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Upcoming
Bancroft Events |
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Rowan
University's Inaugural Conference on Autism
March
15, 2010
8:15AM-3PM
Rowan
University Student Center in Glassboro,
NJ
(856)
256-4715
Facing
the Future XVII Conference, sponsored by NJ APSE:
The Network on Supported Employment and The
Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental
Disabilities
March
19, 2010
Somerset,
NJ
(732)
235-9300
Joyful
Noise Concert: Singing City's "Voices of
Philadelphia"
March
20, 2010
7PM
Annual
Youth and Family Concert at The Church of the Holy
Trinity, Rittenhouse Square
1904
Walnut Street, Philadelphia
www.singingcity.org
Community Services for
Adults St. Patrick's Day Dance
March 21,
2010
4PM-8PM
Coliseum
in Voorhees, NJ
(856) 428-0685, ext. 128
Brain
Injury Workshop: The Role of
Rehabilitation Neuropsychology in
Interdisciplinary Team Function
March
23, 2010
3PM-5PM
Plainsboro,
NJ
(856) 524-7371
Free
Workshop: Functional Behavior
Assessment
March
24, 2010
6:30PM-8:30PM
Farrington
Conference Room
Haddonfield Campus
(856)
524-7371
Annual Bancroft
Classic
April 11,
2010
1PM-4PM
Haddonfield High School
B-Gym in Haddonfield, NJ
(856)
428-0685, ext. 103
Brain Injury
Workshop: Outcome
Measurement in Community-based Rehabilitation
April 21,
2010
3PM-5PM
Plainsboro,
NJ
(856)
524-7371
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Desiree Saddler (at
left) gives Delaware's first lady, Carla Markell a
tour of her home.
Delaware's
first lady visits Bancroft
Carla Markell, wife of
Delaware Governor Jack Markell, recently visited
our Delaware program. The first lady toured group
homes and a work site with parent Micki Edelsohn.
Edelsohn is also founder of Homes for Life,
a nonprofit group that has built 25 homes for
individuals with disabilities, including 13
Bancroft group homes.
During her
visit, Markell was eager to learn how staff
support the home's residents. And Edelsohn
explained that she takes great pride in making
sure that the homes have everything they need and
are well maintained, not only for the individuals
who live there, but also for the staff.
The tour included a stop at Bank of
America, where Markell met James Cartmell and Kent
Lawrence, people we serve who have worked at the
bank for over 12 years.
Markell ended her tour at the
Pine Meadows group home, where she met Oliver, the
residents' cat (the residents were at work during
her visit). She was impressed with how
personalized the homes are. The halls are lined
with pictures going back 10 years, showing the men
on vacation and enjoying other great experiences
together.
We are very grateful
that Carla Markell took the time to visit with us,
and for Micki Edelsohn's support on that day and
every day.
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Avoid
brain injury - protect your head
March
is National Brain Injury Awareness
Month
An estimated
5.3 million Americans - more than 2 percent of the
U.S. population - currently live with disabilities
resulting from traumatic brain injury, according
to the Brain Injury Association of
America.
But did you know that many of
these injuries are preventable? In honor of Brain
Injury Awareness Month, we've posted prevention
tips on our website (bancroft.org).
Here are
other sobering statistics from the Brain Injury
Association:
- every 21 seconds, one American sustains a
traumatic brain injury
- 1.4 million Americans sustain a brain injury
each year
- Of those, 50,000 die and 235,000 are
hospitalized
A brain injury can
happen to anyone - so let's all take steps to
protect our heads and those of our children!
For more information, visit the Brain
Injury Association website: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=geawtmdab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0473&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biausa.org&id=preview.
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Welcome to our new
chief operating
officer!
We are
very pleased to announce the arrival of Joe
Flamini, our new chief operating officer. Flamini
comes to us with a wide breadth of experience and
knowledge in healthcare operations. At Bancroft,
he is responsible for helping to position the
organization for future goals, including the
possibility of relocating the Haddonfield campus
facilities, as well as several other major
initiatives.
Previously, Flamini was
vice president of administration and facility
operations at St. Francis Medical Center in
Trenton. Prior to that, he served as chief
executive officer at Lourdes Health System in
Burlington County. He brings to Bancroft a strong
foundation of financial knowledge and a solid
record of accomplishments, including development
of effective collaborations with outside
organizations. He has achieved strategic financial
targets based on implementation of new clinical
programs and management of productivity outcomes,
and has implemented programs that significantly
improved customer satisfaction.
This
appointment completes plans announced last summer
to expand and strengthen the executive staff to
help us prepare for a more challenging future.
"Joe will be a strong addition to our
executive team," says Bancroft President Toni
Pergolin. "His extensive healthcare operating
experience will be a great value to the growth of
the organization."
Flamini sums up his priorities this way:
"It is my goal to help the team in any way I can
to get the most resources possible for the people
we serve. Our challenges will continue. The more
effective we are with finance and operational
matters, the more we have to reinvest back into
our mission. I look forward to working with all of
you in this process."
Please join us in
welcoming Joe Flamini to
Bancroft.
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Joyful
Noise to perform in
Philadelphia
Joyful
Noise, a South Jersey chorus of adults served by
Bancroft and others with physical and neurological
challenges, will perform in Philadelphia on
Saturday, March 20 at 7 p.m.
The group will
take part in Singing City's "Voices of
Philadelphia" annual Youth and Family Concert at
The Church of the Holy Trinity at 1904 Walnut
Street on Rittenhouse Square.
Two
other guest choirs will sing alongside Joyful
Noise: Chester Children's Chorus and Northeast
High School's choir. The 36 members of Joyful
Noise, ages 16 to 65, are thrilled to be
performing among over 200 singers.
Jeffrey Brillhart, music director of
Singing City, a Philadelphia choral group in its
62nd season with a mission of "uniting diverse
peoples through choral arts," first heard Joyful
Noise sing last June at Chorus America's annual
conference. Chorus America is a national
professional organization for conductors and
choruses.
"Within a minute, I
was overcome with emotion," says Brillhart. "The
exuberance that everyone sang with and the love
that they generated was unlike anything else I had
ever experienced before from a
choir."
Brillhart also felt an
affinity with the singers because he has an adult
sister with special needs. 52-year-old Julie
still lives in the siblings' native Iowa and sings
weekly in a church choir. "I know how incredibly
important music is to her," says Brillhart. "That
one hour of rehearsal is the highlight of her
week."
Brillhart contacted music
director/co-founder Allison Fromm, and invited the
group to join Singing City's annual youth and
family concert.
Fromm, a doctoral
candidate in choral conducting and literature at
the University of Illinois, created the Joyful
Noise chorus in 2000 with her sister, Elizabeth, a
woman served by Bancroft. Elizabeth, a Cherry Hill
resident, who has lived with physical and
neurological challenges since birth, says she
feels happy and proud whenever she sings with the
chorus.
At Fromm's invitation,
Brillhart will fly his sister to Philadelphia to
rehearse and perform with Joyful Noise in the
concert. "She is delirious with excitement," he
says.
Music seems to help transcend
daily obstacles and frustrations. "The chorus
allows them to unlock their natural ability to
express themselves," says Fromm, who aims to
inspire others to launch similar groups in their
communities.
Tickets for the "Voices
of Philadelphia" concert are $20 general
admission, and $15 for seniors/students. Tickets
may be purchased at the door or at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=geawtmdab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0473&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.singingcity.org&id=preview.
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Wawa
marks 'Wawaversary' with big
donation
Bancroft was a special guest at a
party inside a Wawa store last week. The
"Wawaversary" shindig marked the 25th anniversary
of a Palmyra, N.J., Wawa. Festivities included a
wedding with vows, a bridal bouquet toss, dancing
with "Wally," the big Wawa goose mascot, and gifts
-- lots of gifts.
In fact, Bancroft
was recognized in a big way at the event: We were
presented with a giant-sized check for $119,681.
The funds came from Wawa customers who donated
change in the coin-drop containers in New Jersey
stores last year.
Bancroft School
representatives who were in attendance included
Bob Lenherr, Jeff Reuter, Debbie Ford, and Barbara
Bell -- all key associates in the Wawa-Bancroft
partnership - and Kathy Ross. Wawa employee and
Bancroft student Jesse Weindorfer was also
recognized at the event.
Bob Lenherr spoke
of the strong partnership between Bancroft and
Wawa over many years, and the many benefits that
have resulted for our students, our graduates, and
Wawa. In fact, it was noted that about 100
Bancroft students have worked in community Wawa
stores since the training program began. Kathy
Ross presented the Wawa representatives with a
framed article from NJBIZ magazine, covering the
Bancroft-Wawa partnership winning the magazine's
Non-Profit Innovation Award for
Collaboration.
"This was a high-energy
appreciation event, and we were glad to be
represented and honored in such an enjoyable way,"
says Ross. "We appreciate Wawa's generous support
of our efforts to raise unrestricted revenue,
which will help a wide range of Bancroft's
programs and services. Wawa is clearly
helping to make it one world -- for
everyone." |
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The
Bancroft Classic: Watch our staffers
compete!
Come cheer for your favorite staff members at
the annual Bancroft Classic - a wacky and
whimsical competition - on Sunday April 11, 1 to
3:30 p.m., at Haddonfield Memorial High
School.
Admission is only $2, and if you
wear a 2010 Bancroft Classic t-shirt, you get in
for FREE! Refreshments will be available
throughout the event, and plenty of awards will be
given to players and audience members
alike.
This year's event promises wild and
zany competition including a hula-hoop contest,
musical chairs, tug of war and much more! All
proceeds will benefit staff recognition
initiatives! Parking is available alongside the
high school on Sylvan Lake Ave., or next door in
Bancroft's Lullworth building parking lot.
For ticket information, please contact
Michelle Habingreither at (856) 428-0685, ext.
103, or via e-mail at mhabingreither@bnh.org.
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Staff
registry bill moving forward in NJ
Please
thank the
legislators!
As
you may know, the staff registry bill has passed
both the Assembly and the Senate, with unanimous
votes! This bill -- which would create a registry
of offenders against individuals with
developmental disabilities -- is now on its way to
Governor Christie for his signature. In the
meantime, it is important that the sponsors of
this bill are aware that we are thankful for their
efforts. Please send a quick thank-you letter to
the bill's sponsors:
Senate
Stephen
M. Sweeney
Jennifer Beck
Assembly
Angel
Fuentes
Valerie Vainieri Huttle
Ruben
J. Ramos, Jr.
Frederick Scalera
Linda R. Greenstein
Robert M. Gordon
Cleopatra G. Tucker
Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr.
Pamela R.
Lampitt
Louis D. Greenwald
Caridad
Rodriguez
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Rally
for respect
Join self-advocates and advocates across New
Jersey on March 23 from 10 am to noon at the Busch
Campus Center at Rutgers University in Piscataway
to spread the word to end the r-word. Let's all
work together to eliminate the demeaning use of
the word retard from everyday speech. The event is
free but registration is required. Info: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=geawtmdab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0473&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.endtheRword-NJ.org&id=preview. |
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Partner
with us - join a Program Advisory Committee!
Each
major program at Bancroft has an advisory
committee that supports the program, and family
members are encouraged to participate. The agendas
for these committees vary from program to program,
but for the most part they provide a forum for
important communications, and focus on supporting
program initiatives, performance improvement, and
other topics that have an effect on those served
and their families.
The
committees provide regular opportunities for
program leaders, family members, individuals
served, and professionals to work together to
support the program and Bancroft as a whole. If
you are interested in joining the advisory
committee that supports your family member's
program, contact the program's senior director or
Dan Keating, family advocate, at (856) 524-7372 or
e-mail dkeating@bnh.org.
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Fight
NJ budget cuts - make your voice
heard!
Governor
Chris Christie is preparing his fiscal year
2011 budget proposal and plans to make his budget
address on March 16. We need him to know that
the developmental disabilities community service
system is in crisis and cannot sustain additional
cuts. Please go to The ARC online Action
Alert at: http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=geawtmdab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0473&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fthearc%2Fstate%2Fmain%2F%3Fstate%3DNJ&id=previewand
let decision-makers know how important these
programs and services are. We are all very
concerned about next year's budget, and your
support is needed to fight off budget
cuts!
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Delaware
facing budget
cuts
Advocates for people with disabilities spoke
out recently for continued funding for programs in
Delaware. The state's Division of Developmental
Disabilities Services is facing significant cuts
this coming year -- just like in New Jersey --
including an almost $2.5 million cut for purchase
of care for people with disabilities.
Moreover, reimbursements to Delaware providers
have risen only about 1 percent per year over the
last eight years, according to The News Journal
newspaper.
Family members and other
advocates are encouraged to educate legislators
about the impact budget cuts would have on those
with intellectual and developmental disabilities
in the state. Mary Tanner, president of
Delaware People First and a person served in our
Delaware Program, testified at the Senate hearing
last week, and was quoted in the News Journal
article. Click
here to read Tanner's comments and learn
more. |
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Watch
for Family Satisfaction Survey
Please
watch out for our annual Family Satisfaction
Survey, which is being mailed this week to all
Bancroft family members. The survey helps us
meet your needs and understand your perspectives,
so please return your completed survey to us
promptly. Our deadline this year is April 15
- which should be easy to remember!
Your responses enable us to better
assess our performance at both the program and
organizational levels, and determine areas for
improvement in the future. We look forward to
hearing from you.
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Pizza
for a cause!
Visit
CiCi's on Wednesday, March 31st from 11AM-9PM and
Bancroft Brain Injury Services will receive 10% of
the net sales. It's easy, just mention Bancroft
Brain Injury Services while at the register. So,
bring a friend and enjoy all the pizza, pasta,
salad and dessert you want or get it To-Go!
Raising money for Bancroft has never been
easier!
Click on the link below for
additional information.
Pizza for
a cause flyer
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