On December 21, KenCrest's Adult Training Facility (ATF) celebrated it's fifth anniversary! EmployNet developed this program alongside Eastern Residential. It's purpose was to give six individuals who were medically fragile support that they needed to participate in meaningful day activities.

Through a grant from the River Crest Fund, EmployNet was able to purchase the adaptive switches and equipment necessary to start “KenCrest Creations,” and the program participants began making beautiful cards out of recycled paper. The ATF individuals now make an assortment of quality products, including cards, gift tags, checkbook holders and more. They earn money by selling their work at various community and KenCrest sales, and just started a partnership with the Alabaster Tea Room in Pottstown where the items are sold on consignment. The program has doubled in size over the past five years, and the staff there work very hard to balance work and community with medical and personal care, every day. Congrats!

Jim McFalls, the director of KenCrest Youth & Adult Services, was recently introduced in his new role as the Executive Director of KenCrest Services. The announcement was made at the annual Youth & Adult Services Conference and the appointment became effective July 1st. The announcement came as part of the KenCrest strategic plan for moving successfully throughout the next few years.
“I hope to continue growth, stability, and service for people with developmental disabilities. I want staff to continue to do the great jobs they are doing that make KenCrest so great, and continue to be committed to the people we serve,” said Jim.
Jim has been with KenCrest since 1982 and served as the Clinical Director prior to his role as the director of Youth & Adult Services. He started his career as a teacher while attending graduate school to study psychology. In addition to his job at KenCrest, Jim also works in family counseling, behavioral counseling, and consulting.
Bill Nolan, the previous Executive Director of KenCrest Services, will be moving to a new position called Chief Strategy Officer and will work with all KenCrest companies, including KenCrest Services, KenCrest Centers, and the KenCrest HUD corporations. He will also remain as the Executive Director of KenCrest Centers.
In his new role, Jim will be responsible to the KenCrest Services Board and all government funded services and supports provided within KenCrest Services. He will also be working to grow the services KenCrest offers and adapt the company to move forward into the future.
 

    Close to 300 individuals served by KenCrest made their way to the Upper Moreland High School gymnasium on Saturday, May 30, to attend the agency’s annual prom. The event was made possible through a partnership with the high school and the Post-Prom Party Committee, who leave the themed decorations intact from the high school’s actual Prom the night before for people supported by KenCrest to enjoy as their own. Each year, the decorations remain under lock and key until prom night. KenCrest prom-goers, dressed in their formal best, made their way through the gym transformed into carnival, complete with balloons, a ticket booth, a snack shack, and games. KenCrest offers it’s gratitude to volunteers from Citizens Bank and a volunteer youth group from St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Perakasie, who assisted all guests at the prom. KenCrest also extends its thanks to Upper Moreland High School and the Upper Moreland Post-Prom Party Committee for making this event a success.

     On Friday, May 22, exactly 92 Merck employees volunteered to help at seven KenCrest locations in Montgomery County, including six community homes in Lansdale and Hatfield, and the Artman Child Development Center in Ambler. Dale Beck, Assistant Director at KenCrest, and Robert Leistensnider, Executive Director for Operational Excellence at Merck, devised the projects, which included landscaping, interior and exterior painting, carpentry, and building and property repairs.

    Merck contacted KenCrest because of their interest in doing some coordinated volunteer work in the Lansdale area as a part of a new employee incentive program that encourages staff to be community volunteers. Two parents of children served at the Artman Center (one current, one alumnus) who work at Merck, as well as KenCrest Centers Board member Mr. Chris Bagley (who also works at Merck) made strong recommendations within the company for choosing KenCrest.

On Saturday, May 9, Dr. Fred Loomis of the KenCrest Services Board, along with Mik Gregoire, Director of Development, and Personal Support staff Dora Brown and Becca Moore represented KenCrest at a community resources fair in Hatboro. The event was hosted by State Representatives Tom Murt (R, Montgomery County) and Bernie O’Neill (R, Bucks County). Nearly 300 residents of Hatboro, Warminster, and surrounding communities attended. KenCrest took the opportunity to distribute information about the services we provide to the people who attended and to discuss the pending state budget with the legislators.

Five members of KenCrest’s Public Policy Team, along with six staff, went to Washington, DC and made visits on Capitol Hill as part of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) National Conference on Wednesday, April 29. The group made eight visits throughout the day, including the offices of Senator Arlen Specter and Representatives Jim Gerlach, Allyson Schwartz, Charles Dent, Joe Sestak, Patrick Murphy, Chaka Fattah, and Robert Brady. Conversations centered on Medicaid issues, background information about KenCrest, and invitations to make personal visits to KenCrest programs.

Every year, LSA presents Congressional Awards to a select number of federal legislators nominated by LSA agencies. This year, a legislator nominated by KenCrest – Representative Jim Gerlach (R, District 6) – was named an award winner. He was presented with his award during KenCrest’s visit in his office by Heather Ansley, one of the LSA staff stationed in Washington, Scott McCloskey, president of the KenCrest Centers Board of Directors, and Bill Nolan, Executive Director.
 

Despite rain showers and cloudy skies, over 125 neon green shirts stood out in Pottstown’s Riverfront Trail Park on Saturday, May 2 as families, staff, and adults who are served by KenCrest volunteered as a part of KenCrestCares at their second volunteer event. KenCrestCares raises awareness of providing quality services to people with disabilities through community service projects.

 The group picked Pottstown for their second event because of the large amount of people served by KenCrest in the area, including 16 group homes, and EmployNet. KenCrestCares cleaned up alongside other local groups from the area, including volunteers from Pottstown Parks and Recreation staff, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and students from Ursinus College.

Saturday’s clean-up included picking up trash and debris, and mulching, and planting flowers and trees. The event concluded with songs from the Rejoicing Spirits Choir of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who sing at worship and fellowship opportunities.

This event was sponsored and made possible by the RiverCrest Fund, Pottstown Parks and Recreation Department, Schuylkill River Heritage Area, Fast Signs, Giant, Walmart, Copy Fast Printing, Sanatoga Thriftway, DesignArt, and Smith-Edwards-Dunlap Printing.
 

On Wednesday, March 25, students from the Pottstown, Phoenixville, and Upper Merion School Districts spent the day at three local area business host sites, learning what would be required of them if they were “on the job” as part of KenCrest’s annual Job Shadowing Day. The sites include Phoenixville Hospital, Ikea of Conshohocken, and Frederick Mennonite Home.
Job Shadowing Day is facilitated by KenCrest’s EmployNet program in conjunction with the Citizens Bank Foundation, which will make the day possible through a $10,000 grant.
The students, each of whom have a developmental disability, will soon be making the transition from school to work and job shadowing is one way they can explore different employment options before taking the steps to find a job after graduation. Students worked in various job duties, such as occupational therapy, food service, and maintenance.
KenCrest’s EmployNet program serves 200 individuals with developmental disabilities from four office sites (Philadelphia, Pottstown, West Chester and Collegeville) each year. It provides skill assessment, job coaching, assistance with job applications and resumes, pre-employment experiences, and follow-up for as long as the individual is employed.

John Raub, an adult served by KenCrest Lifesharing, has long been passionate about Washington D.C. and our government. His staff explained this to his congressman, Representative Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania’s Sixth District, who in turn, funished three tickets to President Obama’s Inauguration. KenCrest staffers Jane Kershaw and Kellie McElwain assisted John as he left for Washington from Collegeville, PA at 2:00 a.m. on January 20th.  After three hours of fighting the crowds and getting through security, they were seated in the Blue Section in front of the Capitol Building. John was able to watch the whole ceremony from a big television in front of him. This whole day was not only historic, but extra special to John.

KenCrest’s West Philadelphia Child Development Center celebrated the Week of the Young Child by hosting several events during the school day for parents to attend with their children. Events included parents and children planting flowers with the help of students from the Philadelphia University of the Sciences. There was also an art show and a play. Parents shared stories of their children’s successes at KenCrest which will be sent to legislators in order to educate them about the wonderful preschool services KenCrest provides.

Sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Week of the Young Child ran from April 19 through April 25. The purpose is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. This year’s theme was “Bringing Communities Together for Children, Children Bring Communities Together.”
 

   Robert Welton of Northford, Connecticut has recently been announced as KenCrest’s director services in Connecticut. Welton was hired to manage the three community homes that will be opening in the near future, as well as help hire direct care staff for each home. “I’m really looking forward to applying the value system of KenCrest with the one I have built on my own,” says Welton.

   Although the job has many facets, the one he finds most challenging and rewarding is communication with his staff. “I want to build teams on honesty and integrity, and help people learn and grow in their positions. I’m looking for people who care about people with disabilities.”

  Welton has almost thirty years of experience in the field, and is a long-time Connecticut native, holding a degree from Southern Connecticut State University. He worked in a school for children with Autism before getting a job with the Connecticut Department of Retardation in 1985. He moved on to work as a director for two different vocational day programs and a residential program.

  “In every position I was in, I monitored individual behavior so I could help staff learn and grow in their best assets,” said Robert. “The people at KenCrest are down-to-earth, and provide such a quality of supports that I am so happy to be a part of.”