GCS Newsletter The Leaflet Issue SEP OCT 2023

Tim & Leila

spent volunteering at a church program supporting children with developmental and learning disabilities, decided at the age of 16

Garden Center Services

ATION WEEK

operated facility for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and/or severe behavior disorders.

Tim & Bridgette

I believe it is very beneficial that a number of us in leadership positions at our agency have had experience

as DSPs because it makes us more sensitive and aware of what it takes to provide ongoing support to our individuals in an effective and compassionate way. I believe the agency’s mission statement, “Advancing lives of connection, contribution, and meaning for persons with developmental disabilities and the individuals that support them.” demonstrates the understanding that there is a direct correlation between how we care for and support

Bre & Happy

WHAT IS DSP APPRECIATION WEEK?

Direct Support Professional Appreciation Week is a national celebration of the dedication, hard work, and passion that DSPs devote to supporting people with disabilities to live the most independent and high-quality life possible. It’s a time for all human services professionals, families, friends, and supported individuals to acknowledge the key role that these front-line, essential employees play in making life better for the people that they support. This year DSP Recognition Week will take place from September 10th – 16th. There is still time for you to show your appreciation for these amazing staff! Contact Michele at mhula@GardenCenterServices.org for more info.

Thank you!

SUPER

SUNNY WALK

‘N ROLL

Sept. 30th • St. Christina Fields • Walk Starts at

SEP th30

The Super Sunny Walk ‘n Roll will be here before you know it! We can’t wait to see you all again to enjoy a fun walk, great music, awesome games, and have some very tasty food prepared by our friends, the Knights of Columbus. Visit

Garden Center DSPs By The Numbers

82 Number of GCS DSPs

27 Years of tenure of ourservinglongest DSP

32 Percent of GCS DSPs who have been with us over 10 years

120 Hours of training DSPs receive in their first 4 months of employment

A WORD FROM CINDY

Cindy Haworth, Associate Executive Director

I will never forget my first day as a DSP. I was living in North Dakota at the time, was given literally no training, and found myself supporting an older gentleman with a developmental disability who was traumatized by the death of his mother. This trauma, unfortunately, came out as aggression toward me. We were two scared people – one 18 and the other 71 years old.

We went on to become very close, and Lloyd became a part of my family over the many years ahead. We learned a lot from each other and I keep a picture of him in my office today. I went on to support many more people in the years that followed, but Lloyd will always hold a special place in my heart.

My experiences as a DSP help inform every decision I make at Garden Center, and I am proud that all of Garden Center’s leadership staff also started out as DSPs. We know the challenges that come when we struggle to figure out what someone really wants or when we work to advocate for someone who is being disrespected or marginalized. We also know the reward of working at a job where you can truly make an impact for others– sometimes for a short time, other times over the course of their (and our) lives.

Through Covid, our agency and our DSPs faced so many challenges that I could have never imagined back when Lloyd was teaching me my future profession. Keeping our consumers, themselves, and families safe was truly an accomplishment. I was never more proud of our staff than when we made it through the initial vaccinations and had kept everyone safe – we hadn’t lost anyone in the GCS family to Covid.

Later, world events began to put even more stress and financial pressure on our DSPs, but we were able help address these issues by successfully working with the state to provide extra income that was badly needed, and by negotiating a plan with an online counseling service, TalkSpace, who now provides free counseling to our staff and their families.

Garden Center leadership staff’s shared experience of serving as DSPs makes us that much more grateful, proud, and willing to go to the mat for our DSPs. We know how hard this work can be and we have a deep appreciation of the impact they have in the lives of those we serve. We so want to honor our DSPs on this year’s National DSP Appreciation Week for the respect and compassion they show the people we support and the grace in which they have handled our new normal.

Cindy and Lloyd

Growing dignity and independence

September 29th (open from 10am to 8pm)

We need you! Any time you can help is appreciated. If you can sign up for one fourhour shift a week, that would be terrific! Visit our website and follow the THRIFT link for more information OR reach out to Gerry directly at 708-560-4400. We’ve Moved!

continued from page 1

our employees and how well they assist and respond to the persons attending our programs.

This issue of the leaflet is dedicated to our phenomenal and very compassionate DSPs. I decided to use some of the space in my article to share the responses from some questions I put forth to a few of Garden Center’s Direct Support Professionals.

What’s the most rewarding thing about being a DSP at Garden Center?

It’s about being surrounded by awesome people every day, staff and consumers alike. The consumers are just great and GCS really has your back.

The consumers are a varied group of individuals with different difficulties and interests. They keep me teaching and learning and wanting to know more.

I also asked a few DSP’s, What do you wish you could do more of/better for our individuals?

I would like more time and dedicated space to teach art to our individuals.

I’d like to take our folks on more adventures and to get away on vacations with them. Wishing there were more free activities in the area. Also, I’m hoping to find more businesses that would consider employing our people.

Please, next week during National Direct Support Professionals Appreciation Week, find time to reach out and express your gratitude for all that our fantastic staff do.

I truly am not exaggerating when I state that Garden Centers group of DSPs are the finest to be found. They are the backbone of this agency.