National Volunteer Month: Q&A with Kelsey Franklin, Self-Advocate & Nancy Simpson, Advocate & Parent

News

Volunteer and friend laughing and smiling

09 Apr National Volunteer Month: Q&A with Kelsey Franklin, Self-Advocate & Nancy Simpson, Advocate & Parent

Posted at 01:34h in News

April is National Volunteer Month, and we’re excited to share some Q&As featuring our Volunteer Advocates. Tina Chan Sweenie, our Manager of Volunteer and Donor Engagement, caught up with some of Penn-Mar’s incredible advocates to learn a little bit about them and why they’re so passionate...

08 Apr April 2021 HEART Award Winners

Posted at 20:08h in News

The Penn-Mar HEART Committee is proud to announce our most recent round of HEART Award winners! The Penn-Mar HEART Award program recognizes team members whose passion and performance leave the mark of their own legacy through exceptional demonstrations of Honesty, Excellence, Advocacy, Respect, and Team Work. Read...

07 Apr Retaining Key Employees Requires a Ladder to Opportunity

Posted at 20:17h in News

Regardless of the industry, employee retainment can be a constant challenge companies – and the pandemic only made things worse. For Penn-Mar, our support for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) is directly tied to our fantastic team of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). Without...

Man and woman smiling at the day program

29 Mar A Mother’s Hope for All Support Professionals and Children with Disabilities

Posted at 20:20h in News

By Kathleen McMahon, Penn-Mar Parent & Advocate I often describe our family as “unique,” but in so many ways we are just like many other families. As the mother of a son and daughter, I had to juggle career and family when David and Kara were...

26 Mar Team Member Spotlight: Sonja Schmidt

Posted at 20:26h in News

Each month, we’re highlighting a “behind-the-scenes” team member whose work supports our mission, but whose face you might not often see on our social media pages. We’re excited to help you get to know our innovative team and the complex work we do. So, tune in for...

08 Mar DSP Donna Kiberenge: Life of the Party with a Heart of Gold

Posted at 20:31h in News

Donna Kiberenge (she recently married; Penn-Mar friends may recognize her more readily as Donna Redmond), is guaranteed to be the life of the party. A Residential Supervisor who has been with Penn-Mar for 5 years, she brightens any room she walks into, and can genuinely...

05 Mar Meet Our PMAC Steering Committee: Claudia Summerson

Posted at 13:42h in News

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and it’s a great time to highlight some of our advocates, who’ve helped spread awareness and advocated for inclusion and equity for their loved ones with developmental disabilities. Each week this month we’ll be highlighting a different Penn-Mar Advocacy Collective...

03 Mar Rachel Dowling: Sharing Life and Living More

Posted at 14:48h in News

Rachel Dowling doesn’t mince her words when asked what it is she likes about having a job. Her immediate response: “The money!” Until Rachel, 45, who was born with intellectual disabilities, joined Penn-Mar’s Day Program, and took up residence with Mim and Bill Barnes through the...

Man working on a machine smiling at the camera.

12 Feb So Many Jobs. So Many Opportunities to Grow.

Posted at 13:46h in News

By Rhonda L. Morano, Maryland Quality & Day Program Manager Greg Miller, our CEO, loves to tease me by telling me I have had the most titles (nine) and offices of anyone at Penn-Mar. That’s what happens when you’ve been with an organization for 32 years...

02 Feb What Gifts Can You Share to Support People with Disabilities?

Posted at 13:49h in News

By David Stang, Penn-Mar Supporter & Friend For nearly 13 years I would drive some 1,250 miles round-trip from my home in Louisville, KY to visit my brother Murray at his Penn-Mar community home in Maryland. I tried to make the trip at least once a...