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December 16, 2019

Mission Minute: It’s Been an Honor

by Kathe Rae, Manager of Mission Integration and Volunteers In recent years, I have had the pleasure of writing monthly Mission Minute articles highlighting the importance of New Hope’s mission: our core values, vision, history, traditions, recognition, fun, etc. However, writing this month’s article was quite bittersweet as it is my last one. After 39 years with New Hope, I am retiring to pursue my next life journey. Please indulge me as I share of few memories and reflections. Of course, I certainly could write not only one book but several volumes of New Hope stories and...

December 13, 2019

Thanks to American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation

This fall, New Hope was proud to accept a grant of $2,500 from the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation. It wasn't a typical grant, though, and we never asked for the money. In fact, it was a New Hope mother who believes in our mission that wanted to give back to us. Eldonna Merritt, the mother of one of the individuals we serve, saw an email from her insurance company, American Family Insurance, inviting her to nominate a deserving nonprofit for their Dreams Foundation Community of Dreamers grant program. After years of working with New Hope to provide her son with...

November 25, 2019

Remembering Our Friends

Luke Bullington 8/12 1988 – 11/4/2019 Soon after Luke started attending Payne Road Day Services it became obvious that Luke loved game shows: Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Family Feud, etc. He even loved Listening to his favorite game show theme songs on an iPad. He also enjoyed his walks around the building, stopping to visit with associates in their offices who would often hum those songs with him. After visits he liked to close office doors. He could usually be seen with his beads, too, enjoying his chips or soda. Luke and his family were involved in Special Olympics...

November 25, 2019

Setting a New Goal

by Denise Caudill-Irons, NHI Board Member and Mom I finally accepted that there was nothing I could do to change my current and stressful circumstances. Thus, I decided to redirect my energies and focus on a new mission in order to keep my sanity. Like some sharks that must keep moving to breathe, I need to keep thoughts going through my head to feel productive. I need to prepare, analyze, predict, and plan for ways to help my daughter achieve her best life. A year ago, a friend connected me with another parent who has an older daughter with...

November 25, 2019

He Keeps on Ticking

Happy Birthday to Kenny Lyons, who just turned 50 this month!  Kenny stated he is like a Timex watch: he “takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”  When Kenny was 17, he fell asleep while driving late at night and hit a bridge.  He sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) which required significant medical care and rehabilitation.  In 1990 he was admitted to the New Hope residential facility on Beta Hall, which was the unit designated for individuals with TBIs.  At that time, he needed a wheelchair for mobility, but through his determination and therapy with Reba Kerkhof, New Hope's...

November 21, 2019

Saying Goodbye

With heavy but happy hearts, two of New Hope's longest serving leaders are saying goodbye to their careers at New Hope. Lynn Feldman, Director of Supported Living, and Kathe Rae, Manager of Mission Integration and Volunteers, are both retiring after a collective 80+ years of dedicated service to New Hope's mission and to those we serve. Lynn Feldman started at New Hope shortly after its doors opened in 1978 as a occupational therapist. She fondly remembers sitting on the floor and assembling furniture for the 200-bed facility on her first day and intending to find a new job after a...

November 21, 2019

A Note from Allison: Grateful

Grateful! This word is used a lot at this time of year. Sometimes the cynic in us may think the word is just Hallmark pablum. However, at New Hope it is anything but that. There is so much to be grateful for here, it just becomes part of who we are, our culture. Personally, I am grateful to every New Hope associate. This starts with our executive team, an amazing group of people that have steered the ship of New Hope for much of its history. As many of you know, two of these leaders are retiring...

November 20, 2019

Zeller, Speak

Greetings, friends! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it is my favorite holiday. Not just because I might get a bite of turkey, but because it gives me pause to count my blessings. So here is my top ten blessings list. 1. I work at New Hope, which is an awesome place! 2. I am surrounded by people who love me. 3. I have about 1,000 friends (some are people; some are dogs). 4. I have my own couch at the office. 5. I see a LOT of smiles! 6. Occasionally I get a Milk Bone. 7. In February people sing "Happy Birthday" to me. 8. Some of my friends play fetch with me in the...

November 15, 2019

Welcome, Cassi Dean!

As we say goodbye to Lynn Feldman after her 41 years of service to New Hope, we are glad to welcome back Cassi Dean as our new Director of Supported Living. Cassi has twenty years of experience serving individuals with disabilities. She started at New Hope as a Team Leader in Supported Living in 2007 and left in 2017 after becoming a Manager. Since then she has gained leadership experience at the Arc of Greater Boone County and, most recently, as the Executive Director of INcare Solutions where she expanded their supported living program. Her peers describe her as hard-working,...

November 15, 2019

Mission Minute: Appreciating our Friends

by Kathe Rae, Manager of Mission Integration and Volunteers Every November we often have a heightened awareness of thankfulness, even if we feel and express gratitude throughout the year. The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time to reflect on the many blessings in our lives. At New Hope, we have so much to be thankful for: a strong mission, the individuals and families served, dedicated associates, caring volunteers, a vibrant board, an exciting future and so many “friends.” How important are friends in your life? Do they support you through thick and thin? Do they love you unconditionally?...

November 15, 2019

Service Spotlight: Henrietta Day

Henrietta’s co-workers and friends would probably say she missed her calling and should be in the party planning business.  While she does love parties and is very good at planning them, it's who the parties are for that is her passion: the individuals served by New Hope.  In January, Henrietta will be celebrating her 26th year with New Hope and she can certainly confirm that time does fly when you are having fun! Years ago, prior to relocating to Indiana, Henrietta was working and volunteering for persons with disabilities in California.  After Henrietta’s move here, she was encouraged to apply for...

October 29, 2019

Employment Inclusion

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), but at New Hope and other disability service providers, we celebrate employment inclusion year-round. In 2016, New Hope began offering Vocational Services using referrals from Indiana's Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR). Our Vocational Services team works with dozens of individuals who are looking for assistance preparing for, finding and keeping meaningful employment. Vocational Services Team Leader, Patrick Mitchell, loves working with the people he serves. He enjoys the challenge of helping them set and achieve their goals, sometimes lofty. He says that the trick is helping to find realistic, attainable goals that have...

October 29, 2019

A Note from Allison: INARF Goes to Washington

Happy fall! I hope you’ve all been enjoying this beautiful autumn! We certainly have here at New Hope. We’ve been so busy meeting new people this month! Thanks to everyone who was able to join us for our Let’s Get Cheesy event on October 3rd! If you weren’t able to attend, check out the photos. It was great fall event with pumpkin painting, music, games and, of course, mac-n-cheese! We met some new friends and introduced them to New Hope, and we were happy to see some old friends like Indiana State Senator J.D. Ford! Outside of New Hope, I’m honored to...

October 29, 2019

Zeller, Speak

Greetings Friends, It is National Disability Employment Awareness (NDEAM) Month and we are celebrating the many gifts people with disabilities bring to employers. There are so many benefits to hiring people with disabilities. Not the least of which is high quality work and dedication. Besides getting the job done, hiring people with disabilities changes the culture of a workplace for the better. It broadens the understanding of people without disabilities. Instead of assuming someone cannot do the job if they have a disability, they are able to see in action that indeed they can! And just like all the rest of us,...

October 29, 2019

Hanging onto Hope

by Denise Caudill-Irons, NHI Board Member and Parent If you really want to scare people this Halloween, answer honestly when they ask you how you are doing. When I do, I see the blood drain from their faces; their eyes widen and dart around the room looking for a way out; and then, they quickly escape as though my pain is contagious. Luckily, most people step into my tale of gloom, giving me the strength and comfort that has sustained me through this unexpectedly long season of extraordinary situations. As the weeks turned into months, I felt disheartened and...

October 23, 2019

Change is a Good Thing

Christy Bowser does not like change. However, one change in her life that she feels has been wonderful was her move to the Laboure Group Home in July of 2018. She previously lived in her own apartment in Noblesville, and she was feeling lonely, especially after she lost her job at Marsh when it closed. Christy had loved working there for over 20 years and had many co-worker friends. She said her sister, Michelle, thought Laboure would provide opportunities to meet new friends, get to do things she enjoys and also help her monitor her diabetes....

October 15, 2019

AIM Experiences AdaptFit

According to the CDC, "nearly half of all adults with disabilities don’t get any aerobic physical activity." Nearly half! Can you believe that?? Our friends at Summit Strength and CrossFit have been helping our AIM groups practice physical fitness through CrossFit training. Their new class, AdaptFit, allows nearly a dozen young adults with disabilities to enjoy the benefits of CrossFit training each week including learning new functional skills, setting personal goals and getting out of their comfort zones. Not only are the individuals we serve getting fit and enjoying themselves, their coaches are enjoying this partnership as well. Here's what Summit...

October 14, 2019

Mission Minute: Traditions – Old and New

by Kathe Rae, Manager of Mission Integration and Volunteers As we approach the holiday season, we often think about and celebrate traditions. At New Hope, the holidays seem to begin in October with the annual Fall Festival. Traditions, especially at New Hope, often include everyone’s favorite thing: eating! We like to cook together, host big family dinners, bake cookies and maybe even serve meals at a shelter. For most of us, the holiday season means celebrating many traditions. Some people continue to brave the crowds at the mall the day after Thanksgiving each year. Others decorate...

October 14, 2019

Service Spotlight: Tracy Brabec

This month, Tracy Brabec is celebrating her twenty-fifth year at New Hope!  For Tracy, her many years of service have truly been a life journey.  Tracy was working for another provider in a direct care position and wanted to become a supervisor.  She heard about New Hope from several co-workers and decided to apply for a behavior clinician position in the residential facility.  Tracy was hired and later helped with the transition and closure of the facility.  She was even one of the last to leave along with several of the clients.  She became a supervisor in the Supported Living...

September 24, 2019

Exploring Indy!

Jacob Nydam first joined New Hope's AIM program as a high school student at the beginning of 2019, attending only a couple of days a week. After graduating from Hamilton South Eastern this spring, Jacob began coming more often. His favorite part of the AIM program is spending time with his friends. He enjoys their trips to the park where he can explore the woods and to the library where he can read and learn new things on the computer. He also enjoys their volunteer activities with Meals on Wheels and other local nonprofits. “Jacob is constantly experiencing new adventures each...