NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council Announces Grants for the Everyday Heroes Initiative

ALBANY, NY (12/14/2007)(readMedia)-- New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) announces grants of $20,000 going to the Adirondack ARC (Tupper Lake), Life’s WORC (Garden City), Sunmount DDSO (Tupper Lake / Speculator), and Wildwood Programs (Latham), for the Everyday Heroes Initiative.

George E. Fertal, Sr., Chairperson, announced that on December 13th, 2007, the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) awarded five $20,000 grants, for the final year of the Everyday Heroes Learning/Leadership Initiative.

The Everyday Heroes Leadership Institutes teach selected direct support leaders about best practice approaches to inclusion and person-centered services/supports. These leaders are then committed to assisting peers in inclusion, empowerment and other person-centered concepts and practices. In addition to facilitating inclusion, the Institutes to date have proven secondary benefits in facilitating direct staff recruitment, retention, staff advancement, and provided support for professional practice and recognition.

James Sanford of the Sunmount DDSO stated, “Sunmount is moving from community inclusion to community involvement and the Everyday Heroes Program has become a positive effort by becoming a part of the life of the community in improving the lives of all of those individuals in the program.”

The DDPC is a federally funded state agency dedicated to designing and implementing new programs that serve New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and their families in the most effective way possible. Sixty percent of the Governor-appointed membership of the DDPC is parents and people with developmental disabilities. For more information on the DDPC, go to: www.ddpc.state.ny.us.

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