Author: New Hope

25 Mar - New Hope of Indiana Receives Top Workplaces’ Inaugural Women-Led Culture Excellence Award

Program recognizes outstanding woman-led businesses for their commitment to a people-first culture INDIANAPOLIS - New Hope of Indiana has been chosen to receive a national Top Workplaces Woman-Led Culture Excellence Award. The inaugural group of award winning organizations led by women was announced by Energage to coincide with Women’s History Month. New Hope was selected in the 1-499 employee category. New Hope of Indiana provides community-based residential services and a variety of therapy, day, vocational and transition services for Hoosiers with developmental disabilities. With a team of just under 400 associates, New Hope of Indiana has over 50 women and minority leaders. “All...

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15 Mar - Social Worker Appreciation: Terri Gee

March is a month of celebration at New Hope. We're recognizing Disability Awareness Month, New Hope's birthday, International Women's Day and, of course, Social Worker Appreciation Month! March 16th is World Social Work Day, so we are celebrating by thanking New Hope's own social workers. It's been a year for the history books, but New Hope's social workers have found unique and enriching activities to keep the individuals they serve happy and engaged throughout the pandemic. We are so thankful for each of them, no matter the role they play on #TeamNewHope! Terri Gee is one of the dedicated social workers...

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08 Mar - Advocating for Those with Disabilities and Their Caregivers

By: Allison Wharry, CEO of New Hope of Indiana March’s Developmental Disability Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise our voices and share more about the need for inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all areas of community life, and to educate others about the barriers that people with disabilities still face in connecting with their communities. The awareness is even more important this year as individuals served in New Hope’s group homes and other residential programs mark one year of life dealing with COVID-19. Unfortunately, despite the yearly observance, individuals with intellectual...

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23 Feb - Raise Your Voice This Disability Awareness Month

by Jenny Pfeil, Development Director Before joining the team at New Hope of Indiana, my knowledge of individuals with disabilities was probably to similar to most in our society – very uninformed. I had little experience with the day-to-day life of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I didn’t know how they paid for the support services they need or how difficult daily tasks such as bathing and preparing a meal could be for them. Nor did I understand the extent to which their disability could affect their entire family. What I did know was that individuals with disabilities are not...

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23 Feb - A Note from Allison: Advocates Needed

Happy February, friends! Onward - that is my "one word" for this year! After nearly a year of COVID, we all want to move onward with our lives! With the vaccine being available to New Hope’s direct caregivers we have slowly but surely begun to move onward. This week things will speed up. Beginning Thursday, New Hope nurses will vaccinate 190 New Hope individuals living in congregate settings! Next week, New Hope nurses will also provide vaccines to DSPs and other direct caregivers at a clinic in our Payne Road building. As I have said before, this will really bring new...

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19 Feb - Voices of New Hope

by Margo Green, HR Director I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and I graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor Degree in Organizational Leadership and Supervision. After graduating, I moved to Indianapolis and have lived here since. I have been a member of Eastern Star Church in Indianapolis since 1995. I enjoy reading, music and playing volleyball. As the HR Director, I am honored to serve on New Hope’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, leading the organization’s DEI efforts. I am proud to draw on my own experience as a black woman in this role. Growing up,...

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19 Feb - Introducing Inclusivity

In 2020, New Hope of Indiana took big strides in our diversity and inclusion efforts. At the direction of the Board of Directors, we implemented a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee made up of nearly 20 associates from all parts of the organization. In part, this committee was created to assess how New Hope incorporates diversity and inclusion in its culture. After receiving feedback from associates, leadership and Board members, the DEI Committee recommended the addition of a new Core Value to reflect New Hope's commitment to these efforts. In January the Board voted unanimously to approve this addition...

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19 Feb - Weathering the Storm, Literally

by Cassi Dean, Director Supported Living Program If we have learned nothing else this year, we have learned what an amazing group of caring professionals work among us at New Hope!! We have faced unforeseen challenges, that have pushed us to our limits, but never changed who we are or what we do! If a global pandemic did not impact the high-quality support we provide, what does a minor (ok, maybe major) snowstorm have on us? Absolutely nothing!! Last week, as Indiana braced for a major winter storm, what did we do? We did exactly what we always do in the face...

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19 Feb - Celebrating Black History Month at New Hope

New Hope of Indiana is celebrating Black History Month this February by recognizing some of our brightest black leaders and by honoring black trailblazers with disabilities who have shown just how able the community truly is. New Hope is proud to have an incredibly diverse team with over 50 female or minority leaders and nearly 70% of team identifying as black or African American. Their unique perspective makes our organization a better, more inclusive place to work, to serve and to grow, and we are grateful for their dedicated service to the individuals and families we serve. New Hope Leaders Paula Guynn is...

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19 Feb - Zeller, Speak: Remembering Our Friend

Zeller 2/17/2009 - 2/15/2021 This beautiful boy left us to get his angel wings Monday morning, February 15th, just two days shy of his 12th birthday. He was diagnosed two weeks before with cancer and then he rallied and had a very good week and a half, including a good Valentine’s Day, which he richly deserved. He had the biggest heart and loved so many; he had a way of seeing into the hearts of others. Zeller served as a CCI Facility dog to New Hope of Indiana for 10 years. The work he did impacted many lives. His first day of work...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Chasatie Finley

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it’s important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Chasatie Finley, NHI Team Leader, SLP I was born in Peoria, Ilinois, and raised here in Indianapolis. I attended school in Warren Township and graduated from Warren Central. My family on my mother's side is originally from Lake, Mississippi and my Dad's side is from Arkansas. To me, Black History Month is a time to celebrate and reflect on how far black people have come. I think about all the accomplishments that have not always been in...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Lonya Thompson

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it’s important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Lonya Thompson, NHI Manager, Behavior I have been with New Hope for 21 years. I first started as a DSP at New hope while going to school to complete my Masters degree. Once I completed my Masters degree I took a job in Community Outreach as a Homebased Therapist. I advanced to become a supervisor in Community Outreach, and really enjoyed my work there. My passion really lead me back to working with individuals with disabilities so...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Robert Hoey

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it’s important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Robert Hoey, Served by NHI I am from Shelby, North Carolina. Mom was a school teacher. Dad worked in a textile mill called JP Stevens in the 1960’s and 70’s. He was also an artist and photographer. The both have passed away. I am an only child, but I am close with my cousins. I have 7 uncles and all are living today except one. My creativity comes from my family. It has been very formative...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Trust Paunganwa

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it’s important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Trust Paunganwa, NHI Manager, Family & Community Services Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, I was born in the middle of seven children and was first one to go to College. I grew up in the countryside walking 5 miles to school from 1st grade until 7th grade, without shoes, before going to boarding school. Most of what we ate was home grown. I can survive in different environments whether its rural or city life. To...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Nicole Powell

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it’s important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Nicole Powell, RN, NHI Clinical Nurse Coordinator I was born and raised here - a native Hoosier! My father was born here and is a direct descendant of the Potawatomi Indian tribe and African American and my mother was born in Itabena, Mississippi. Both of her parents were African American. My mom grew up on a farm that was given to my Grandfather where his father was once a slave. I have 5 siblings including 4...

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15 Feb - New Hope’s Black Leaders: Paula Guynn

As we celebrate Black History Month at New Hope of Indiana, it's important to us to highlight a few of our amazing black leaders. by Paula Guynn, NHI Manager, Group Homes Born and raised in Indianapolis, I am part of a very large, close-knit family, where aunts and uncles are like mom and dad, and cousins are like sisters and brothers. For me, black history Month is very important. It gives us a time to reflect and remember those that paved the way for us, from  W.E.B. Du Bois to Rosa Parks, to Maya Angelou to Shirley Chisholm, Dorothy Height and Kamala...

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01 Feb - Vaccination of Frontline Workers Critical to Stopping COVID-19

New Hope of Indiana is so excited that our frontline workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine right now, leading the charge for our community’s health and safety. It’s incredibly important for all of our caregivers to be vaccinated to help protect their health and the vulnerable population that we serve from this virus. The stakes are high. Coronavirus has already killed more than 9,500 Hoosiers and sickened about 620,000 Indiana residents. Why Healthcare Workers Should be Vaccinated The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that frontline health care workers be among the first people in the country vaccinated for several reasons. The...

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26 Jan - COVID-19 Vaccines at New Hope

On New Years Eve, New Hope received the notification that we had been waiting for - New Hope's essential caregivers were officially eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccines! We quickly got the word out to those associates deemed eligible to receive the vaccine and they began scheduling their appointments as soon as January 1st. New Hope of Indiana believes that the best and quickest way to end the pandemic is for the majority of people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To help our associates make an informed decision, New Hope has provided a number of resources including a conversation with...

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26 Jan - NEWS: New Hope of Indiana Looks to Hire 50 in 2021

New Hope of Indiana is looking to hire 50 additional associates in the New Year. New Hope provides community-based residential, day services and other supports to Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The majority of the positions are located in group homes on the Northwest and East side of Indianapolis and in Hamilton County. The organization has an immediate need to fill a growing demand for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support New Hope clients. DSPs help the individuals they serve live their best life and assist them with fun activities and daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and...

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26 Jan - A Note from Allison: Be Brave

Winter greetings friends, I hope your new year is off to a happy and healthy start! I doubt that 2021 has been exactly what any of us expected so far. But after the violence at the Capitol on January 6th, I was encouraged by the words of Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem last week: “We will rebuild, reconcile and recover and every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country, our people diverse and beautiful will emerge, battered and beautiful. When day comes we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we...

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