Caring TimesMarch 2009 www.HopeTreeFS.org

“Living Independently”continues on Page 4.

While many school systems across the country are cutting staff and services in response to the current national eco-nomic situation, HopeTree Family Servic-es is expanding in the hope of providing education to those who most desper-ately need assistance. Gus Mitchell School has received per-mission from the Virginia Department of Education to admit day students to its traditionally ‘residents only’ academic and vocational education programs. “This is a great opportunity for us to of-fer something that many young people

in the community desperately need. We have a proven track record of success-fully educating young people who need a special school environment and, in these times, education, both academic and vocational, is more important than ever for someone to be successful in society,” said Dr. Tommy Barber, Gus Mitchell School’s Director of Education. Starting immediately, Gus Mitchell School will be accepting applications for students searching for alternative edu-cation opportunities. Barber will also be visiting area school systems to inform

them of the opportunities available at Gus Mitchell School. “Our teachers special-ize in creating personal-ized learning environments where the curricula are customized to each indi-vidual student. We also have a number of agree-ments in place with local businesses and Virginia Western Community Col-lege that give our students

access to around 20 different areas of job training, ranging from Auto Mechan-ics to Culinary Arts,” said Barber. Anyone interested in learning more about Gus Mitchell School and its pro-grams, or helping a student enroll at the School, should contact Dr. Tommy Barber at 540-389-4941.

Gus Mitchell School Expands

(above) Vocational instructor Wayne Per-kins guides Quann in Building Trades Class; (left) Tess works on a project in Art class.

Alisha opens her front door and sets her school bag on the floor of her

living room. She walks into the kitchen, browses through the refrigerator and the cabinets for food and begins to cook herself a meal for dinner. Afterwards, she cleans up, calls a friend, and makes plans to meet up at the mall. Alisha is a pretty typical teenager except for the fact that she lives in a residential care facility. Alisha is one of the few students at Ho-peTree who have the opportunity to enter into Independent Living. For the past five months, Alisha has been living by herself in one of HopeTree’s Independent Living cottages; making her own meals, schedul-ing her transportation to school and work, and learning how to live on her own.

HopeTree has been offering Independent Living to its residents since 2005. “It’s a service we offer through the resi-dential program right now. Basically teach-ing self-sufficiency skills; how to become productive adults, how to live on their own, how to pre-pare their own meals, and how to take advantage of community resources,” explained Indepen-dent Living Specialist Donille Thompson. In order for a student to be considered for Independent Liv-ing they must be at least 17 years of age, have a job, be involved in some kind of educational or vocational program, and have the approval of his or her legal guardian. The student must also perform satisfactorily in school and con-sistently display positive behavior. Initially, HopeTree staff administers an assessment

to determine the resident’s skill level for living on their own. Afterwards, the stu-dent begins a 14-part series of basic life skill classes that meet once a week. Once

Living Independently

Donille (left) reviews information for a life skills ses-sion with Alisha (right).

Support HopeTree Family Services as we Walk to-ward our $100,000 goal. The Salem Walk is set for

May 9, 2009. Registration - 9:00 am Walk - 10:00 am Refreshments/Awards - 11:30 am For information on how you can join us in Salem or conduct a Walk in your own church or community, please contact David Wilson at (540) 389-2112 or by e-mail at DavidW@Hope-TreeFS.org or call Donna Wilbourne at (804) 545-1202. Her email is DonnaW@HopeTreeFS.org.

☐ Please send me information on participating in the Salem Walk on May 9. ☐ Please send me information on conducting a Walk-A-Thon in my community.

Name_____________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________

State__________Zip_____________Phone______________________________

Email_____________________________________________________________

Mail to:HopeTree Family ServicesAttn: Walk-A-Thon PO Box 849Salem, VA 24153

Volume 43 - No. 3 - March 2009Caring Times is published 15 times per year by HopeTree Fami-ly Services, 860 Mt. Vernon Lane, Salem, VA 24153. Caring-Times@HopeTreeFS.org Phone: (540) 389-2112 Select photos may represent volunteers and not actual clients of HopeTree Family Services.Publisher....................................................Dr. Stephen RichersonEditor..........................................................................Mark EarlyStaff Writer............................................................Doug Scanlon

HopeTree Family Services provides residential care to at-risk youth as well as adults with developmental disabilities. In accordance with Federal law and US Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or the Federal Relay at (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. The Developmental Disabilities Ministry shall develop, carry out, and regularly monitor policies and procedures governing discrimination in the provision of services to adult residents with developmental dis-abilities. HopeTree Family Services shall comply with all state and federal laws, including any applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 USC 2101 et seq.), that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, age, sex, disability, or ability to pay.

The Mission of HopeTree Family Services is to provide Christian residential and support services

to at-risk children and youth, and to adults with

developmental disabilities.

Mail to:HopeTree Family ServicesAttn: Walk-A-Thon PO Box 849Salem, VA 24153

If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.

This Latin proverb, first uttered cen-turies ago, perfectly describes the situation at HopeTree Family Ser-vices today. The economic winds are not carrying us as far into our future as they once did, so we are taking to the oar to work toward the goal we believe as an Agency we are intended to reach. You have heard and read much about our capital campaign, A New Era of Hope. This campaign is de-signed to update and expand as-pects of nearly all our ministries. From WOODS to DDM to our Resi-dential and educational services, this effort will make everything we do more effective for those we serve. Just as we began this effort, substantial waves of change washed across the economic environment of our country. The number of young people who came to our residential program from departments of social services has declined sharply due to restrictions and changes in how the government funds their care. Rather than bemoan our fate and worry about the needs going unmet, we have chosen to take the oars firmly in hand and proceed with a portion of our planned expansion of our education program before the new HopeTree Education Center is completed. We have applied for, and received, a new license from the Virginia Department of Education to begin accepting day students in our Gus Mitchell School. In a time when so many are look-ing to the sky in exasperation, we are looking to the sky with hope and quiet expectation. We know that we have a strong, caring, faithful God we can rely on. We also know that

Where Your Love GrowsDr. Stephen W. Richerson,

President & Executive Director

“Where Your Love Grows” continues on Page 4.

Ukrop’s Super Markets begin their annual Golden Gift pro-gram on March 2, 2009. Registration for this program is now open and very easy. Sign up at your local Ukrop’s, and all your purchases from March 2-March 28 will qualify for the Golden Gift program. Ukrop’s will donate $200,000 this year to registered chari-table organizations. All you have to do is purchase groceries from Ukrop’s and send HopeTree Family Services the Golden Gift Certificates you receive at the end of the program.

There is no tastier, or more nutritious, way to support HopeTree Family Services.

“Gainfully Employed”continues on Page 4.

To find your closest Ukrop’s,

visit www.Ukrops.com.

activities, vacations, and personal care items are not. The challenges in obtain-ing the employment to earn the money for these items can be daunting. “Our residents are faced with many social stumbling blocks. Some are based on prejudice, fear, and lack of under-standing. Their disability puts them one step behind others without disabilities. Some employers are willing to take on the challenge while others do not want to take the chance of hiring those with disabilities,” explained Wilbourne. Cliff Weil, Inc. is one of the employers who embraces those challenges. “There are a couple of reasons we hire adults with intellectual disabilities,” explained Renaldo Melli, Cliff Weil, Inc.’s Executive Vice-President and Chief

Despite the late winter chill, residents of the Heinrich Home in Richmond regularly volunteer their time on behalf of the Chesterfield Humane Society. Bundled up and energetic, these ladies come out every other Saturday to encourage visitors to the Human Society to care for the pets they have and to adopt animals in need of a new home. Pictured here from left to right are: Debra, Patsy, Elizabeth, and Courtney.

Gainfully Employed

There is no doubt having a job is important. We all have to participate in some fashion in the economic world. But for some, the opportunities for that participation are more difficult to come by. Residents of the Developmental Dis-abilities Ministry fall squarely into that category. Fortunately, there are some businesses across Virginia that not only accept workers with intellectual disabili-ties, they seek them out. Cliff Weil, Inc. of Mechanicsville is one such corporation. Originally founded over a century ago as a cigar manu-facturer and distributor, Cliff Weil, Inc. now produces high-end fashion sunglasses. Among the many men and women with intel-lectual disabilities on the company’s payroll are two HopeTree Fam-ily Services residents; Matt and Elizabeth. Tucked away in a workspace just off the main warehouse, Matt and Elizabeth work alongside six to eight other adults with developmental disabilities. Matt ensures the glasses are cleaned and fingerprint-proof be-fore they are shipped out. Elizabeth tags the glasses with the proper pricing

Matt and Elizabeth take a rare pause during their workday. Dedicated employees, they are praised by their company for working far more diligently than workers available through a ‘temp’ agency.

information. Neither task is ‘glamorous’. In fact, most people would consider them quite tedious. Yet, both are vital to the company’s success; and to Matt and Elizabeth’s success. “The fact is we are unable to provide for all the needs that residents have. Those who do not have Medic-aid need insurance just like you and I. Those who have a waiver may not need health insurance but Medicaid Waiver does not cover dental insurance and

does not always pay for all the medica-tions residents need. So, they need to work to have the same coverage or, at least, to be able to pay for medical or dental needs,” said DDM Area Coordina-tor Tony Wilbourne. In addition to the

insurance issues, many DDM residents also need to work to generate income to meet some of their daily living ex-penses. While their meals and housing are provided by the DDM program, per-sonal expenses, such as clothing, most

“Where Your Love Grows” continued from Page 2.

He has given us skills, knowledge, and a willing spirit to find a way to make His ministry succeed.

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my

darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

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In like a lion... The first weekend of March brought a fast-moving storm that blanketed the Roanoke Valley with nearly a foot of snow. Such beauty refreshes the spirit and calms the soul.

Operating Officer. “First, we want to give people who are less fortunate the opportunity to be productive in soci-ety. Second, we just love to have them around. They come in and smile and the enthusiasm they bring to the job site is a boost to everyone.” Melli adds it is vital to have trained professionals involved who can oversee the job placement process and make sure the right worker is paired with the right job. When that happens, Melli says, everyone involved benefits. “We rely on Heritage Enterprises to match employees to their positions. All we do is supply work. The results are wonderful. They get here, they get to work. There’s no unnecessary coffee breaks. No goofing off. You could go to a temp service and hire someone to do this job, but it wouldn’t get done as quickly or as well, and it wouldn’t be nearly as pleasurable an experience,” said Melli.

the basic classes are complete, staff meet with the resident to decide whether he or she is ready to move into Indepen-dent Living. The process may seem grueling but the students agree it is worth it. “You have a lot more freedom. You don’t technically have to argue over anything with anyone… you get your own cell phone so you don’t have to wait in line to use a phone with other residents. You can watch your own television, you get your own TV,” exclaimed Alisha who entered Independent Living five months ago from Residential Care. One of Alisha’s most cherished free-doms in Independent Living is the ability to prepare her own meal because “I get to cook it the way I like it.” Alisha, who enjoys cooking, likes the variety in her day-to-day meals that she did not see when she was in Residential Care and had less options at the Dining Hall. In addition to cleaning her bathroom, living room and bedroom, shopping, pre-paring her meals, and other household chores, Independent Living residents must attend a weekly class on life skills. The classes cover topics such as balanc-ing a checkbook, managing a budget, and planning for emergencies. In the most recent class, Chazz and

Alisha prepared their taxes. “One thing that we have coming up with Alisha is teaching her how to use public transportation. “We’ll take her out and show her where the bus stop is, where she can purchase a bus pass, and all the routes. And then we’ll ride with her to the mall so she’ll get a feel for it,” explained Thompson. Work is another important emphasis of Independent Living. Chazz, who works at Sonic, and Alisha, who

works at Five Guys, must maintain ten hours of work a week. They call staff the night before they are scheduled to work to arrange transportation to and from work. Both Chazz and Alisha attend Salem High School and find that Independent Living gives them more opportunities to make friends outside of HopeTree. “You can interact with [off-campus friends] and say ‘Hey, want to go to the mall?’ and go, “ Alisha explained. “You pretty much just call [a staff super-visor] and let them know where you’re going.” Additionally, residents have to let staff know who they’re with and what time they anticipate returning to campus. They’re also aware that the Independent Living Specialist may drop in at any time to make sure that they are where they say they are and that they are behaving appropriately. Chazz and Alisha plan on taking classes at Virginia Western Community College when they graduate from Salem High School this year. As for right now, they are just enjoying their life before they walk into the real world. “It’s a really fun place to be. I like to be there because I’m all by myself. You don’t know how much stress you have living with eight girls until you leave. Then you think ‘Oh my gosh, this feels great,’” Alisha stated.

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