THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS A WONDERFUL YEAR! December 2017 Happy Holidays from Easterseals! Give back this holiday season!

It’s that time of the year where the weather is getting colder and holiday music is beginning to play, this can only mean one thing- holiday shopping is just around the corner! As you make your list of who to buy presents for, consider making a larger impact this year. Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati has many opportunities for you to shop till you drop and help make a positive impact! Visit Building Value to shop for the DIY person on your list! Has a family member or friend mentioned this year that they want to fix up their house, apt, etc.? Give them a gift that they can use for practical use- such as: some new tiles, architectural antiques or a gift card! Building Value Building Value is an Easterseals social enterprise that salvages reusable materials for sale to the public. Their efforts help the environment, reduce the cost of disposal, invest in the local workforce, and give architectural gems a second life. If you’re looking for a one of a kind gift for a one of a kind person- Inside Out Studio is the place to look first! They have incredible pottery work

and all different mediums of art. You can either visit their store in Hamilton, OH or check out their Facebook Page to see some pictures. Inside Out Studio is an initiative through the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities. We provide an opportunity for artists with disabilities to produce, market, and receive an income from their art.

The Holidays are also a great time to give back and to donate your time, talents, and treasure. Building Value is always looking for volunteers! It is a great way to impact people AND the planet. Easterseals is looking for volunteers to help out with a variety of different tasks! If you’re looking to donate monetarily, visit here! You can always donate in someone’s name or in honor of someone. No matter how you choose to give this holiday season, Easterseals wishes you the happiest holiday season!

The holidays are a great time to give back and to donate your time, talent, and treasure!

Brighter Futures Celebration- Thank you! Three individuals and one organization who break down barriers to employment

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On Wednesday, November 8, guests came from all over the Greater Cincinnati community to enjoy Easterseals’ Brighter Futures Celebration. An event honoring the achievements of three people with bright futures, and one outstanding partner committed to employing individuals with disadvantages and disabilities. The Honorary Co-Chairs of the event were Joe and Liz Alter and the event was sponsored by the Hatton Foundation.

The Outstanding Community Partner Award was presented to Kaivac Cleaning Systems. They were recognized for more than ten years of partnership and for influencing change and providing opportunities for people with disabilities and disadvantages. They have provided employment opportunities for countless individuals in Easterseals’ training programs. The award was accepted by Kaivac founder, Bob Robinson Sr. Watch Kaivac’s video here!

The Independence Award was present to Jasmine Jackson. Jasmine is a young woman who has refused to take “no” as a proper answer and has never given up. After dealing with the hardship of not getting into her dream college, she was able to find positive role models at Easterseals. She enrolled in Easterseals’ YouthBuild and took the skills she learned to start her own company. Watch Jasmine’s video here!

Otis Hinesman was awarded the Spirit of Easterseals Award has faced many personal struggles, including homelessness, and just when his life began to look up, he had a heart aneurysm. This put him in a nursing

home and out of the construction business. He connected with Easterseals to gain new skills and now he has a full-time position at TriState Building Supply! Watch Otis’ video here!

Nathan Johnson, a young man who has not let his disabilities define him was awarded the Upward Mobility Award. He persevered through many heart surgeries and was determined to achieve community employment. He trained at Easterseals’ Building Value and has been proudly working at Walmart for more than two years. Watch Nathan’s video here!

Thanks to incredible donations from people like you, Easterseals’ was able to raise over $120,000 for all of their vital programs.

Safety Spotlight: Space Heaters Time to review a few housekeeping and safety issues!

Now that the weather has turned cold outside, it's the time of year when some of our buildings start to feel a little chilly. While the heat has been turned on in all of our buildings, some of us may still feel a little cool, and may be taking additional measures to keep out toes and fingers warm. With this in mind it's time to review a few housekeeping and safety issues!

That Space heater hidden under your desk:

Use of space heaters should not be allowed unless supervisor or management approval is provided prior to use.

Keep at least 36 inches of clearance around every

space heater and only use them in areas free of flammable liquids and easily ignited or combustible materials.

Proper placement of the space heater is important. Be sure it is not in a high-traffic area or in any area where it may become a tripping hazard.

If using an electric space heater, make sure electrical cords and plugs are not frayed or damaged. Always plug the heater directly into the wall outlet, and be sure the power cord is not crossing a walkway. Never use extension cords or power strips, as these could overheat and lead to a fire.

Be sure space heaters are never left unattended. They should be turned off when the employee leaves the room or area of the

heater, and they should be unplugged at the end of the day.

We have already had some issues with circuits blowing from excessive use of space heaters, so be aware of what others are doing around you.

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Easterseals

COMPLIANCE HOTLINE

513-347-1587

Robin Totsch,

Compliance Officer

Safety is Compliance If you see safety concerns, report them anonymously through the Compliance Hotline.

Compliance Corner: Relias Training Relias training is due on December 31!

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How caught up are you with your Relias Training? As 2017 comes to a close it’s a great time to log into Relias and catch up on all of your training requirements. All of the classes we have set up in Relias help us to meet a requirement for a funder or government agency (such as OSHA). It’s imperative that we take all of our Relias classes seriously and on time. Currently over 89 Easterseals employees are behind on completing their Relias Training! In addition, there are about 50 people who have classes due on or near December 31st. When we have audits or accreditation surveys we have to show documentation that training was not only completed, but completed within certain time parameters as well. Incomplete classes can mean citations. If you aren’t sure about how to log in or your username or password please contact Robin and she can get you set up. If you need to schedule time to complete your required classes see your supervisor. Compliance will be running reports during the month of December and sending them to supervisors. Our goal is to have all staff caught up by 12/31/2017. Please help to make this a reality!

Thank You! We posted turkeys at the three main locations and staff wrote on a feather what they were thankful for.

The winner was Lois Drizin. Lois works out of the Rossplain location with the Work and Grow Program at the JCC.

Lois is thankful that her Granddaughter Aleena got her trach removed!

Congratulations to Lois! She received a Target gift card.

Staff Anniversaries Chalk it up to another amazing year.

Callie Amann

12/20/1995

22 years

Chris Miday

12/08/2003

14 years

Crystal Franklin

12/23/2015

2 years

Donna Keith

12/01/2010

7 years

Emiley Crawford

12/05/2016

1 year

Holly Harris

12/04/2006

11 years

India Wilks

12/23/2015

2 years

Jason Harris

12/22/2015

2 years

Jennifer Zugelder

12/12/2016

1 year

JoAnn Liston

12/15/2016

1 year

Joseph Martin

12/02/2016

1 year

Karl Williams

12/09/2015

2 years

Mark Brislin

12/17/2001

16 years

Mike Stewart

12/15/2009

8 years

Nathan Cook

12/23/2015

2 years

Paul Schneider

12/01/2009

8 years

Russell Earhart

12/22/2011

6 years

Sophie Charlton

12/08/2014

3 years

Steve Harris

12/23/2015

2 years

Kelly Lovette

12/07/1999

18 years

Darion Sykes, Project Search Job Coach

Kelli Gies, Project Search Job Coach

Kimberly Kennedy, Direct Support Aide, Harrison

Nancy Cook, Project Search, Job Coach

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New Hires Welcome to the team!

“After twelve years, he could open a present on his own. And she captured it on video.” By Keith Hammond

There’s a saying for parents of children with autism:

“Autism is where the little things are never little, and every milestone is a celebration.”

In other words, success in a family with children diagnosed with autism can look very different from success in a typical family. My son Steven’s lack of interest in unwrapping gifts is an example of that.

Since Steven was young, my wife and I have tried to help him open presents—whether it be for Christmas, a birthday, or other occasions. We place the gift directly in front of him. We partially open it for him. We model opening gifts, making happy faces to show how to express gratitude (even if it’s socks). Year after year, we try to interest him in presents. And year after year, he won’t open them.

People would get upset that he wasn’t interested in what they’d given. They would tell us we should teach him to open and appreciate his presents. As if we weren’t trying. My wife and I

would get frustrated, routinely trying to teach

him something millions of other kids can do. We often felt cheated that we couldn’t share something our friends experienced: watching their child open a gift and smile.

Somewhere along the way, we made peace with the likelihood that it might never happen.

Then last Christmas, my sister-in-law—who is a teacher in Steven’s school system—sent me a video. It shows Steven opening a gift of an Elvis calendar. He looks at it and signs “Thanks.”

I couldn’t believe it. I played the video several times to confirm I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. I told my wife, who assumed I was teasing and making it up. She didn’t believe it until she saw it for herself. We watched it over and over again with tear-filled eyes.

Many of us take so many things in life for granted. Opening a present? A piece of cake. But it isn’t that easy for every child. There are many children like our son who spend so much time trying to achieve something that

most people never give a second thought.

The video of Steven and his Elvis calendar was an early Christmas present, in more ways than one. It strengthened our bond with my sister-in-law, who knew what a milestone this would be for Steven and for us. After twelve years, he could open a present on his own. And she captured it on video.

This may sound like a little thing, but it was one of the biggest moments of our year. We welcome it gratefully, and we celebrate it. We hope that this is just the first of many gifts Steven will open throughout his life.

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Healthy Christmas Traditions to Include This Year The words healthy and Christmas don't always go hand in hand. But just because it's the season of overin-

dulgence and sweet treats, doesn't mean you can't add in some healthy twists.

Here are a some tips that will help you stay a bit healthier over the festive period...

Add an orange in the stockings. Let's face it, there's going to be an abundance of chocolate and calories so adding an orange to the Christmas stockings is a great way of making sure that the recipient gets a dose of vitamin c and a healthy treat on Christmas morning.

A bowl of nuts. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a bowl of nuts. Walnuts, brazil nuts, chestnuts and pecans are part of a British Christmas tradition. Nuts are packed full of good fats, antioxidants and vitamins that can help weight loss, improve your sleep quality and memory, build a stronger immune system,

and help you achieve healthier, younger-looking skin. It is best to eat nuts raw since high temperatures can destroy some of their nutritional components. So make sure that you buy a good quality nutcracker and purchase your nuts in their shelled state.

Get out after dinner. Forget about the post Christmas Dinner snooze in front of the television, instead put on a coat and go for a walk to help burn off some of

those excess calories. Just a 15 minute post-dinner walk can help improve blood sugar levels and aid digestion.

Ditch the over the top hot chocolate. OK I'm going to be the grinch here but those coffee chain Christmas special's you're slurping on can have up to 50g of sugar in each cup. Thats not going to do anyone any good. Instead make your very own healthy hot chocolate… (recipe on next page!)

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Healthy Habits: Hot Chocolate and Christmas Cookies A healthy spin on Hot Chocolate and Christmas Cookies!

Healthy Hot Chocolate

A cup of almond milk

1 tablespoon of rice malt syrup,

2 teaspoons of good quality raw cacao powder

1 teaspoon of almond butter

Mix all the ingredients together

in a saucepan and keep stirring

to make sure that the

ingredients don't stick to the

pan. Remove from the heat just

before it reaches boiling point

and serve with a sprinkle of

cinnamon on top.

Christmas Cookies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Add all ingredients to list

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and water. Add the flour and almonds, mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

3. Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place on an unprepared cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from pan to cool on wire racks. When cookies are cool, roll in confectioners' sugar.

4. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

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Staff Spotlight: Jackie Sulfridge Corporate Relations, Special Events & Volunteer Leader

Jackie just started with Easterseals on November 6!

Before Easterseals, she was working for an organization in Loveland called, Ohio Valley Voices. She came to Easterseals to continue growing professionally. Jackie wanted an opportunity to work with corporate sponsors more closely and to try her hand at new events. At Easterseals, she was interested in ReUse-apalooza and Our Serve.

Her favorite part of her job is negotiating lower costs from the event vendors. She thrives on getting the best “deal” possible from vendors. The harder she negotiates and the more money she can save, the more money she can personally put back into the individuals served. That makes her very proud!

Her favorite Action For Excellence is Progress. Progress is vital when it comes to working with sponsors, volunteers and managing events. “Development is constantly working on how we can improve and move forward. We think big, take risks and try new ideas.” When managing events she is always evaluating how the next one can be bigger and better. She strives to tell our story in a more impactful way and get feedback from her coworkers.

When asked about her favorite memory, Jackie shared, “any memory that has shared with her dad, is my favorite, but one that comes to mind is a sweet and simple one.” It was a beautiful summer day (at least that is what she remembers). His “lady friend”, Marthan,

lived in the same town, but a few miles away.

They would normally drive over to her house when they went and visited, but on that day her dad decided to walk. So her older brother, her dad, and her started their few mile journey over to Marthan’s .

Her dad was extremely good at making boring things seem fun. So he found a rock that they had to kick from his house to Marthan’s. All three of them in the middle of the road (“it was a very small town in Illinois and everyone drove at a snail’s pace, so no “kid danger” in this story you need to report”) alternating kicking the rock as far and straight as they could. Guess what? They did it! “We made it to Marthan’s house kicking the same rock back and forth for miles.” She loved that day!

When Jackie isn’t at work– you can find her hanging out with her husband, Brad and two step-children Hope (10) and Will (8). They love to be outside as much as they can but when they can’t be outside they really enjoy doing puzzles and playing the Wii together!

She likes to fish, camp and kayak. She loves to sing and once tried out for The Voice! Jackie loves NFL Football and watching her favorite shows. She likes to garden. “I like all the girly things too, massages, pedicures, shopping.”

She would like to spend some time in Australia possibly while eating her

favorite food- Thin crust pizza with pineapple, but “I would never turn down any type of pizza.”

Her two favorite books are Honeymoon and Second Honeymoon by James Paterson. The Holiday and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are her favorite movies (during this time of year).

Some things you might not know about her: She has been electrocuted (very mildly) in Costa Rica. She is the baby of a blended family and there are 7 kids between her mom and stepdad. She was born in Missouri. She has a scar on her lip from a dog bite, she got 10 stiches when she was 10 years old. “I am only on my 3rd car in 18 years. “

Welcome to the Easterseals Team, Jackie!

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“Although it sounds unrealistic and cheesy, every day of my first month here at Easterseals has been very memorable and full of joy! I have laughed every day, learned something new every day, been the receiver of someone being kind or helping me and have met many memorable people. “

Kroger Dietitians Partner to Educate Individuals with Developmental Disabilities By Allison Kuhn, MS, RDN, LD Director, Retail Nutrition Solutions for the Kroger Company

Here at Kroger, our purpose is, quite simply, to feed the human spirit. The healthcare practitioners inside our stores live this purpose through their mission to simplify healthcare and connect with people on an emotional and personal level. One of the most personal and emotional facets of health is food, and who is better poised to simplify food and nutrition than a registered dietitian? In 2016, our team of in-store dietitians partnered with local community organization Easter Seals to plan and execute store tours for adults living with a developmental disability. As part of the program, groups of participants joined our registered dietitians in the aisles of our Kroger stores to learn how convenient, easy-to-prepare foods can be part of a balanced, health-forward eating pattern. As part of these tours, the participants received education and meal-planning guidance, and had the opportunity to ask questions of a registered dietitian specially trained in food retail.

Easterseals was able to fund the tours by leveraging health and wellness-focused grant funding. A grant from Bethesda Foundation Inc. to Easterseals funded the creation of a wellness program to determine if a health curriculum in a lunch and learn format would address the health concerns common to individuals living with developmental disabilities. Subsequently, Hatton Foundation awarded Easter Seals a grant to expand the original project to allow for individuals to learn how they can find and incorporate healthy lifestyle choices in their own communities, which is where the Kroger dietitian partner project was born.

“The grant from the Hatton Foundation basically let us take our classroom on the

road,” said McHaffie, with Easterseals. “The partnership with the dietetics program at Kroger was better received than we could have imagined. The dietitians were engaging as we toured the store and made a point of providing real solutions to how to eat healthier. It was one of the highlights of our outreach program.”

For retail dietitians looking for ways to support their local communities with store-based nutrition activities, health and wellness grant funding related to mutually beneficial partnerships is a promising route to pursue.

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Training Tips for People with Autism By Keith Hammond

Parents have two challenging situations in regards to household chores: the first is when their children won’t help them, and the second is when they do help you. I’m not certain which is worse.

As many people do in the fall, I have recently begun collecting leaves up from the yard. At one point, I had finished the backyard, except for all the leaves that had accumulated on the trampoline. I thought to myself that this job was specific enough that my daughter could handle it. My daughter has autism and benefits from concrete tasks with a beginning and an end. I asked her “Hey, could you get the leaves off of the trampoline? I’ve finished the rest of the yard.”

My daughter said that, sure, she could do that.

The next evening I got home, and my daughter told me “Dad, I’m finished. I got all the leaves off the trampoline.”

I looked out back and saw the picture you see above.

Whether you are a job coach at

Easterseals or a DSS staff person in the enclave or Work Center, there are times when you have to train people with autism to do a particular task. Let the above story be a reminder to be very clear about what you want done, and what the expected outcome should be. Break it out into specific tasks. Don’t assume---maybe they know what you mean, but maybe they don’t.

When I asked my daughter to get the leaves off the trampoline, did she do what I asked? Yes.

Did she do what I wanted? No.

I should have been more specific. “Please get all the leaves off the trampoline and bag them in a large black garbage bag.”

Don’t assume, be clear, list specific tasks in order, and explain the expected outcome. Remember these and practice, and you can be an excellent and successful trainer for individuals

with autism.

You may have not done these things before, but it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf.

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Staff Birthdays Happy Birthday from Easterseals!

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Albert Kahng

12/2

Deborah Brown

12/3

Lisa Huston

12/5

Colby Coleman

12/7

Sophie Charlton

12/9

David Dreith

12/10

David Daniels

12/10

Deborah Smith

12/13

Le’Nikka Howell

12/13

Chris Macklin

12/14

Troy Woodlan

12/14

Chakella Pinkston

12/15

Kimberly Kennedy

12/15

Garrick Berkhalter

12/16

Amanda Williams

12/17

Cassandra Pegues

12/18

Chris Pence

12/19

Jennifer Sparks

12/19

Anita Smith

12/20

David Jones

12/23

David Warshawsky

12/23

Avis Mims

12/24

Marreya Bailey

12/26

How do you feel when you bring a smile to someone’s face? Does it make you feel all warm and bub-bly inside? Does it make you feel like you’ve made a difference? If you have answered yes to all of these questions then think about this next question; do you like being recognized for your hard efforts? Of course you do! Everyone likes to get some positive feedback every now and then! By nominating someone for an Actions for Excellence award you can make someone’s day by giving them a shout out AND you can recognize someone for a job well done! In the hustle and bustle of work sometimes we all need to take a moment and reflect on the good that hap-pens. Thankfully a nomination form only takes just a few minutes to complete! Take a moment to appreciate a co-worker today by nominating them for an Actions for Excellence Award!

Time it takes to watch a Buzzfeed Video: 4 minutes…

Time it takes to listen to listen to Bohemian Rhapsody: 6 minutes…

How your coworkers feel when you recognize them and make them feel appreciated: priceless!

Actions for Excellence: Staff Nominee

We dared you to share your truths in the 2017/18 employee giving campaign and you did not disappoint. The undeniable truth is that you are a generous, compassionate, committed work force. The proof is in the pudding with 117 employees donating over $13,000 to Easterseals and the people that we serve. We also learned along the way that many of you like a little competition. Challenges including open house attendance, contribution matches, bowling, shooting and pool raised nearly $2500.

Here’s what $13,000 supports:

YouthBuild tool belt ceremonies which suits a class with protective equipment

Two Building Value participants’ driving and safety certificates

A years’ worth of monthly awards ceremonies for a work center

An individual to spend a year participating at a HUB

A month’s worth of transportation for 10 local veterans

One day for 10 individuals at a Work and Grow site

A week of ADS services for an individual

Adopt a veteran families for the holidays

A community outing for the individuals we serve

One OSHA certification

One manufacturing certification

One logistics certification

A tape measure and hammer award for passing YouthBuild competency test

Excavator routine maintenance for deconstruction

Branding Beat: 2017/2018 Employee Giving

This is a year for the record books. Thanks for making this happen.