Amanda is a Lead Service Coordinator on our UPMC Community HealthChoices team serving the Bedford and Somerset counties. She is from Berlin, PA, and is the oldest of 3 children in a family of five, plus 2 fur-children of her own (pictured).

Some of her favorite activities include going to farmer’s markets, thrifting and repurposing furniture, cooking, and baking. Her biggest goal in life is to simply love her life.
Amanda attended the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown to receive her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She says that if she was not in the social work field, she would work with dogs owning her own grooming business.

Amanda has been a Service Coordinator at AUCP for a year and a half. Her favorite part of working here is the people that she interacts with daily and that no day is ever the same. The most challenging part of her job is organizing the chaos that comes along with the job.

Her supervisors and coworkers always have wonderful things to say about her.  Amanda is diligent and organized. Always willing to go out of her way to assist her coworkers, serve her community, and provide well-thought feedback. We are so glad to have Amanda as part of our family.

July Staff Highlight

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This month, we are excited to introduce you to Service Coordinator, Jennifer Myers. Jenny has been a Service Coordinator for a total of 13 years. 3 years at AUCP and 10 with South Central Service Coordination before we merged with their agency. In 2007 she moved to Shippensburg, PA from a small town in Maryland. She currently serves the South Central, PA area.

Jenny and her husband, Sam, have been married for 11 years. She has 3 step-children that are now all grown and are living in various states from California, Idaho, to Pennsylvania. Together Jenny and Sam have 2 dogs (pictured below) that are like children and keep them on their toes.

Jenny enjoys being outside doing things like camping, hiking, kayaking, gardening, and then resting by picking up a book and reading. Her biggest goal in life is to be happy with whatever road she takes in life and keep her family near.

If she wasn’t a Service Coordinator, Jenny would like to be a Marine Biologist working with whales, dolphins, seals, and the like. Her favorite part about working at AUCP is meeting the participants and building friendships with them. The most challenging part is when one of her participants passes away. She says it has been a great pleasure working at AUCP. Everyone shows great teamwork and stands by each other and supports each other.

Jenny has been a phenomenal addition to our company. She is able to connect with her participants in a very unique way. She always makes it a point to go above and beyond for the coworkers and team. We are so glad to have her as part of our work family.

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.

June Staff Highlight

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June’s Staff Highlight is Tom Lawson, a Programs Manager here at AUCP for the OLTL and Adult Autism Waiver programs. Originally from Western New York, Tom moved to New Jersey when he was 21, and last June he relocated to Ligonier, PA. For college, he attended State University of New York (York) majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Law, Justice, and Society.

Tom and his “saint” of a wife, Wendy, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary last month. They have a 19 year-old son, Jared, who just completed his Freshman year at the University of Alabama. They also have a 4 year-old husky named Truman who keeps them active.

Tom would describe himself as a sports “junkie,” specifically of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Indians and the Buffalo Bills. If he’s not watching sports on T.V. or live with his friends, he might be watching the Weather Channel or ALF. He is also a fan of music, both listening to and attending concerts. He saw Metallica twice last year in a three day span!

His biggest goal in life is to be the best father to Jared and husband to Wendy that he can be. He likes to make people smile and bring humor to as many aspects of life that he can. Tom also finds fulfillment in serving his community, whether it is serving meals on Thanksgiving, coaching youth hockey, or being active with a Bulldog Rescue.

His dream job would be  to work as the General Manager of a sports team and put together a group of players with a common goal of winning a championship. His favorite part of working at AUCP is being able to meet so many awesome people and to see great work done on a daily basis by our dedicated employees. Since relocating here from New Jersey, the biggest challenge has been getting to know all the nuances of the programs. Yet, he says he has great people to rely on for guidance!

Tom is a fun and energetic leader here at AUCP. He is always making us laugh and is willing to go out of his way to support staff and our participants. We are glad that he is part of our team and for his role in enhancing the quality and culture of our agency.

Ways to Connect While Staying at Home

As you know, staying at home and avoiding crowds is necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but it can lead to difficult emotions. If you or a loved one is starting to feel the effects of being confined at home, try these suggestions for connecting with others during the outbreak.

  1. Schedule virtual visits with friends and family.
    • With apps like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and HouseParty you are able to live chat with the people that mean the most to you from anywhere in the world!
  2. Play your favorite games online.
    • Using sites like Arkadium.com or apps downloaded on your smartphone, you can play your favorite games.
  3. Attend virtual events.
    • Sites like Facebook, Youtube, and AllEvents.in offer the capability to hear about live streamed events from around the world that you can watch from the comfort of your own home.
  4. Communicate the old-fashioned way.
    • If you don’t have access to smartphones or computers, consider sending a hand-written letter or card to loved ones instead. If you like to volunteer, letter-writing can also be used to spread messages of hope. There are a number of different nonprofits that are accepting letters to send to people all over the world.

Finding ways to stay connected with others during the Coronavirus can be challenging. Try using these strategies to feel less isolated and to stay connected with loved ones and others around the world.

Sources: EraLiving.com | Gero.usc.edu