This past March, as the coronavirus was taking hold of the nation and world, Lesha Breighner, a longtime Penn-Mar resident, with the guidance of Lisa Hartley, her home’s Residential Supervisor, decided that it would be most prudent for the safety of herself and her housemates...
By Lauren Pickett, Penn-Mar Parent We all have our stories of how we are coping during this pandemic. Those of us working with our children at home have had to make huge adjustments. And for our family, parents to a child with disabilities, the upheaval has...
By Gregory T. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Human Services | Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Foundation In the midst of all the uncertainties that come with the COVID-19 virus, a faltering economy, and social justice movements, even the experts are often at a loss...
By Kathy Rogers, Chief Advancement Officer, Penn-Mar Human Services | Executive Director, Penn-Mar Foundation Sometimes people feel that advocating for a cause is futile, but it’s important to know that your voice matters more than you might think. By definition, advocacy is public support for or recommendations of a...
As states across the country face large budget shortfalls due to the pandemic, there is a concern that human services groups like Penn-Mar could be at risk for reduced funding. But what are those funds used for and why are they so critically important? Penn-Mar...
Curtis Brown is grateful to have kept working through the unprecedented Coronavirus recession that has seen the unemployment rate skyrocket across the nation. Typically, that rate is twice as high for people with disabilities, and in 2019, only a little over 19 percent of men...
By Gregory T. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Human Services | Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Foundation [caption id="attachment_4264" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jerry, Ben, and Sharon Miller[/caption] On April 20th, in the midst of the pandemic, my cousin Benjamin Miller quietly passed away. He was only 44...
By Gregory T. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Human Services | Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Foundation The challenges continue. Trying to adjust to extended sheltering-in-place orders that have upended households and temporarily suspended routines and relationships. Acclimating to home schooling for the kids and home offices...
By Paul Schiavone, Chief Human Resources Officer Who knew you could visit The North Pole, Paris and Disney World during a pandemic?Virtual travel via Google Earth and Zoom is one of many ways Penn-Mar is now relying on technology to help team members and the people...
With the COVID-19 stay-at-home order still in place after more than a month, cabin fever has begun to set in at the Penn-Mar home in Manchester, Md., that Residential Supervisor Emily Finnegan oversees.It’s safe to say that, to varying degrees, being cooped up at home...