Penn Mar Human Services News

Penn-Mar News

Please check back often to view all of Penn-Mar’s latest news and event information.

Featured Penn-Mar News

DSP Megan McLaren Enjoys the Busy, Diverse Pace of Penn-Mar’s Day Program

Posted on June 5, 2025

She wishes everyone could “know what we know” about people with disabilities. With her helpful nature and love of animals, people were always telling Megan McLaren that she should pursue a career in education or veterinary medicine. Three years ago, while working in retail management,…

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More Penn-Mar News

A Veteran DSP with a Bold Vision for the Future: DSP Shawn Fuller

Posted on April 16, 2021

Shawn Fuller got his start in the human services field over thirty years ago. As he says, “For most of the time I’ve worked in this field I’ve chosen to be in direct support. Only about 20% of my time has ever been spent supervising…

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Come as You Are to Host Penn-Mar’s “Party in Place” Gala Opportunity

Posted on April 15, 2021

By Jackie Summers, Senior Director of Development | Penn-Mar Human Services Last year the Penn-Mar Gala was held just days before the country went into lockdown due to the COVID pandemic. Well, the stars are aligning in our favor once again as we prepare to…

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A Dream Employee | By Andrew Bergamaschi, Co-Founder & COO of Maryland Print House

Posted on April 15, 2021

Jordan Ketterman is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. As a production assistant, he is a crucial member of the team at Maryland Print House, a screen-printing company based in Manchester, Carroll County. My partners and I founded the company in December 2017….

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National Volunteer Month: Q&A with Lee Carrion, Advocate & Parent

Posted on April 9, 2021

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…

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National Volunteer Month: Q&A with Bryan Barry, Self-Advocate

Posted on April 9, 2021

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…

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

Posted on April 9, 2021

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…

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April 2021 HEART Award Winners

Posted on April 8, 2021

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…

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Retaining Key Employees Requires a Ladder to Opportunity

Posted on April 7, 2021

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…

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

Posted on March 29, 2021

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…

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Team Member Spotlight: Sonja Schmidt

Posted on March 26, 2021

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…

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