Liberty ARC 2024 Annual Report by Liberty ARC

We are proud to present Liberty ARC’s

2024 Annual Report

2024 was a banner year for Liberty ARC, and we’re so pleased to celebrate twelve outstanding months of growth and success for the people we support! From the personal goals achieved all the way to major changes at the agency, there were no “small” wins.

Every time we can assist someone in achieving a goal – whether it’s at a residential home, a day program, through employment, or community involvement – we’re building a more inclusive and welcoming society for people with disabilities in our corner of New York.

This last calendar year we were thrilled to welcome colleagues and people we support from Schenectady County into the agency, strengthening and broadening our organization. The uniﬁcation opened new opportunities for the people we support and staff, and brought new services under the Liberty ARC umbrella. It’s exciting to see what the future will bring for our combined organization.

As enthusiastic as we are about the future, know that our work always comes down to each person we support. The rewards and accomplishments are quietly happening every day, in our programs, clinics, and homes, as we support people with disabilities in achieving their goals and dreams. A huge debt of gratitude goes out to you, whether you’re a family member, staff member, board member, or community supporter, for the role you play in our mission. Through your continued support, Liberty ARC is changing lives for the better every day.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Saunders, Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Kim Brumley, Board President

2024 Board of Directors

Finding Emily’s Passion at Liberty ARC

Emily Amico loves being out in her community, going on fun outings in nature, and going out shopping, but this was not always the case because of a language

“Emily has been with the agency for 12 years, and has really ﬂourished in the past couple years,” Tricia Smith, a Residential Manager at Liberty ARC, said. “In the beginning, it was tough to get Emily out in the community because of safety concerns. Attending day habitation programs and being in a bigger group of her peers was also a challenge for Emily. She is a very active person, and we had to ﬁnd positive and safe ways for Emily to use her energy. A step in doing this was taking the time to understand Emily by building a relationship with her and learning her way of communication.”

One way that Emily communicates with her staff is through saying colors, pointing, touching, and repetition of words when describing her wants and needs.

“It took some time for her residential and day hab staff to develop a relationship that worked with her,” Tricia said. “But that relationship building has been a success, because Emily is now out in the community safely through Residential Community Habitation services after transferring out of day program.”

With patience and understanding, staff realized saying the color of something was her way of letting them know she wanted to investigate it or what she wanted to do. Staff would ask her to point or touch the item, then say what it is to her, and ask her to repeat the words to expand her vocabulary.

“We had to learn to teach her how to safely do a task that she wanted to do,” Tricia said. “For example, we would say, ‘Yes you can go touch that object, but we are going to walk together and not run,’ or ‘Yes, we can touch the table, but we are not going to ﬂip it over. Let's touch it and then we are going to sit and color.’ We had to occupy her with other activities that she liked to do to keep her interested and motivated. With Emily’s lack of impulse control she had to complete certain tasks she needed to do at that moment. We just had to ﬁgure out what it was she

Emily also beneﬁts from one-on-one time with her Residential Comm Hab staff, Juliana Garand, as opposed to being in large groups. This also gives her the freedom to do what she wants to do, which is beneﬁcial for her impulse control.

“The one-on-one in her comm hab program, her learning safety skills, and us communicating with her to ﬁnd out exactly what she wanted or what her compulsions needed her to do, gave her a chance to go out and actually have a life in the community,” Tricia said. “As well as have a life that is successful for her and meaningful for her.”

Eddie’s Quest For Employment

When Eddie Delgado graduated from high school, he knew he wanted to work but wasn’t quite sure how to turn his goal into reality.

He spent time in Liberty ARC’s Life Prep program, where he developed important skills and gained valuable experience through community volunteer work.

“It really helped me a lot. It changed me a lot,” Eddie shared.

“There was always staff who believed in him, and that really inspired him,” said Maryann Brown, an Employment Specialist at Liberty ARC, who has worked with Eddie in several capacities over the years.

Eventually, Eddie joined Pine Ridge Industries (PRI), where he worked for several years until its closure. When an opportunity arose to join the janitorial Mobile Work Crew in Schenectady, he took a leap of faith. The Mobile Work Crew provides paid employment opportunities for people with disabilities, helping them build skills and conﬁdence as they prepare for community employment. Staff members support participants by identifying their strengths and areas for growth in employment readiness.

“I got nervous and scared,” Eddie recalled about his ﬁrst days with the Mobile Work Crew. “It’s easier now. I like it.”

During this time, Eddie also participated in Liberty ARC’s Careers For Me Program, a 12-month career exploration program designed to introduce individuals to different ﬁelds and equip them with the skills needed for employment. After a remarkable year of growth and new experiences, Eddie proudly graduated from the Careers For Me Program in June 2024!

Today, Eddie continues working with the Mobile Work Crew while setting his sights on ﬁnding employment in the community. His dream is to work at a supermarket or in a role that allows him to care for animals.

Jessica’s Year Of Discovery

“Hi, hotdog!” said Jess with a smile.

Jim’s On a Mission for Success!

Jim Jesenski is on a mission to show others that one’s disability in no way deﬁnes a person, and that with hard work and determination you can overcome any obstacle to reach your goals. Jim is doing this by working towards obtaining his GED.

“I want to get my GED to show that even people with disabilities can do amazing and hard things and are smart enough to have a GED and get a possible job down the road,” Jim said. “I want to show that we can do the same things as anyone else.”

For the past year, Jim has been meeting with Carmen Cruz, the Activities Coordinator at Liberty ARC, who is supporting him with this goal. The two study together to get Jim ready for the GED test and work on practice exams. Carmen said this has been a great learning experience for both of them as it is also her ﬁrst time stepping into a teacher role.

“I am so thankful to have Carmen support me,” Jim said. “It feels wonderful. She is making me feel I am beating the odds and those people who said this challenge was too hard for me.”

Jim, who is in his 50s, said one thing that really lights a ﬁre underneath him to work towards his GED is to show his former teachers, who did not believe in him as a young man, that he can and he will pass the test.

“He amazes me every time we meet, and I am so proud of him,” Carmen said. “He works so hard. He is so smart and determined. He remembers so much and it frustrates me when he doubts himself because of his past as a young man in school and he started to believe that he can’t do it. Along with teaching him his GED courses, I am also working with Jim on his self-conﬁdence and building him up. Everyone is smart and special in their own unique ways and no one should dim that.”

Jim and Carmen are currently looking to ﬁnd a place where he can take the test with the proper supports in place in order for him to succeed, like assistance in reading questions and writing Jim’s own answers down, but there have been challenges ﬁnding a test spot to meet his needs.

“It may be a road block now, but it’s not going to stop me from studying and ﬁnding a place to take the test,” Jim said. “We will keep on searching and working together, Carmen and I.”

Jessica “Jess” Ellett is known as a social butterﬂy who is full of smiles and giggles. She has a great sense of humor and enjoys making others laugh. If Jess calls you by a food name, it is a good thing because it is a sure sign that Jess likes you and wants to make you smile too!

When Jess ﬁrst began visiting Maple Ridge Day Center in 2023 for day habilitation services, she had a lot of anxiety and a difﬁcult time with trying new things.

“Sometimes she would sit and be on strike,” shared Melissa Montanye, a Program Coordinator at Maple Ridge.

Jess was also experiencing a higher number of falls at that time. Fast forward to today and Jess is thriving at her day hab program. Thanks to staff assistance and the Physical Therapy services she is now receiving at Maple Ridge, Jess’ falls have subsided as well, which is an excellent outcome. She is happier and healthier, and her staff is so proud of Jess’ progress.

“Jess has grown tremendously and looks forward to coming to program,” shared Melissa. “She enjoys seeing her friends, participating in a large variety of activities offered at Maple Ridge and going on group outings in the community as well.”

Jess is also trying new things and discovering things she really enjoys doing.

“I like painting and coloring,” shared Jess. “I like being here. I do flower arrangements. I play games with my friends, and I like going to the aquarium. Except the sharks, the sharks are scary!” she said with a smile.

New Dimensions in Living, Inc. Board of Directors

Ofﬁcers

Kim Brumley President

Julie A. Bablin-Gray Secretary/Treasurer

Directors

Anna Orlando

Nicole Yaggle

Michele Downing

* Listings reﬂect board members as of December 2024

Catherine Mowrey Appointed as Director of New Dimensions

New Dimensions in Health Care (NDHC) was pleased to appoint Catherine Mowrey as the new Director of the health center in 2024. In this position, Mowrey oversees operations of New Dimensions.

Mowrey has over 16 years of leadership experience in the health care sector. Along with serving as the Director of NDHC, Mowrey is the Director of Medical Services at Liberty ARC.

New Dimensions In Health Care Receives National Recognition for Seventh Year in a Row

New Dimension in Health Care (NDHC) was recognized as a level three Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) in 2024.

The PCMH model is an approach to delivering high-quality, cost-effective primary care and is driven by strong relationships between the provider and the patient.

New Dimensions Receives Grant Funding

The dental program at New Dimensions in Health Care once again received a generous grant for 2024 from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to support operations of the dental clinic. The dental clinic provides high-quality care to thousands of underserved patients each year, including those with disabilities supported by Liberty ARC.

Another Successful Year for the1-2-3 Smile! Program

Every year Dental Hygienist Sherri Wolfe travels to local elementary schools as part of 1-2-3 Smile!, an early intervention program to educate children on the importance of dental hygiene with a fun and engaging oral presentation. Highlights of the 2024 program are:

• Total number of participating students: 603

• Range of grades participating in program: Pre-K to Second Grade

• Total number of schools visited in 2024: 6

Liberty Enterprises 2024 Highlights

• $4.1 million in sales.

• Shipped more than 228K units of products.

• Employed 20 employees with disabilities who worked more than 14,450 hours over the course of the year.

• Received $35k in grant funds, awarded from Source America, to increase warehouse capacity through racking, an organizational system, and to upgrade inventory systems to manage inventory locations.

GOJO Industries Honors Liberty Enterprises Business Partnership With Award

Liberty Enterprises was honored in June of 2024 for their longstanding business relationship with GOJO Industries, the maker of Purell Hand Sanitizer, and received their inaugural State-Use Partner of the Year Award. Liberty Enterprises’ partnership with GOJO Industries began in 2011 introducing a line of hygiene products to the New York State Preferred Source program. The award is given to a state-use GOJO partner to recognize their engagement, collaboration, and sales performance.

Liberty ARC’s 2024 Joslin Award Nominee - Austin Battisti

In 2024, Liberty ARC chose Austin Battisti as the agency’s nominee for the New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID) 2024 William B. Joslin Outstanding Performance Award.

Austin has worked for Liberty Enterprises since the spring of 2023 and has made a significant impact and contributes to the production of sorbent products, file boxes, chemicals, calcium chloride, office supplies, soaps, sanitizers, janitorial products, and private co-packaging contracts.

Celebrating

Choices for Community Living (CCL Delaware, Inc.)

Board of Directors

Ofﬁcers

Carl J. Pucci President

John Rose Vice President

Benjamin Ziskin Secretary/Treasurer

Directors

Cor Catena

Jeffrey Finkle

Elizabeth “Lisa” Smith

Anthony Ekanem

Jeffrey Wills

* Listings reﬂect board members as of December 2024

20 YEARS OF SERVICE 2004-2024

Celebrating 20 Years of Supporting People With Disabilities

Choices for Community Living (CCL), Liberty ARC’s Delaware operation, celebrated a major milestone in 2024 with their 20th anniversary!

To commemorate the special moment, a gala was held in October. For 20 years, CCL has grown across the state of Delaware with their mission to enable persons with disabilities, their families, and other individuals in need to achieve a quality of life driven by choice.

In celebrating where CCL is today, the agency’s past was also honored during the gala with an awards ceremony for former staff. Steve Knight was presented with the Champion Award for his commitment to CCL's Culture. Steve served as the Statewide Director for over a decade and retired in 2020. Steve was committed to ensuring CCL had a culture of respect, integrity, and family. Four years later into his retirement, Steve is still very committed to CCL and

continues to work part-time as a Direct Support Professional.

Carrie-Ann Schmidt received the Commitment to Excellence Award for her outstanding leadership and contributions to CCL. Carrie-Ann was instrumental in the opening and growth of CCL in 2004. She served as Residential Director in Delaware from 2006 until 2010. Currently, Carrie-Ann is a Director of Operations in Liberty ARC’s residential program.

CCL employees and people supported were also recognized at the gala for their milestone years of service with the agency.

CCL Named a Top Workplace for The Fourth Year

Choices for Community Living (CCL) was delighted to be recognized as a Delaware Top Workplace for the fourth

Employees Year of the

Keisha Carter, Program Employee of the Year – Family Support Services Direct Support Professional

“I found my way to Liberty ARC because of my mom. She always brought my siblings and myself around to all the different events and happenings at Liberty ARC. As I have grown up over the years at Liberty ARC, I’ve come to love the job. I am there for the smiles and laughter at the fun times, but I am also there for the tough times too and every other emotion that comes with this line of work. The excitement and pure joy that runs through me when they accomplish something they have been working towards for a while is a feeling that everyone should experience. This job is so rewarding, and I have memories that will last a lifetime.”

Tony Bianchine, Support Employee of the Year – Safety Manager

“I love helping people. When someone appreciates something you have done for them, it is a personal reward for me. When you can make a difference for someone else, it’s very satisfying. Liberty ARC is about helping people succeed and flourish. Being a be part of that and on a team that has the same goal for success is a great feeling.”

Dayton Blanc, Manager of the Year –Regional Scheduling Coordinator

“There is a rewarding feeling of conquering new challenges and working in an atmosphere that emphasizes a one team, one goal approach. Throughout my years here, I have always enjoyed working in a team setting, taking part in the retention committee and various others in order for Liberty ARC to continue to provide top-quality supports with a dedicated team of staff. I am proud of the Scheduling team, and our continued work in implementing a consistent scheduling process through the organization.”

Growing With Liberty ARC

Carrie-Ann Schmidt, Director of the Year –Director of Operations

“While I like to be behind the scenes in supporting our mission, I am honored and happy to know that I assist in making an impact in our agency through receiving this award. I am truly grateful for the many people that have impacted me as a leader, people that have assisted in my growth and development, and the experiences that have made me who I am today. I am proud to be part of this organization and have the ability to support people to live a life that they value and that is important to them.”

Colleen Verhayden, James H. and Barbara H. Schiff Award Winner - Senior Hab Coordinator

“I love the connections that I have with the people and families that I support. Having been with the same programs for much of my career here, I have worked with the same families for many years and know the people well. This helps with finding their strengths, with problem solving, and developing the best suited plans for the people. I have been able to see so many of them grow and be successful and move on to other things like work and living on their own.”

Liberty ARC Direct Support Professionals Earn National Credentials

Liberty ARC held a graduation ceremony for 22 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), who achieved National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) credentials, in November of 2024. This is the agency’s second credentialed class to graduate as part of the New York State Ofﬁce for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) credentialing pilot program.

“The merger has opened up numerous job opportunities, allowing staff to pick up shifts across two counties, interact with new people, and engage with different programs. The best part for me has been meeting all the people we support. That's my main motivation for coming to work. I work alongside an amazing team with extensive knowledge, and it has been incredibly rewarding to learn from their experiences. I'm very proud of the personal growth and conﬁdence I've gained in this role. Change can be difﬁcult, but overcoming it and growing through the experience is something that truly excites me.”

The uniﬁcation with Schenectady County provided new career opportunities for Liberty ARC staff, including Cortney Ball, who took on her current position at Maple Ridge Day Center in the spring of 2024. Cortney has been with the agency for 19 years, starting as a Day Program Direct Support Professional (DSP) and worked her way up the ladder through Liberty ARC’s Family Support Services (FSS) program, where she held a manager position for eight years before being encouraged by her peers to apply for the Schenectady County Assistant Director position.

– Cortney Ball, Assistant Director of Day Supports in Rotterdam

Thank You to Our Liberty Foundation Donors & Supporters!

For Liberty Foundation, 2024 was a successful year for fundraising, and a memorable time for growth!

With the uniﬁcation with Schenectady County, Liberty Foundation was able to create new and meaningful partnerships with donors and community members while upholding the mission to fund vital programs, services, improvements to homes, and experiences which are not supported through government programs. Liberty Foundation also introduced a new and fun food truck event as part of their fundraising line up in 2024. Electric City Taps, Trucks, Corks, and Forks, that was held in October with over 400 people in attendance.

Funds received in 2024 beneﬁtted Liberty Foundation’s “Ground Level Grant” program, which is in its sixth year. The internal grant program supports projects and personal experiences for people supported by Liberty ARC. Twenty-seven applications received funding this year, including:

• A day trip to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake

• Hearing aids for a supported person

Liberty Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors

Ofﬁcers

Donna Canestraro

Paul DiCaprio

Brett

Directors

Sarah O’Connor-Adamowski

Anne Boles

Tammy Krisher

Michael G. Lobb

• Table top games

• A portable and inclusive miniature golf set

Liberty

Director Emerita

Wanda Burling

* Listings reﬂect board members as of December 2024

Foundation Welcomes New Member to Board of Directors

Liberty Foundation was pleased to welcome Tammy Krisher to their Board of Directors for a two-year term.

Krisher was also appointed to the Liberty ARC Board of Directors in May and previously served as a vice president and president of the Schenectady ARC Board of Directors. She is retired and previously served as the President of Pattersonville Telephone Company. She was also a principal of A Calculated Solution, a Quickbooks consulting and bookkeeping ﬁrm.

2024 Fiscal Reports

$89.5 Million Budget

Plant, Property, & Equipment

All Other

Raw Materials

Food, Supplies, & Material

Utilities & Telecommunication

Transportation-related

Contract Labor

Legal & Professional Fees

Our sincere thanks to everyone who generously gave throughout the year!

Annual Appeal

$5,000 and Above

BBL Charitable Foundation Inc.

Mrs. Jean & Mr. Paul DiCaprio

Specialty Silicone Products, Inc.

Ms. Jennifer Saunders

Mrs. Linda & Mr. Wayne Thomas

$2,000-$4,999

Ms. Karri Oleﬁrowicz

Mrs. Candace Opalka - In Memory of Richard Brown

$1,000-$1,999

Mrs. Erin Abele

Mr. Andrew Heck

Ms. Elizabeth Bridge

Mr. Alfred & Mrs. Mary DiCaprio

Mr. Brian DiCaprio

Ms. Mary McCulloch

Ms. Amy Knorr

Ms. Diana Mack

Mr. Arthur & Mrs. Barbara Stevens

Ms. Kathleen Velasco

$500-$999

Mr. Kenneth & Mrs. Pauline Adamowski

Mr. James & Mrs. Laura Burroughs Ciofﬁ-Slezak-Wildgrube PC

Dr. Kevin & Mrs. Sally Cope

Mrs. Carol & Mr. Gary Cuyler

Mr. Ross DiCaprio

Ms. Jennifer Ferluge & Ms. Julie Tama

Ms. Jolene Gray

Mr. John Hoff

Ms. Tammy Krisher

Mr. Glen Lichtenwalter

Mr. Paul McAvoy

Mr & Mrs. James Sabatini

Mrs. Carrie-Ann Schmidt

Mrs. Diane & Mr. Donald Terry

Mrs. Cecilia Thomas

Mrs. Kelly Woods

Mrs. Charlene & Mr. Dennis Yacobucci

$250-$499

Ms. Stacey Antos

Mrs. Wanda Burling

Mr. Cor & Mrs. Lauri Catena

Mr. Robert Lee

Mr. John-Paul Friday

Mr. Richard Glamm

Mrs. Debbi & Mr. Steven Mannino

Mr. Matthew Schuette

Mrs. Joan Somers

Mrs. Sarah Stygles

Ms. Katti Winkler

$100-$249

Mr. Brett Bellinger

Ms. Brooke Bellinger & Mr. Grant

Rinehimer

Mr. Barkley Berry

Mr. Arthur & Mrs. Kim Brumley

Mrs. Felicia & Mr. Michael

Bucciferro

Mr. Paul Czech

Ms. Judith Decker

Mrs. Elizabeth & Mr. Michael Decker

Mr. Arthur Dombrowski

Ms. Judy Douglas

Mr. Paul Dybas

Mrs. Mary Failing

Mrs. Frances Gargiulo

Mr. George & Mrs. Marie Giokas

Ms. Holly Gray

Mr. John Greenthal

Mr. Leonard Hartvigas

Mr. Jeffrey Heiser

Mr. Karl Horstmann

Ms. Linda Hunt

Mrs. Janet & Mr. Ronald Hutton

Mr. Bernard Jaracz

Mrs. Joann & Mr. William Karash

Ms. Samantha Konnor

Mrs. Dorothy LaDue

Ms. Linda Leary

Mr. Warren Roosevelt, Jr.

Mr. Edmund McMahon

Mrs. Suzanne Meiklejohn

Mr. Neal & Mrs. Susan Moyer

Mr. Bruce Nilsen

Ms. Donna Praga

Mrs. Joan Raven

Ms. Mariah Rogers Sollecito

Mrs. Christa Ronci

Mr. John Rusnica

Mr. Francis Pugliese

Mr. Greg & Mrs. Terri Seleman

Dr. Vincent Sollecito

Ms. Margaret Stambach

Ms. Beatrice Towns

Ms. Julie Trombly

Ms. Shelly Willard

$1-$99

Mr. Michael Amico

Ms. Mary Jo Argotsinger

Mrs. Marie Austin

Mrs. Julie Bablin-Gray

Mrs. Bonita Bailey

Ms. Joanne C. Bailey

Mrs. Joyce Bailey

Mrs. Helen & Mr. Joseph Bartone

Ms. Sharon Bellamy

Ms. Joana Benson

Mr. Tony Bianchine

Ms. Arleen Blanchard

Mrs. LauraLee Bradt

Ms. Patricia Brennan

Mr. Roger Cairns

Ms. Sharon Charles

Ms. Barbara Cope

Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Rowlinda

Copeland

Ms. Irene Czelusniak

Ms. Jane Decoteau

Ms. Frances Dunn

Mrs. Darlene Fetterly

Mr. & Mrs. Craig Freis

Mr. John Gaito

Ms. Valerie Harrington

Mr. Gary & Mrs. Katherine Hazzard

Mrs. Concetta Hinkel

Mr. Timothy Hogan

Mr. Larry Janetsky

Mrs. Mary Jobin

Mr. & Mrs. John Kolodziej, Jr.

Ms. Tammy Krisher

Mr. Kirk Lewis

Mrs. Diane & Mr. Thomas McNamara

Mr. David Jordan

Mrs. Margaret Nare

Ms. Janet Newkirk

Mrs. Barbara & Mr. Clifford Pawlowski

Mr. Carl & Mrs. Marcia Pucci

Ms. Diana Ramsey-Oduwa

Mrs. Dolores & Mr. James Rizzo

Mr. Ralph Scott & Mrs. Sally Romano

Mr. John & Mrs. Laurie Rose

Mr. Daniel & Mrs. Joann Ryczek

Ms. Mary Sampone

Mrs. Beverly Scott

Mr. Rod Seeberger

Mrs. Marie & Mr. Paul Shave

Mrs. Kathe Sheehan

Ms. Joyce Shull

Mr. Alex Silverstein

Mr. Thomas Togaila

Mrs. Linda Tokarczyk

Ms. Melanie Vander Wal

Ms. Adrienne Westfall

Ms. Karen Zack

Denim & Diamonds

10K Blue Diamond Sponsor Marshall & Sterling

Saloon Sponsor

AllSquare Wealth Management, LLC

Baker Contracting

Health Direct Pharmacy Services

Bull’s-Eye Sponsors

The Bonadio Group CDPHP

KeyBank

Kitchens and Baths by K.A.B.

The Langelier Family

Ranch Sponsors

Betz, Rossi, Bellinger, & Stewart

Family Funeral Homes

Delta Dental

Focused Wealth Management

Habitat for HumanityMontgomery County

Mrs. Beth & Mr. Michael Hutcherson

Meltblown Technologies

St. Mary`s Healthcare

Lucky Corks, Lucky Forks!