The Imagine! Foundation's blog is designed to keep donors, consumers and their families, colleagues, and friends up to date on recent donations, grants we've received, programs we're involved in, and the people who make the Foundation work. We hope you will suggest topics you would like to see here. We look forward to hearing from you!
Today we’d like to send a big “thank you” to the Qualcomm Foundation for supporting Qualcomm employee volunteers who donated their time to Imagine! as part of the QCares Experience.
“Qualcomm's corporate volunteerism program encourages employee involvement in the community, and is our way of connecting our diverse employee base to local volunteer opportunities.
QCares creates many opportunities for its employees, friends and families to participate in charitable events. Serving a wide range of needs, our employees are helping people with disabilities, improving the environment, feeding and clothing the homeless, and caring for animals. QCares organizes volunteer team building projects as special opportunities for internal departments to foster teamwork and celebrate accomplishments, while simultaneously contributing to the improvement of our communities.”
Qualcomm sent 15 volunteers to help at Imagine!’s Garden Place residence on May 14 as part of the QCares Day of Service. The group has been supporting Imagine! for many years now and we are so thankful for their help each year!
This year the group helped to completely change the exterior look at Garden Place, which was really in need of an update.
As you can see from the before (at the top of the page) and after (at the bottom of the page) pictures, the work significantly improved the home for the residents who live at Garden Place.
Thank you, Qualcomm, for your commitment to your community, and thanks especially to the volunteers who worked so hard to make such a difference!
Friend ($1-$249) In Memory of Janice Desbien
Tom and Dani Brady IBM Lightning Eliminators and Consultants
Jackie and Rick Nelson In Memory of Lisa Micklin
Georga and Leon Reiss
Welcome to the latest edition of The Wish List. Included below are items that would augment and enhance Imagine! programs and services for the individuals we serve and would be much appreciated. If you are able to provide an item, please contact Patti Micklin at pmicklin@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6443. Pick-up for large items can be provided, and your contribution is tax deductible. If you prefer to provide a cash gift to be used for the purchase of one of the items below, that would also be most welcome. Please check out this blog every Wednesday to see new Wish List Items.
This week’s wish list highlight items that will help everyone usher in spring.
Personal Items for Those We Serve (Adults) in Our Residential Homes
Sports gear – especially New York Yankees
Rockies tickets for groups
Recreation center passes or punch cards
Personal items for Those We Serve (Children) in Foster Care and Early Intervention Services
Backpacks, toys, and birthday presents for children in foster care
Welcome bags for children entering a new foster care placement (blankets, PJs, stuffed animals, etc.)
Furniture and Housing Needs for Imagine! Residential Homes
19th Street Group Home in Boulder
Garden supplies, and plants
Garden Place in Longmont
New set of silverware and a new dish set
Manhattan Group Home in Boulder
Basketball goal
Picnic table
Two small raised garden beds (3 ft tall, 4 ft long, and 3 ft wide) for vegetable gardening
Santa Fe Group Home in Broomfield
4-burner Gas Grill
Program Needs
Out & About
Two camping Lanterns for Catalog evening activities
ANCOR Names Alex Andrews 2015 Direct Support Professional of The Year
Honored for work in support of community living for people with disabilities
Arlington, VA. - The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) announced today that Alex Andrews of Imagine! in Lafayette, CO, is the recipient of the 2015 National Direct Support Professional Recognition Award.
Greg Wellems, Imagine!'s Director of Operations with Alex, and Kevin Harding, Imagine! Director of Information Technology
ANCOR presented the award to Andrews at a ceremony honoring Direct Support Professionals (DSP) at ANCOR's 2015 Conference: Ignite! in Arlington, VA in front of an audience of over 300 attendees.
Leah, Alex, and Diana
Since 2007, ANCOR has honored exceptional Direct Support Professionals with the Direct Support Professional Recognition Award for exemplary work in furthering community inclusion and full participation for the many Americans living with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. Andrews was the standout of this year's field of more than 250 nominees. ANCOR also named state recipients of the DSP Recognition Award in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
Andrews, a DSP for over 17 years, is especially recognized for his work as a "Technology Architect" at his organization - modifying, implementing and maintaining assistive technology devices and systems used throughout Imagine!
Alex Andrews finds the right technology, pairs it with a person who needs it and has the skills to use it, and loving relationships develop as they learn to use it. Andrews walked down the aisle with a gentlemen who met his wife using the communication device that Andrews found and taught him to use. He stood by the side of a young man who spent many years in a state institution as he finally graduated from high school, supported by Andrews. He is currently assisting a young woman who lives with him and his family as she creates "webisodes" of her new independent life, facilitated by low and high-tech solutions shaped by Andrews.
"For him it's not just technology per se, "says Kevin Harding, Director of Information Technology at Imagine! "It's about a person who has had an issue and no one has even tried to solve the person's problem. Alex will."
"I am infatuated with technology and how it levels the playing field, "Andrews explained. "People who could not communicate start communicating and that leads to them making choices - their choices, not someone else's..."
"It is such a pleasure to read so many stories of exceptional DSPs and the work they are doing to support people with disabilities," said Barbara Merrill, ANCOR CEO. "Our national and state award recipients truly are the cream of the crop, but we know that there are many like them across the country, working largely without recognition, who deserve our gratitude and appreciation for their hard work, dedication and compassion."
"It is the mission of ANCOR's National Advocacy Campaign to obtain the resources necessary to attract and retain professionals like Mr. Andrews and this year's state award recipients," continued Merrill. "As we prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we must continue to remind our policy makers that quality services to support people with disabilities require a stable and qualified workforce who are valued for the work they do."
ANCOR's Direct Support Professional Recognition Award is given to those who personify the values of ANCOR's National Advocacy Campaign. Nominees are judged on their success in helping people with disabilities build social networks and engage in substantive community participation and for advocating for the people they serve.
Welcome to the latest edition of The Wish List. Included below are items that would augment and enhance Imagine! programs and services for the individuals we serve and would be much appreciated. If you are able to provide an item, please contact Patti Micklin at pmicklin@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6443. Pick-up for large items can be provided, and your contribution is tax deductible. If you prefer to provide a cash gift to be used for the purchase of one of the items below, that would also be most welcome. Please check out this blog every Wednesday to see new Wish List Items.
This week's Wish List:
Recreation Center passes or punch cards for clients
Games for the Santa Fe Group Home in Broomfield: Trouble, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Connect 4, Hi Ho Cherry O, Go Fish, Operation, Guess Who, Quirkie, Matching Games, Puzzles of all levels of difficulty
A new set of silverware and a new dish set for Garden Place in Longmont
Non-fabric couch (6’), loveseat (5’), and chairs for Manhattan Apartments in Boulder
A new oven for Garden Place Home in Longmont
Games/activities made especially for those with Alzheimer’s/dementia for Foothills Group Home in Boulder
Garden supplies and plants for the 19th Street Group Home in Boulder
Mother's Day is just around the corner! Think of Imagine! when you are shopping for that special gift for mom. When you do your shopping at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Imagine! (aka Developmental Disabilities Center).
Friend ($1-$249)
Recent generous donors to the Imagine! Foundation include:
Lightning Eliminators and Consultants
This week’s roundup of generous donors to the Imagine! Foundation includes:
Welcome to the latest edition of The Wish List. Included below are items that would augment and enhance Imagine! programs and services for the individuals we serve and would be much appreciated. If you are able to provide an item, please contact Patti Micklin at pmicklin@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6443. Pick-up for large items can be provided, and your contribution is tax deductible. If you prefer to provide a cash gift to be used for the purchase of one of the items below, that would also be most welcome. Please check out this blog every Wednesday to see new Wish List Items.
