Building Community
By Zachary McKenzie
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Pen pal program eases loneliness for groups
By Tracy Maness
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Vita Living: Building Community for Individuals with IDD
By Christina Autry
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Two minutes of your day is all we need to ensure the well-being of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and that the supports they rely on aren’t overlooked during the COVID-19 outbreak.
What to do: Use this email tool to remind Congress that I/DD supports and services are essential lifelines to people with I/DD and their families.
The Details: Congress is working at breakneck speed to address the unique needs of various populations in our country through three different funding packages, one of which is expected to be focused on health care.We need your voice right now to ask Congress to include I/DD supports, including Home and Community Based Services, in that package.
The I/DD workforce is already in crisis. These staffing shortages will be significantly exacerbated as Direct Service Providers (DSPs) fall sick or have to tend to loved ones. This is the time for Congress to work on strengthening disability supports through funding for key provisions such as overtime and hazard pay to incentivize DSPs to stay and other workers to join the field.
Most importantly, we need Congress to include I/DD services in any stimulus package to ensure there are supports to return to once the current pandemic subsides. With 700,000 people on states’ waiting lists for services, now is not the time to lose critical capacity.
Please speak up TODAY for the inclusion of disability supports in any package Congress prepares to address COVID-19 today, to help ensure people with disabilities have the support they need, when they need it the most.
Thank you for your support and advocacy,
Joseph Cooper,
Chief Executive Officer
To our supporters:
Vita Living is committed to protecting the health and well being of our clients and staff. We are closely monitoring COVID-19 through the City of Houston, Harris County officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19, Vita Living is following the recommendations set forth by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and have implemented the following protocols:
We are fortunate our residential homes are equipped with the necessary supplies to support our clients during this time. Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are at greater risk of being impacted by COVID-19.
We will continue to follow these protocols in an effort to protect those we serve and those who care for them. We will also notify you of any further changes regarding Vita Living, its clients, and events.
Thank you for your continued support of Vita Living.
Joe Cooper
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Musical savant Rex Lewis-Clack gave a brilliant performance at the Pearls of Wisdom event on Thursday May 3, 2018 at the River Oaks Country Club supporting Vita Living. One of less than 50 people throughout history to combine blindness, intellectual disability, and prodigious musical ability, Rex shared favorite pieces from his vast repertoire: Chopin, jazz improvisation, Broadway tunes and more. Rex and his mother Cathleen wowed an audience of over 220 – the largest yet for Vita Living’s hallmark annual event – and drove home the important message that every individual with disabilities has a unique contribution to make to the world we share.
The dazzling result of all the hard work by event co-chairs Molly & Dane Johnson and Tany & Chaz Klaes shone through. The evening event featured Katherine Whaley, ABC 13, as Master of Ceremonies. The Reverend Martin J. Bastian of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church offered a moving invocation, and the guests enjoyed a delicious sampling of Mexican food after placing their bids at the silent auction.
Founded in 1982, Vita Living provides services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its 19 Houston-based group residences provide a lifelong home for 78 adults who also attend the agency’s day program. Vita Living also provides case management services for children and adults across a seven-county region.
On behalf of our clients and the dedicated staff who care for them, we would like to thank our friends and donors for your outpouring of support and concern in the wake of Harvey’s destruction. Our resident clients and host families benefit greatly from the support of their local communities, and we all felt the immense impact of this storm on our own lives and on those of our neighbors. We do estimate a total of $15-$20,000 in repair costs for minor damages sustained by several of our 19 group homes. We also continue to learn of the losses suffered by so many of our 350 case management families, across seven area counties.
Most fortunately, our resident homes were not flooded, and thanks to the precautionary measures taken by our staff and their tireless commitment during the event, our residents remained safe and sound throughout the storm. Several of these same employees, however, clocked overtime hours at our group homes as their families faced life-or-death situations. Certain staff members and their families suffered major losses: homes and cars were flooded, and some families were obliged to evacuate to area shelters. While these staff members take needed time to repair damages and recover alongside their loved ones, the temporary reduction in staff is resulting in additional overtime costs that are not covered by fees for service. Vita-Living needs the support of our generous donors more than ever, in order to continue providing the highest standard of care in the wake of this citywide disaster.
Other extra-budgetary expenses include the cost of additional food for our 72 residents and direct care staff who remained in the homes throughout. Since our usual catering service was waylaid by the storm, we have been obliged to buy meals at retail costs. Meanwhile, we continue to experience delays in cash flow due to the interruption of activity at Houston-area banks and most other businesses.
We at Vita-Living recognize the immediate need for charitable funds across our city, in support of lifesaving and restorative services and support. Philanthropic focus on the most urgent needs is key, as our communities struggle to heal and rebuild. Against this backdrop, we are more grateful than ever for the support of our longtime donors, volunteers, and community partners. You are the pillars of our agency and a major factor in our sustainability over the long term. As our communities work together for the sake of Houston’s future, Vita-Living remains committed to doing its part for the sake of those most vulnerable.
Vita-Living has contracted with David Alcorta Catering to provide custom meals for our clients at our Activity Center and our group homes. These recipes were all designed by a dietician who considered the nutritional needs of our clients. Each menu is heart-healthy and considers diabetic and pre-diabetic requirements and prepared to those requirements.
Monday through Friday, Vita-Living staff picks up that day’s lunch from the caterer, then delivers it hot to the Activity Center where it is served. Then, throughout the week, prepared dinners are delivered to each group home, where the meals are reheated and served each evening.
With this program, several of our clients who are overweight have been able to lose weight. Other clients, who struggle with eating, have gained weight, due to the improved quality of the food. We are grateful for the community support that allows Vita-Living to provide this enhanced nutritional service.
