Mosaic in Denver April Newsletter

messenger spring 2016

a publication of Mosaic in Denver | www.mosaicindenver.org

Caring Community PARTNERS IN POSSIBILITIES by Stephanie Webb, Community Relations Manager Keller Willliams, our Community Partners just announced they are adopting us for their RED Day again!!

Let’s share a little background of 2015 with Keller Williams-

They asked us how they could provide a day of service to Mosaic. We were so excited and knew exactly how they

We were introduced to the Keller Williams Park Meadows team last February, when Christine Justino (our Community Champion) invited us to share our mission through a Discover the Possibilities event at their office.

Soon after we shared our stories, we got the call. They were going to adopt us for their RED Day.

Keller Williams Red Day 2015

RED (Renew, Energize and Donate) Day is a Keller Williams Realty service initiative dedicated to improving our local communities. All Keller Williams Realty associates in the United States and Canada are asked to donate their time on the same day in May to renew and energize aspects of their local communities.

could serve us. The results were phenomenal and long-lasting. On May 14 2015, KW planned a memorable event for more than 25 of the people served by Mosaic. Over 50 KW team members teamed up and hosted a bowling party. There was red for as far as the eye could see. Every lane consisted of four to five KW members

and one or two people served by Mosaic. Someone must have tipped them off; the way to our heart is through food. They did not disappoint.

In addition to this wonderful friendship creating opportunity, they held a silent auction. The end results cannot be put into numbers.

A few weeks later, KW invited Mosaic to their office to present us with a $2,000 check. Again, do I say, Community Partners? They did not stop there. KW was one of our sponsors at our 2015 Partners in Possibilities event.

At this event, five KW team members attended and that is where the referral idea came to fruition. We tell our friends, families, etc. about the amazing realtor team at Keller Williams Park Meadows, and when anyone mentions that Mosaic sent them, they will donate $300 to our agency at the closing of the home. We are so blessed. A few weeks ago, we received our first donation.

Keller Williams has kept us at the forefront – they held a Winter Coat Drive at their office in November and donated all the gear to the people served by Mosaic. All of this in the first 11 months of being introduces to our mission and people.

Keller Williams Partners in Possibilities

So, Keller William team, thank-you for everything you have done for us; we cannot wait to spend 2016 RED day with your team.

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Connect with Mosaic in Denver! mosaicindenver.org mosaicinfo.org/blog facebook.com/mosaicindenver twitter.com/mosaicpossible donate.mosaicinfo.org/denver

Side note: April – Dazhia Franklin, Family Care Giver, 2 years

April – Sarah Henrich, Nurse, 2 years

Don’t forget if you or a friend is seeking your dream home, to contact Sean Cleary 303.875.0311 at Keller Williams Realty Park Meadows office.

At the close of your home, they will donate $300 to Mosaic in Denver. Just mention that Mosaic sent you and you too will be making a difference in the lives of those we serve.

A huge thank you to Tom and Sarah Henrich for closing on their new dream home with Keller Williams Lonetree Office. On Thursday, January 14th Sarah and Tom closed and on Friday the 15th-WHAM- a donation for $300 arrived! Thank you to Sean Cleary, and Tom & Sarah Henrich!

January – Miranda Mickelson, Independent Contract Manager, 2 years

April – Stephanie Webb, Community Relations Manager, 2 years

Mosaic Messenger is published by Mosaic in Denver | 10651 E. Bethany Dr., Ste. 100 Aurora, CO 80014-2601 | 303.369.9711 | www.mosaicindenver.org Executive Director Resource Development Manager

stephen.shaughnessy@mosaicinfo.org stephanie.webb@mosaicinfo.org

Mission Embracing God’s call to serve in the world, Mosaic advocates for people with intellectual disabilities and provides opportunities for them to enjoy a full life.

Integrity at Mosaic If you have a concern, call our national Confidential Reporting Hotline at 800.443.4899, or email integrity@mosaicinfo.org

Relationships Mosaic is an affiliated social ministry organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of Lutheran Services in America.

Non-discrimination Mosaic will not discriminate in matters of employment or service delivery on the basis of race, creed, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status or veteran status.

To be added or removed from the mailing list or to receive information via email, please contact Mosaic at the address given. ©2016 Mosaic. All rights reserved. Mosaic is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

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Nurses Knowledge RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY by Sarah Henrich, Registered Nurse Prior to working for Mosaic, I was a nurse on the service coordination side of things in Wisconsin. I was used to working with several group homes, day programs, transportation providers, and medical suppliers. What I love most about being a part of the Mosaic team is the dedication we have to the people we serve.

I can honestly say Mosaic demonstrates a higher commitment to helping the people we serve lead meaningful lives than nearly any residential agency I have ever worked with in the past.

We have hosted birthday parties, arranged ladies and guys nights, taken

people in service on once-in-a-lifetime trips, and surrounded a person in service with love during his last moments.

information collected to determine appropriate plans of care, to identify any gaps in services, and to find and utilize community resources.

We are incredibly involved in medical care and work to make sure the people’s voices are heard and their needs are met. We, in fact, have a committee dedicated to advocacy and upholding the rights and dignity of the people we serve.

Our committee is currently looking for community members to join us! As dedicated as we are to the people we serve, we know we could serve them better by including outside perspectives on the reviews we complete.

The Mosaic in Denver Rights and Advocacy Committee meets every three months to ensure our team is meeting the needs of the people in our services using as few restrictions as possible.

The committee reviews psychiatric medications, health patterns, behavior support plans, restrictions, and (the appropriateness of guardianship, rep-payee, etc.) The committee uses

What does being on the Rights and Advocacy Committee mean?

We ask for a commitment of at least one year. This includes four meetings per year, each on a weekday, lasting approximately three-four hours. This also includes correspondence via email regarding follow-up from previous meetings and addressing concerns between quarterly meetings.

Meaningful Life THE ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACT MANAGER by Miranda Mickelson, Independent Contract Manager When you look at the job description of an Independent Contract Manager (ICM) you will see a wide range of delegations, all revolving around the people we serve. These descriptions range from home visits once a month to attending Annual Service Plans, or making sure medical appointments are kept up. We also work with our Independent Contractors. We make sure their trainings are kept up to date, they are documenting on the programs we have written, and most importantly are providing the best possible care for the person in their home. Ramon Muniz

and I are the ICM’s in Denver. We each carry a caseload comprised of people in service, as well as their host home providers. We would both be lying if we said this job wasn’t stressful, but we would be in denial if we said that what we do wasn’t worth every bit of stress we feel.

I could continue to list all of our job requirements, and let you know how, just like every other job, it can be exhausting. But instead, I want you to know what we both see as the best parts of our job. I know that for Ramon, one of his favorite parts is that time once a month when he gets to go on those home visits where providers feed him the most delicious food, or maybe it is constantly being number

one on a client’s list of their favorite people. A list that changes constantly, but Ramon always seems to hold that number one spot. For me, it is when a person in service gets up out of their chair and gives me quite possibly the best hug I have ever received, just because they are happy to see me. Or seeing that a person in service who can have some pretty rough weeks emotionally, has a great few days where you can see their growth and the progress they have made. It can be any number of things that make this job worth it, but overall, the interaction and relationships that we get to create on a daily basis with people in service, and host home providers alike, is extremely priceless.

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Caring Community CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW ASSISTANT DSM

by Melissa Durkop, Direct Support Manager

Mosaic in Denver strives to create a culture where its employees are retained, valued and respected. The field of human services has a high turnover rate. Direct support associates come in and out of the lives of people served frequently, which can be very difficult for them to understand. This puts added pressure on the program managers and fellow staff to pick up the slack. For the past two years, I have hired and supervised these staff. Every once in a while a special kind of person comes along. They may not know anything about working with those with disabilities but they are willing to give it chance; which is sometimes all we need.

Kate has made it clear from the beginning that she has found her calling and Mosaic is a place she wants to work with for many years to come.

When the opportunity to apply for a promotion within the agency arose, she jumped at the opportunity and succeeded. Kate has been promoted to Associate Direct Support Manger, and will now split her time between direct care and working with program managers in the office.

This transition can be a difficult task for both that person and the clients they support. But I know Kate will do it the right way, and put in the extra work to make sure her relationships with those in service stays strong. It is staff like Kate that can be the most difficult to find and the hardest to let go. Congratulations Kate, we are proud of you.

Kate Ireland was one of those people.

She showed up to her interview with a spark in her eye and ambition to learn something new. Not having experience in the field didn’t deter her from jumping in feet- and, more importantly, heart-first. She immediately made connections with the people she worked with and those connections have developed into amazing relationships. The people in service who she supports count on her to make them feel safe, loved and respected. They call her on the weekend to say hello, or ask her a question about their upcoming week and she doesn’t hesitate to make them a priority in her life.

Over the past 18 months, I have had the pleasure of watching Kate follow a similar path that I did when I began my journey with Mosaic five years ago.

She works with the same clients I began with and has become very close with them as I did, too. It has been very rewarding to know that I have played a part in helping her find her passion.

Congratulations – Kathyrn Ireland, ADSM and Melissa Durkop, DSM

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Awareness Day for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Giving a voice is an important part of advocacy at Mosaic. Empowering people to understand their rights and receive supports that work for them is key to our mission. On Feb. 17, a group of staff and people in service had the opportunity to participate in the annual IDD awareness day for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The annual event is

organized by Alliance. Alliance is an association dedicated to strengthening community services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities collaboratively advancing innovative policies and practice in Colorado, and Mosaic is a member. The highlight of the awareness day event is always a luncheon and program where several hundred Coloradans, including many state and elected officials, listen to information about the need to strengthen supports in our state for people with IDD. This year, Mosaic was highlighted during the luncheon presentation. Stephen Shaughnessy, our Executive Director and Kate Ireland, a direct support professional, both had the opportunity to speak to an audience of 250 plus

about the wonderful work we do at Mosaic and the impact it has on those we serve. Kate’s comments focused on how important the work that she does as a direct support staff is and how by helping create a meaningful life for those we serve her life in turn has true meaning. Stephen and Kate also shared comments with the audience about how difficult it can be to retain high quality, engaged direct care staff because of Medicaid reimbursement rates for the services and supports we provide. It was a wonderful event and Mosaic was proud to represent and speak on behalf of all people in Colorado living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and those who care about and support them, giving a voice to their needs.

Kathryn Ireland, ADSM, Stephen Shaughnessy, ED, Alliance Awareness day

Ladies and Guys Night in January THE STOCK SHOW Yippee ki-yay ladies and gents! We just attended another one of our annual outings to the National western stock-show! This yearly tradition is a fan favorite of many of the people served by Mosaic in Denver, as well as staff and management alike. We often cheer for the calves as the cowboys

attempt to wrangle them, get to watch cow-kids mutton bust for their lives and this year we even got to see an escaped gorilla throw dirt in the eyes of a rodeo clown. On top of watching ribbon dancers on horseback swirl their wands in whimsy and bucking broncos barricading the stadium we

get to don cowboys hats shout out in pride for Colorado and laugh amongst one another about all the fun happening around us. Of course no trip to the rodeo would be complete without some BBQ and a few giant turkey legs.

Martin at the Stock show

Elmer

Cheryl

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Caring Community HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH by Stephanie Webb, Community Relations Manager Mosaic in Denver is fortunate to have amazing community support. We would like to recognize Holy Cross Lutheran Church Wheat Ridge and Scott Moore, Director of Youth & Family Ministries. Or as we call him here at Mosaic, our Community Champion. I met Scott Moore when a wonderful friend and longtime supporter of Mosaic introduced us in May of 2014. When sharing Mosaic’s mission and stories with Scott, he immediately wanted to step in and see where his church family could be a part of our mission.

Scott Moore, Community Champion

In September of 2014 the Holy Cross congregation picked us as one of the projects for Gods Work, Our Hands Day. A very large group came out and created flower boxes in our yard so the

Fat Sunday at Holy Cross 2016

people we serve could plant and garden. Another group came and provided fun outside games for the group who lived in the home. This provided a wonderful opportunity of friendship and fun! They worked for

hours! The end results were spectacular—a beautiful creation of flower boxes, too.

As if that wasn’t enough, Scott wanted to share our mission with his Youth Group. He invited us to share our Discover the Possibilities with his youth group, an amazing group of people.

They had great questions and began planning a Halloween Pumpkin Carving evening for their community and invited all the people we support to come. Many of the people served by Mosaic in Denver attended as well as the Youth Group and other members of the congregation.

Scott Moore has many additional responsibilities in his community, but always finds time for Mosaic in Denver and the people we serve. When we asked Scott to MC our Partners in Possibilities in October of 2015, Scott accepted. His class, grace, and professionalism was heard by all. Scott is a true Community Champion.

Holy Cross has become a great church partner in our mission and Scott Moore is a top notch Community Champion. As 2016 arrived, a new year, and new ideas. Scott Moore invited us to join the church for Fat Sunday. I attended with Martin and Joannie, people served by Mosaic in Denver. We had a very memorable time. Through the engagement of the congregation, we were chosen to be this year’s benefit of Souper-Bowl Sunday. Every year they choose an organization who could benefit from a donation and prayers. We cannot thank Pastor Ron, Scott Moore, and the wonderful congregations for choosing us.

Last, but not least, we were invited back again to share our mission to

others in the church. On Valentine’s Day, we shared our mission through Discover the Possibilities. We had an amazing caring audience. In addition we had two very special guests; the Sisters. These two beautiful ladies worked for our Axtell campus many years ago and were able to share what life was like in the beginning. The experience was priceless.

Sheri having Halloween Fun at Holy Cross

Holy Cross in Wheat Ridge, Pastor Ron, Scott Moore, and the congregation– THANK YOU! Your church partnership and Scott Moore’s Community Championship has increased awareness, brought opportunity and possibilities to those we serve, and memories that we will never forget.

Mosaic in Denver looks forward to the future with friends like Holy Cross.

Discover the Possibilitites for the Youth at Holy Cross 2014 Caring Community

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Meaningful Life GOALS AND DREAMS by Melissa Durkop, Direct Support Manager Mosaic in Denver prides itself on person centeredness, by asking clients what is important to them and how we can support them to realize these goals.

This can look like many different things, such as learning to water ski, taking a ceramics class or going horseback riding. We also look to support clients that want to take trips to camp or travel to different states, in Joannie and Janelle’s case it was a dream vacation to Hawaii.

Joannie, Janelle and Melissa on a hike

Joanne and Janelle are two people who have been supported by Mosaic in Denver for more than 30 years. They have always wanted to travel to a tropical destination. This was the year to make it happen! There are many great nonprofit organizations that specialize in travel for people with disabilities, but sometimes they can be impersonal and large in numbers.

These ladies knew what they wanted. It was a personalized trip where they

Group Hawaii picture with Joannie, Melissa and Janelle

could have the opportunity to choose the activities they were interested in and enjoy them at their own pace.

We had several planning sessions and

conversations to identify what they wanted out of a trip to Hawaii. We utilized a travel agency, All Inclusive Vacations, to assist with accommodations and activities. It was important for Joannie and Janelle to have a resort that could accommodate their needs: easily accessible, a variety of onsite restaurants and services, and beach access. The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort was everything they could have dreamed of and more!

Our journey began with a long plane ride over the ocean to the island of Oahu. Once we arrived everyone was so welcoming and we were so excited to take everything in. On our first full day we took a dip in one of the five pools the resort had to offer, did some shopping and that evening enjoyed an amazing Luau. The ladies loved the delicious local fare, a mai tai or two, and the amazing historical Hawaiian dances performed at sunset; they even had four Tahitian Fire dancers.

The island of Oahu may not be large, but it has so many things to offer. We set off on an all-day bus tour that took us around the entire island. We got to take in so many amazing sites including the Holona Blowhole lookout, Makapu’u Lookout, Sandy Beach, and

Joannie, Melissa and Janelle on a boat tour

Hanauma Bay overlook, Pali Lookout for a panoramic view of Nu’uanu Valley and Ko’olau Mountains. Joannie and Janelle really enjoyed the serene grounds of the Byodo-In Buddhist Temple with its koi ponds and manicured Japanese gardens. We were able to visit botanical gardens and see a beautiful waterfall, eat delicious soft serve at the Dole Plantation and visit the North Shore beaches. It was an amazing day.

Janelle and Joannie and at the beach

Our last day in Hawaii was spent lounging in the lagoon, eating delicious fresh seafood and taking lots of pictures to document our trip. Five days was the perfect amount of time to create memories that will last a life time.

Whale watching was on all three of our bucket lists, and it didn’t let us down.

We were lucky enough to cruise along the Pacific Ocean in a beautiful catamaran with a great crew and fun people to chat with. Getting the chance to see whales is not guaranteed, but we were lucky enough to happen upon two right away. We watched them wave their tails and amazingly breach the water several times. It was a once in a life time opportunity.

Mosaic in Denver works as a team to make things happen for the people we support. This vacation couldn’t have happened without the help of the management team providing transportation, schedule coverage, finance planning; direct care staff assisting with shopping and packing and the families offering support when needed as well. Thank you to everyone that helped Joannie and Janelle realize their dream vacation.

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Giving a Voice A HOST HOME PROVIDER’S STORY by Miranda Mickelson, Independent Contract Manager In 1982, Nyenpan and his mother traveled to the states from Africa to seek medical help. Nyenpan was born with Spinal Meningitis, and the medication he received when he was born was ineffective. His mother brought him to America in hopes of finding him some solace. Nyenpan received a lot of medical help and there were plenty of resources for his mother to utilize for him. With his scoliosis taking over his body, and the severe brain damage caused from the medication, he was placed in a regional treatment center so that he could receive more intensive care. At the age of 7, Nyenpan was struggling.

With so many unknowns surrounding his life, he was given six months to

he needed her; little did she know, she would come to need him just as much.

Nyenpan moved in with Nancy and her husband in August of that year.

Nyenpan

live. It was at this point, in August of 1989, that Nancy Vowell came in to Nye’s life. Nancy had been a host home provider for three years prior to meeting Nye, and she knew it was her calling to care for people in need.

Upon meeting him, Nancy knew that

Nyenpan, a person served and Nancy, a host home provider

Nye has had his medical ups and downs, but with Nancy by his side, he has been able to get through all of them. When he was growing up, Nancy made sure he got to see and experience things just as any other child would. He went on vacations to Disney Land, Universal Studios, and Sea World. He got to take boat and train rides, and most recently went to Missouri in an RV. Nancy would dress him up for Halloween, making a box car to fit around his wheelchair so that he could go trick-or-treating with the rest of the kids on the block, and had very frequent visits with his mother and grandmother who lived a few hours away from him. But above all else, Nancy showed Nye love, and continues to do so today. She hugs him, and talks to him. She reminds him that she is always there, and will always continue to be. She truly knows and feels that “Even if people cannot walk, talk, or show it, they need affection too.” Touch is an extremely powerful thing, and paired with God she feels this is why he was able to surpass so many hurdles, and become the man he is today. Nye has lived with Nancy for 27 years. He will be celebrating his 34th birthday, and is continuing to live a happy and healthy life. I think it is safe to say that she looked his six-month sentence in the face, and proved those doctors completely wrong. Even with all of that, Nancy feels that the most important thing, and something she has told me every month I see her is: “I may not know a lot about Nye, but I know that he knows love.”

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Meaningful Life MEANINGFUL WORK by Ramon Muniz, Independent Contract Manager In our last issue we discussed what it looks like to lead a meaningful life and how we at Mosaic in Denver plan to make that a reality for everyone we serve.

We are proud to announce that we are moving forward with our partnership with Kansas University and their Occupational Therapy (OT) team. You may be wondering, “What is an occupational therapist?” The answer to that is quite simple and once I heard it out loud I instantly knew how beneficial this program would be to integrate into our own.

An occupational therapist helps people improve their ability to perform tasks in living and work environments. Their mission aligns perfectly with what we have been trying to accomplish here at Mosaic across the board. OT is a science-driven profession that enables people of all ages to live a life to its fullest by helping promote health and active living.

We started the process by having Becky Nicholson, Clinical Assistant Professor, from KU visit with a few people to get a feel for what we were trying to accomplish. After the consultations Becky found a student, Christina Picicci, who is interested in doing her practicum in Denver, who will be joining us to help further the process along.

“Nothing carries meaning. People carry meaning. We are the porters of importance.” – Jarod Kintz We have a lot more to look forward to on this journey and the work will never be completely done. But it is giant strides like this make us confident that Mosaic will not stop until we have done all we can to provide the most meaningful life we can to each individual we serve.

Donations Needed

Job Openings

Steam Cleaner ($200)

Direct Support Associate Needed

Donations for Camp Memberships ($500) per person

Full-time or Part-time position

Dresser and Night stand ($200) 1 SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamps ($200 piece) 2 Twin Comforter/sheet set (guys) ($50) Full Size Comforter set (ladies) ($50) Toiletries Gift Cards to Local Restaurants

Mosaic in Denver is seeking a passionate, caring individual to join our team. Looking for a job with meaning?

Work with us! We are a faith based, nonprofit agency that provides a full life to those with intellectual disabilities.

Must have flexible schedule. Apply at www.mosaicindenver.org.

Prom Dresses (all sizes) Tuxes (all sizes) Sponsors for Summer Prom (July) Food Decorations

Upcoming Events MONTHLY FACES EVENT A fun evening of fun, food, and activities with a nice bible story twist.

April 11 & May 9 | 6 –7:30 p.m (Last one until September) Our Father Lutheran Church 6335 S. Holly Street Centennial, Co 80121

Discover the Possibilities and learn more about our mission and services.

Join us for this one-hour tour of our mission and learn how you can make a difference too.

All events held at Augustana Lutheran Church 5000 E. Alameda Ave. in Denver unless noted.

COME CELEBRATE OUR APRIL & MAY BIRTHDAYS Come one! Come all! Mosaic is buying the treats!

April 26 | 5–7 p.m.

Milk & Cake, 6345 E. Hampden Ave #103, Denver May 17 | 5–7 p.m.

Cold Stone Creamery, 4251 S. Buckley Rd #685, Aurora

Thursday, April 14 | 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 14 | 11:30 p.m.

Please RSVP to stephanie.webb@ mosaicinfo.org or at 303.369.9711 x16.

LADIES/GUYS NIGHT April 7 | 5–7:30 p.m.

To be Announced May 12 | 3–5:30 p.m.

Keller Williams Red Day More information to be sent out at a later date.

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10651 E. Bethany Dr., Ste. 100 Aurora, CO 80014-2601

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A life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities.

Mosaic Allied Voices BECOME A VOICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Mosaic envisions a world where people with disabilities thrive as valued participants in their communities.

In order to make this happen, we use a program called Mosaic Allied Voices, which utilizes volunteers to promote public awareness of disability issues, to advocate for equality, and to advance sustainable strategies that shape public policy.

Volunteers partner with Mosaic leadership to develop and implement the national legislative agenda, as well

as influence and impact state agendas.

Mosaic Allied Voices (MAV) volunteers call or email elected officials in response to alerts from the Mosaic Governmental Affairs Office.

The alerts contain brief, specific information about the issue and offer a suggested message for MAV volunteers to use if they are uncertain of what to say in their own words. The time commitment is minimal.

All you need is an email address. Visit www.mosaicalliedvoices.org to sign up!

Have you included Mosaic in your estate planning?

There are ways to increase your income now or in the future and save money on taxes.

With a planned gift, you can also ensure that Mosaic’s mission of providing a life of possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities continues long into the future.

Contact Jaime Corsar at 877.366.7242 or jaime.corsar@mosaicinfo.org to discuss how planned giving can help you.

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