THIS MONTH’S ISSUE The View From My Chair
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GCS Family Spotlight
02
The Waiting Game
03
Around GCS
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THE LEAFLET ISSUE AUGUST YEAR 2012
The View From My Chair a message from our Executive director
Recently two staff at the agency celebrated their 23rd year anniversary of working at Garden Center Services. Twenty three years! Kim O’Brien started as a direct care staff in our developmental training program and is now the director of the day program located at the main building; Jill Smith began as a bus driver and is now the manager of the Business Office. Check out Gerry's Blog at www.GardenCenterServices.org
OUR MISSION Garden Center Services is committed to supporting and empowering persons with developmental disabilities through innovative and person-centered services. Our commitment to the excellence of our programs is surpassed only by our devotion to the people we serve and the communities in which they live.
Both of these women have provided me invaluable support and assistance over the last nine years as the agency has gone through significant changes. It awes and inspires me when I imagine the number of interactions, small and large, that they have had with the individuals we support, and how their kindness has truly improved the lives of these consumers. Any disability provider is defined by the character and values of their staff, and this is why I am so proud to be employed at this agency. Kim and Jill are representative of the many staff that work with, or on behalf, of the individuals that attend our programs. Providing the assistance and guidance our participants may require can be a challenging
and tiring task, and yet I find most of our staff offer this encouragement with great patience and compassion. From getting to know the staff I am keenly aware of the circumstances they deal with in their personal lives, and how many of them juggle the care of their own children and families with the dedicated service they provide while on the job. One of my most important responsibilities is making sure that our staff feel valued and supported. Sometimes in the day to day busyness I don’t feel I give this enough attention. Please help me in this effort by remembering to share expressions of gratitude with the staff for all the goodness they bring into the lives of our consumers, and our lives as well. On the back page you will see a notice for a fund raising event to be held on Sept. 8th at the Bourbon Street Restaurant on behalf of Abide In Me. Abide In Me is a non-profit organization that is collaborating with Garden Center to develop a small community home for some women that are currently supported in the Harvey House ICF/ DD. These are consumers that are being provided the opportunity to move into smaller settings because of the Ligas consent decree. Much of the revenue that will be raised at this event is going to be donated to Garden Center to help us with the purchase and rehab of the new home. Please make an effort to patronize this benefit!
Kim and Jill celebrated 23 years with GCS!
A 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) N o n p r o fit organi zation