New Leadership at United Cerebral Palsy

New Leadership at United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina featuring photos of Rachel Sharp, Greta Robinson, and Kicea Brown

Announcing new leadership at United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina

We are excited to announce new leadership at United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina.

Rachel Sharp has been promoted to the role of Executive Director. Rachel had served as UCPSC’s Director of Community Living since 2014. As Executive Director, she brings extensive management experience and organizational vision. Rachel has devoted over 25 years to offering quality programs where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live fulfilling lives. We are delighted to have Rachel at the helm guiding our mission-based work.

Greta Robinson has joined UCPSC as the new Director of Community Living. She is a licensed master social worker with a concentration in adults healthy aging. Greta brings over 15 years of experience working directly with the intellectual and developmental disability community. Most recently, she worked as a case manager with Doctors Hospital. Greta is a welcome addition to our team and we look forward to where her leadership will take Community Living.

Kicea Brown is now the Director of Day Supports. She has been with UCPSC since 2014 and has served as a Direct Support Professional and Coordinator of Community Living. We are excited to have Kicea in this role and look forward to her energy, enthusiasm and experience leading this position.

Thank You, #MidlandsGives Donors!

This year’s Midlands Gives online community giving day was the best one yet! Thanks to a $4,000 matching funds challenge from The Cheerful Giver and our amazing donors, a record $8,297 was raised to help with UCP of South Carolina’s COVID-19 expenses! These gifts will help to strengthen our supports during this time for the people who rely on us. In addition, Midlands Gives raised more than $3.3 million for 400 nonprofit organizations in the 11 Midlands-area counties. We are so proud to have been a part of this truly incredible day of philanthropy, and we are so grateful to The Cheerful Giver and our wonderful donors for making this day such a success for UCP of South Carolina!

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month! Cerebral Palsy awareness month was created by nonprofit Reaching For The Stars (RFTS). It began as a way to bring attention to the fact there was little to no research for cerebral palsy, despite CP being the most common motor disability in children. It has since evolved into a major awareness and advocacy event.

This year, RFTS merged with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and together they’ve teamed up to make an even greater impact for CP Awareness Month. Their campaign GoGreen4CP.org is all about going green, celebrating the top influencers in the community, and taking an action to change attitudes towards people with CP. The website gives you direct action to take and educates people about CP and how to change perspectives.

March is also Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Every year, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) partners with Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) to create a campaign that highlights the ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities.

The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all areas of community life. It aims to bring awareness to the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.

United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina is proud to support this annual awareness effort as we continue our work to positively impact a Life Without Limits for people with disabilities. Learn more about #CPawareness and #DDawarenessmonth2020 by following our social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

#MidlandsGives is Tuesday, May 7!

We are so excited to once again participate in the #MidlandsGives online giving day on Tuesday, May 7! From 6:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m., donors can visit the MidlandsGives.org website to donate $20 or more to their favorite charities. Last year, generous supporters gave a collective $1.7 million to charities in the 11-county Midlands region. This is an incredible day of philanthropy for our communities and we hope this year’s event will be the best one yet!

However, it won’t be successful without YOU! On Midlands Gives day, please visit our Midlands Gives profile and make a donation of $20 or more.  All of the proceeds raised on our behalf through the Midlands Gives website will go toward supporting and enhancing services designed to help those we serve meet their goals and live full and meaningful lives.  Throughout the day, all contributions have the opportunity to be stretched even further through sponsored prizes. A full list of prizes is available here, including the schedule for the six power hour contests. During these scheduled contests, the two non-profits (one large and one small) with the most unique donors for that hour will have an extra $2,500 added to their giving day total!

Other ways to help with Midlands Gives:

  • Spread the word about Midlands Gives with your friends, family, co-workers and encourage them to give on May 7!  If you’re on social media, you can like or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and share our posts to your personal accounts!  When talking about UCP and Midlands Gives on social media, be sure to use the hashtag #MidlandsGives to be part of the larger discussion!
  • If you are a family member of someone served by UCP of South Carolina, a staff member, or volunteer, we want to hear from you!  Send your pictures and stories about how UCP has impacted your life or your loved one’s life to aboozer@ucpsc.org, and we’ll share them on our social media accounts!

If you have any questions about Midlands Gives, please contact our development coordinator, Alanna Boozer, at 803-926-8878 or aboozer@ucpsc.org.  We can’t wait for you to join us in celebrating Midlands Gives on Tuesday, May 7!

 

Support UCP Of South Carolina Through The BILO Community Bag Program

We are excited to announce that United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolinahas been selected to be a part of the Community Bag Program at two participating BILO stores!  This program is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community while supporting the environment. 

From February 20 through March 31st, each time a reusable Community Bag is purchased at either of these BILO stores, $1 will be donated to United Cerebral Palsy of South Carolina, unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag. The two selected stores are at 2916 Emanuel Church Road in West Columbia and at 2453 Charleston Hwy. in Cayce.  You can find the two colorful reusable Community Bags with Giving Tags (blue hearts with $1 on them) on the reusable bag rack at the store. 

We appreciate the support you give, which allows us to maintain the work we do in our community. The Community Bag Program is a great way to continue to support our cause while working to eliminate single-use paper and plastic bags.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact our development coordinator, Alanna Boozer, at aboozer@ucpsc.org or 803-926-8878.  You can also learn more at http://seg.bags4mycause.com

Thank You, Willow Ridge Church!

We want to take a moment to give a shout out to our good friends at Willow Ridge Church in Lexington.

As Hurricane Florence approached North and South Carolina several weeks ago, it became necessary to evaluate the UCP homes and apartments and put emergency evacuation plans in place for individuals living in some of the most flood prone areas.  Evacuation during a major storm is stressful for everyone, but evacuating people with disabilities brings a unique set of challenges and concerns.  One of our board members, Robert Gemmill, is a member at Willow Ridge Church and created their Faith Night Tuesday night ministry, a weekly gathering of church members, individuals served by UCP, and other people with developmental disabilities.  Robert approached the church about offering their space as a shelter for people from UCP that needed to evacuate, and the church agreed without hesitation.

For four nights, the church sheltered 11 individuals along with their staff members.  They also assisted with supplies, snacks, and providing fellowship.  It was a great relief to know that the people who evacuated could stay in a place where they were safe, comfortable, and surrounded by friends.  We offer the leaders and congregation of Willow Ridge Church our heartfelt appreciation for everything they do to enhance our mission and enrich the lives of those we serve. We are so grateful for their generosity and wonderful friendship.  Thank you, Willow Ridge Church; we love you!