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A Race to Awareness
On May 6th, Pennridge School District’s Students Against Destructive
Decisions (SADD) held their first March to Awareness 5K, in memory of
Hector Valle, a student of Pennridge High School who committed suicide
last year. The race raised awareness about teen suicide and prevention,
and benefited Access Services’ Children’s Crisis Support Program. Last
year, after learning of Hector’s death, the Children’s Crisis Support
Program played a crucial role in providing Pennridge School District with
much needed support to students, staff and families.
Summer 2012
2012
Summer
Hope for Ndola
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the third largest
cause of death amongst young adults ages 15 to 24, after accidents and
homicide. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth
leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14. There
are numerous factors that might lead a teenager to take his or her life,
but the most common is depression. The University of Texas found that
75 percent of the people who commit suicide are depressed. Feelings of
hopelessness and anxiety, along with feelings of being trapped in a life
that one cannot handle, are contributors of teen suicide. Other factors
that may contribute to teen suicide include:
Divorce of parents
In two very small rooms live seven people. There is a
baby asleep on the bed in the corner. A young man
lies on a couch as we enter the house. He is a
teenager who has just been diagnosed with HIV and
is too weak to stand. An older woman, his
grandmother, suffers from diabetes and has run out
of medication. She sits in a nearby chair with
swollen feet, unable to walk. She explains that she
isn’t sure if she will ever have money to buy more
insulin, which is critical for her survival.
For information visit www.accessservices.org/raven, or find us on facebook.
The tiny home has no running water or electricity. The only light comes from a single
candle flickering on a shelf. The bathroom consists of a hole in the back yard surrounded
by a few rags for privacy. The kitchen is also located in the back yard under a tree.
Violence in the home
Inability to find success at school
During that day, the older woman’s daughter had purchased vegetables at the local
market to sell in other parts of the city. With the profits, she made she was able to buy
food for the family for that day. At 9:00 in the evening, they still have not eaten a single
meal. In the bedroom, a pot boils on a charcoal burner with a native vegetable called
rape, which is similar to spinach. I wonder what happens on the days when she doesn’t
make any sales.
Rejection by friends or peers
Substance abuse
Death of someone close to the teenager
Tragically, teen suicide is becoming more and more prevalent in our communities. Access Services would like to thank Pennridge
High School for hosting the March to Awareness 5K and shedding light on this issue that has affected our loved ones. Funds that
were donated will assist the Children’s Crisis Support Program in preventing suicide and helping teens and children who might be
dealing with thoughts of suicide.
If you are experiencing a crisis call:
Montgomery Children’s Crisis Support Program 1-888-435-7414
Bucks Children’s Crisis Support Program 1-877-435-7709
Pastor Barney Mulenga, our host and Head Pastor at Bible Way Ministries, gives the
daughter a few Kwacha so she can take her son to the hospital the next day. He is
hopeful that his connection with a couple of nurses at the hospital might help with the
rest of the finances. In Zambia, patients will not receive medical attention unless they
can pay.
Continued on Page 2
Ndola, Zambia Continued…….….page 2
Every Teen Deserves Fresh Air..page 3
We are so grateful to our community members who have
hosted events that benefit Access Services:
Do You Have a Will? ……………….page 3
“I’m No Line Item” ………………….page 4
ThirtyOne Party Fundraiser
Celebrating “Artability”…………….page 4
Charity Art Fair, hosted by To Write Love on Her Arms, Ursinus College Chapter
Palisades Community Foundation 5K
Larger Than Life Foundation Event
Home Sweet Home ………………..page 3
A Race to Awareness ……………..page 5
Save The Date! ….…………………...page 6
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Ndola, Zambia Continued...
As a parting gift, we hand the daughter a bag with toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and a few other items they can use. At the last
minute, we stash a $10 bill in the bag. It feels like the right thing to do but the gesture seems so inadequate in the midst of such
devastation. Even still, she bows several times, saying “Natotella! Natotella sana! (Thank you! Thank you very much!)”
As we drive away it is difficult to keep control of my emotions and wrap my head around what I have just witnessed. I wonder how
we can help these people in so much need here in Zambia.
Zambia has the lowest average lifespan in south central Africa at 37.2 years of age. This is even lower than Somalia or Swaziland.
Between HIV, malaria, cholera and hepatitis, people are dying at a phenomenal rate and as a result, there are a large number of
orphans in this country.
In Africa when a parent dies, their children often go to extended family members to live. This puts an additional burden on these
families that already don’t have enough resources to survive. Zambia does not have a social service system because the need and
cost is too great. It is not uncommon to see a single parent with
10-12 children, the majority of these children coming from her
siblings that have passed away. Zambia reported in 2006 the
number of AIDS orphans was 710,000 and growing.
Access Services World Projects program is looking for ways to
make a difference in this part of the world. We have identified
three areas of need:
Every Teen
Home Sweet Home
Deserves Fresh Air!
Texting, video games, computers, TV—they all gobble up an
amazing amount of time for teens and adults alike. Despite the
fact that studies show their negative affect on things like our
weight and sleep patterns, we seem caught in an information
web that keeps us from venturing into the great outdoors.
Youth Outdoor Expeditions (YOE) is one way we help teens
with behavioral and mental disabilities break out of that web.
For three separate weeks we immerse up to 30 teens in an
amazing outdoor adventure that literally changes their lives.
They fish and climb and canoe, learning teamwork along the
way and experiencing therapeutic counseling in a natural
environment.
With your help we can provide camp scholarships to
low-income teens and meet other camp costs like food and
transportation. Your gift, made either by mail or online at
www.accessservices.org, really can make a difference in a
teen’s life this summer.
The care of orphans including food, clothing and shelter
Youth Outdoor Expedition is one of four major initiatives in our
Growth Fund, along with our World Projects, Emergency
Respite Care, and Spiritual Care. We’ve identified these four
initiatives for the Growth Fund because we believe they
represent critical needs among children and adults with
disabilities. In light of decreasing government funds and
increasing needs, private donors like you can help us care for
those who need our help the most.
Small business development and
management training
Practical vocational skill training
Please consider your involvement in making
a difference where the needs are so great by
making a financial gift that will save and
changes the lives of the children in Zambia.
To find out more about how you can help, visit our website at
www.yoetrips.com.
Sincerely,
The Lehigh Valley region is thrilled to announce the
purchase of a new office building, located at 3975
Township Line Road in Bethlehem. In addition to
Access Services gaining a valuable asset, the
standalone, 15,000 square-foot building will help us
to grow and expand our services in the community
like never before. “A few years ago our Board and
management team set out to develop a long-term strategy around real estate,”
said Rob Reid, President and CEO. “The acquisition of the Township Line Road
property is just another step in equipping the organization with the right
properties so that we can ultimately serve people better.” For example, the larger
office enables the expansion of the LIFE program, which continues to thrive even
in this time of economic uncertainty.
The new building offers 3,000 square feet of warehouse storage space, and
numerous storage closets that will eliminate the need for expensive offsite
storage. In addition, rather than sharing a parking lot with other offices, the
Township Line Road building includes its own lot with spaces for BHRS consumers.
There will also be multiple conference rooms complete with the technological
capabilities to host events internally and externally. The extra space will provide
room for employees to spread out, increasing productivity and comfort. “We
currently have 5-6 people crammed into one office, which is very distracting
when they need to make phone calls to families and colleagues. This new space
will enable them to take already great work to the next level,” says Sue Steege,
Lehigh Valley Regional Vice President.
An exciting addition to the office is the designated area for the BHRS program,
which will have its own entrance. This will enable families to come to the office
anonymously, have their own waiting area, without the hazard of employee
traffic, and meet with doctors in private rooms designed for families.
“I believe that this property is a good investment in our future and will help us to
make a significant impact in the communities we serve in Lehigh and
Northampton Counties,” states Rob Reid. “Our desire is that this building will be
available to future generations as a tool for serving people with special needs.”
Programs and administration offices opened May 4th, while the LIFE Program will
open on July 1st. All telephone numbers will remain the same.
Rob Reid
Do You Have a Will?
Over 50 percent of adult Americans do not have a will, a figure that has increased in the past few years. Many people believe wills are only important
for people with significant assets. Yet wills are really for everyone because they make sure your wishes are followed when you are gone.
“I’m Not a Line Item.”
No More Cuts!
Just last year, in his inaugural address, Governor Corbett referred to people with
disabilities and long-term care needs and said, “Services to this population are a
core responsibility of Government."
Yet, barely 12 months later, those services were threatened when Department of
Public Welfare imposed an 8.5% cut in rates for all developmental disability
programs and supports funding in November 2011. Rob Reid testified before the PA
House of Representatives’ Human Services Committee, explaining how devastating
the cuts will be on services to people with developmental disabilities. “The recent cuts threaten our ability to meet people’s basic needs and limit
our ability to address the needs of the 16,000 people on a growing state waiting list,” Reid stated.
In addition, the latest proposed budget from Governor Corbett and Gary Alexander, secretary of the Department of Public Welfare, included a
severe cut in funding for the DPW. Individuals receiving mental health, behavioral health and Intellectual Disabilities services as well as staff who
provide services will be affected by the proposed cut.
In response, Access Services called community members to action through the “No More Cuts” campaign. Through email blasts and Facebook,
we asked friends and families to contact Governor Corbett and state legislators to tell them to stop the budget cuts. On May 2nd, four vehicles
from Orwigsburg Region caravanned to the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg to join with thousands of concerned citizens who wanted the
Governor to remember his promise to “value all children and adults with intellectual disabilities as fully participating members of society.”
Dressed in red T-shirts that read “I’m Not A Line Item” and “No More Cuts,” staff, consumers, and family members made their voices heard.
To find out more about the effects of Governor Corbett’s proposed budget, visit www.par.net.
Celebrating “Artability” in Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley Hospital hosted a music and art expo on March 7th that celebrated individuals’ “artabilities” instead of their
disabilities. The expo showcased mosaics, sculptures, paintings, music and other works of art that were created by individuals
with special needs. Lehigh Valley In-Home Supports consumer, Sara, happily shared her artistic talents at the expo by displaying
her colorful variety of weavings. She also demonstrated how to use a loom to create headbands.
After receiving a grant, Sara has been working closely with a professional weaver, learning how to create different weavings in all
shapes and colors. She says that picking out the vibrant colors for her creations is one of her favorite parts of weaving. All of
Sara’s scarves, table runners and headbands come in beautiful and vibrant color combinations.
Sarah Latshaw, the Access Services Support Staff working closely with Sara assists her anyway she can and encourages Sara’s
“artabilites.” Sara continues to weave and share her talents with Access Services and with anyone interested in loom weavings.
In addition to sharing talents at the expo, Sara now sells her beautiful table runners at Home & Planet,
a home décor store located in Bethlehem.
Wills and estate planning are especially important for the caregivers of people with special needs. Working with professionals, you can make sure
your loved one is cared for in a way that meets their needs and eases your anxiety.
Want to help? If so, please contact Kelley Royce at 215-540-2150 x267 or email her at [email protected].
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We can help you get started with a free copy of “What You Need to Know About Wills.” If you need more information, or would like to talk with
someone, call Kelley Royce at 215-540-2159 x267 or email her at [email protected].
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