UCP of the North Bay
Community Outreach Update

June 5, 2020

Events over the last few months and the demonstrations of the past week have highlighted the severity of the social and economic injustices we still have to overcome in our nation and communities.  #BlackLivesMatter.  We commit that our work here at UCP of the North Bay serves to eliminate marginalization in all its forms, whether it be gender, sexual orientation, religious, racial, mental health or disability bias.  We can all do better and must and will.

Every year, in advance of our fiscal year, we prepare a Capacity Building Plan to guide the growth of UCP of the North Bay.  Unlike previous years, we expect that the coming year will be more fluid and that our plans will undoubtedly need to be modified along the way.  We are doing our best to develop contingency plans in the event there are stops and starts to opening our programs.  Our initial plan for our Adult Day Programs is to phase in site-based and community-based employment and training activities, while maintaining some home-based distance learning as a means of reducing the size of our group activities, practice physical distancing and allowing our participants to “take turns” with locations.

Cypress School will be doing much the same to reduce classroom size, increase outdoor activity in smaller groups and keep community members as safe as we can.  We are especially aware of the challenges families are facing with having their children at home rather than at school.  We feel especially responsible for providing support and education for both families and students, and to that end we are going to begin serving some students at Cypress School this month.  Our goal is to involve all our students in both school-based and community-based educational activities as soon as possible.  Our third primary program, Supported Employment, is dependent upon the re-opening of businesses, but the individuals that we serve are ready to return to work.

In the coming year we will be developing our Leadership Team with three new members: Nate Yates, Director of Educational and Behavioral Services; Jen Whalen, Director of Community Programs; and Christina Isetta, Director of Administration.  They are joining a team that will be working on business development with the expansion of our recycling services, fundraising with modified events and a new Legacy Circle for estate planning, and the implementation of a grant from the Department of Developmental Services to create new community-based employment opportunities through job development.  As you would expect, we will be focusing on wellness and safety with all our programs and services.

Public health organizations continue to make clear that we must continue to take preventive steps that emphasize safe physical distancing.  Work hard, be kind, stay safe and stay connected.

• Should you have any additional questions, please contact, via email or text, your Program Coordinator, Manager, Administrator or Director.
  
  
• We hope to return to normal locations and hours as soon as possible.