Daily, dozens of DSPs serve Target participants within our residential communities, making access to semi-independent living possible in our group homes and apartments. With the support of the DSPs, participants are able to engage fully in the community. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year, the residential DSPs ensure the high quality of life our residential participants enjoy.

DSPs work seven days a week in our Personal Support programs to assist individuals in their personal and community lives. The goal of any individual is to engage in the community meaningfully. For some of us, additional support is necessary to realize that engagement. DSPs in this program offer that helping hand and friendly companionship at home, in the social community, through day trips, and other activities.

In the Meaningful Day programs, DSPs assist participants in building, enhancing, and applying employment skills. As our recent video series clearly demonstrates, it is a dream come true when participants can gain meaningful employment. Engaging in satisfying and productive work enhances esteem and self-worth. Target participants are employed across the region in jobs they love. They are valued, employees and team members. The support of DSPs in employment services is essential to those dreams coming true for so many participants.

Over the past year, Target has worked to demonstrate a strong commitment to DSPs. We have entered into a scholarship agreement with Carroll Community College to provide access to programs for certified nursing assistants and behavior technicians. We have enhanced insurance and employment benefits. We have partnered with a credit union and improved access to retirement advising. In July, starting wages for DSPs increased by $4.00 per hour.

Our DSPs are the best. We will take extra time to celebrate them this week and carry that enthusiasm into each week of the year.

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Lee Baker, Dhaval Patel, and Shameel Siddiqui presented to the residential staff a handbook of activities that can be implemented with our participants to increase movement, flexibility, and strength. In addition to the professional format and clear directions, the manual provides modifications for those with limited mobility. The resources are an asset to Target participants and will improve their physical health well into the future. I should note that conducting this seminar for Target staff was not a part of the requirement of their program. The three men returned months later to take the project to the next level.

I have been involved in service learning for many years, and this is the best project I have ever been involved with. In the purest sense of service, a small project in the overall curriculum of study for three gentlemen will bear fruit in the lives of those they served for many years.

Carroll Community College’s program coordinator, Sarah Licharowicz, also joined us for the presentation. She is smarter than I am and took a great picture of the four of us after the training.

For those of us whose value put services to others at the center of humanity, this project is the high-water mark for our work. Thank you, Lee, Dhaval, and Shameel. Target is grateful for your time and involvement.

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Several Target team members attended the funeral Mass to support Liz, honor Stan’s memory, and celebrate our friendship with the Weightmans. The Mass was beautiful and touching. After the service, Stan, Jr., Liz’s brother, delivered a perfect eulogy.

When we look back and say, something is great…a book, a play, a composition, or art, we identify that work as a model—something to look back on as the height of the form—a work that inspires and informs the work of future generations. If we want to write a great poem, we read the great poems of the past. If we seek to learn to paint, we emulate history’s greats. We visit libraries and museums. We listen to live music. We learn the history and the context of the writers, artists, and performers.

Stan, Jr.’s eulogy was one I would study if I were in the position to offer thoughts on a life well lived. Stan’s life, contribution to his community, and the Weightman family also serve as models. I wish that I had known him better and longer. I wish that I had the opportunity to learn more from his example.

Rest in peace, Mr. Weightman. May God’s mercy find your soul. You will remain alive in the hearts and minds of those at Target and all you encountered.

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I am back in the office this morning after a week off for a cruise with my extended family. We left Boston and landed in Montreal, Canada. It was a great week with lots of new sights and new memories. The blog has been inconsistent over the last month; early in June, I spent a week volunteering at the camp, where my love for working with those with disabilities began 34 years ago.

My friend and former student, Hannah, reposted a meme on Facebook this morning. The meme was created to celebrate Disability Awareness Month, providing insight on a few things to keep in mind:

• Not all Disabilities are visible.
• If someone says they are disabled: Listen to them. No one should have to list their entire medical history to be listened to.
• No one is “too young” to be disabled.
• Stop suggesting ‘cures’ for a disability you know nothing about.
• Disabled is not a dirty word.

The post reminded me of a TEDx talk by disability advocate Stella Young:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw

I have likely posted this video in the past. Stella Young argues that we adopt the ‘social model’ of thinking about disability. The social model recognizes that society often creates limitations experienced by those with disabilities. Through practices like Universal Design, we can change the community and public space to create greater access for all; as I have repeatedly advocated, our community is better when everyone has the greatest possible access.

The social model is contrasted by the medial model, which holds the belief that disability is something that should be cured. Our job at Target is to create a more just and inclusive society. “Disability is a natural part of the human experience.”  Progress toward enhancing the lives of those with disabilities is progress toward a more equitable world. This ideal is codified in the actions of all Target community members.

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I am excited about many things that will come over the next year:

This weekend we announced an across the board wage increase for hourly and salaried staff.

We purchased two new Toyota vehicles last month—a new Camry for the Montgomery County program and a new van for Houck House. Amy gave me the keys to both vehicles before they entered service. It was fun to put the first few miles on the well-driving vehicles.

Anytime Target replaces a van in our fleet, we reach out to Westminster’s Boys and Girls Club to donate the outgoing vehicle. This year they did.

We completed our Doctors for Dummies campaign to raise money to replace our CPR manikins. Sixteen new manikins arrived a few days ago. Danielle dropped everything to process them into service. Jess used them last week in their inauguration in a CPR class. Target teaches CPR/First Aid/AED training to our staff. We are looking for an agency that might benefit from our retired manikins. Please reach out if you know of an agency that needs our former CPR manikins. We would be happy for them to benefit another group.

Last week we strengthened our relationship at Carroll Community College by establishing an endowed fund to support Target staff completing the C.N.A. (Certified Nursing Assistant) program. We will soon begin a second fund to support Target staff in completing the behavior tech program at Carroll. Not only do these efforts improve the effectiveness of Target staff, but the local workforce is also developed through the capacity of our team.

Target’s birthday party is being planned. We turn 40 this year. On August 31^st, we will have a birthday party at the Westminster office. The event will be hosted as a PM Connections event with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce from 4:00-6:00 pm. Please join us for cake and a good time.

There is much more to come soon. Stay tuned!  Here is to another 40 years of Enhancing The Lives of Others!

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In recent years, agencies have been compelled to evaluate critically their internal systems and cultures to ensure bias does not exist within an institution. This evaluation boiled down to asking the question behind the statement, “This is how we’ve always done it.”  Are outdated thoughts codified within those actions that perpetuate from habit instead of intentionality?

For Target, we serve a diverse population, and as such, we are a diverse agency. Our colleagues closely represent the demographics of our communities. That may not be enough. In the second year of my time at Target, I would like to turn an eye to our agency culture as it relates to the diversity, equity, and inclusion of those we serve and those we work alongside. I need more than my perspective to shape policy, practice, and culture. Instead, we must find ways to unite and honor a shared perspective.

Over the next few months, a couple of efforts will roll out to better understand that shared perspective, what we are doing well, and what areas we should improve regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. These conversations might be complicated. Feedback might be hard to give, and it might be harder to hear. It is too early to outline those efforts today, but writing as we move into June is important.

In June, we celebrate two communities within our culture. The month of June is dedicated to the awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community. The current political and social landscape for members of this community is full of unrest, and we must acknowledge the concerns of our colleagues, participants, and friends around these issues. For more information on how best to support the LGBTQIA+ communities, I turned to this resource:

https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/ally-tips

In June, we also celebrate Juneteenth. Target offices are closed on June 19^th to recognize this milestone in American history. I must admit that I was largely ignorant of this day’s history and needed to learn more. I turned to National Geographic for readings and a video:

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/juneteenth/#

Target celebrates the lives of all those we serve and work alongside. As individuals and an agency, we must be committed to the regular and systematic evaluation and evolution of our internal biases, institutional structures, and personal interactions. I look forward to learning more in the coming months and look to you to teach me what I do not know. Paraphrasing Maya Angelou, we will do our best until we know better. Then when we know better, we will do better.

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On Thursday night, Target joined The Arc of Carroll County and the Carroll County Arts Council for the local Sprout Film Festival. Sprout is a New York City-based film festival dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities grow through challenging, creative, and fun experiences that enhance socialization, self-confidence, and inclusion. Each year, Sprout curates a collection of films made by and about individuals with disabilities. Their show ‘travels’ from place to place as local agencies host screenings.

Students from my Intro to Special Education course and Target participants enjoyed the opening reception and films. I connected emotionally with several of the movies, each relating to a memory or experience shared with those individuals with disabilities who have been my friends over the past three and a half decades. A mother shared her communities experience when her young son joined the local little league baseball team. Australian families were recorded as the children interviewed their parents about their journey from birth to the present. Each interview ended with the child asking if their parents were proud of them—holy buckets of salty tears.

My favorite film was The Interview. In it, a man with a disability poses as an HR manager with a law firm and conducts an interview. Without too many spoilers, the film shines a light on the limiting perspective the non-disabled community has on those with disabilities. That one with a disability might only be qualified to manage the coffee cart in a business setting when those with disabilities are often just as capable as those who do not need additional support in the workplace. Without critical evaluation, we may look at someone with a disability and immediately take a ‘they can’t’ perspective. We must reverse this stereotype and move towards a ‘why the heck not?’ approach. I’m already looking forward to next year’s festival. If Spout comes to your town, go check out the films. The tickets are usually inexpensive, and you might have something to think about for a long time.

The week was capped off with a cook-out with a few of the Carroll County residential homes on Saturday night. My friend is visiting, so we started the day by running to Costco to stock up on meat for the cookout. The grill cooperated, and I enjoyed flipping hotdogs, sausages, and steaks. The weather cooperated, so we all sat outside well past the activity’s scheduled end time. Sitting with everyone and enjoying each other’s company with good food and a little music, the conversation was pleasant. A satisfying end to spring and the hectic schedule of the past few months. A welcome marking of the beginning of summer and many more evenings spent similarly.

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Tom had a disability and received services from a local agency like Target. He lived in his mother’s home, in a basement apartment space. Each day he engaged in supported employment through the agency and left for work around 4:30 am. Before retiring to his apartment, he came home in the evenings to enjoy one beer and the television program Wheel of Fortune.

In the summer months, many individuals who attended the Wednesday night class participated in a week-long sleep-away camp. After one summer, I wondered why Tom did not join us. It was explained to me that routine was essential for Tom and that stepping away from his morning and evening routines and the job would create chaos in his life and manifest in negative behavior.

We know that behavior is communication. Let’s consider that again. Behavior is communication. It can be challenging to know exactly what behavior is communicating. Still, when we understand the underlying root of the behavior, we must create structure and support systems to eliminate that antecedent. As a special education teacher, who occasionally had to be away from the classroom, I often returned to notes from a substitute teacher, exclaiming that a particular student demonstrated attention-seeking behaviors the previous day. Part of my baldness must come from wanting to pull my hair out at this specific note.

When we can identify the root of behavior, we must address it. If a student is acting out in the hopes of attention, let us find ways to provide positive attention, with any luck, before the negative behavior.

Back to Tom, a transition and a loss of routine are hard. Even in my life, days away from my routine sends ripples through my general mood. I am good at clearly communicating my wants, needs, and desires…or at least I think I am. If you are a family member or close friend with a different perspective on my communication ability, I beg you to leave those thoughts out of the comments box.

Not everyone we serve at Target can openly communicate stress related to change. Spring is a time of much change, especially in our residential program. Community living managers graduated from McDaniel College this past weekend. As those individuals graduate and transition away from Target, new managers arrive, and staff picks up extra shifts to create and maintain high-quality service.

Change is hard. The constant in this change is ever-improving programs for those we serve. We are grateful for those who have served, those who step in to assist with the transition, and those new folks who will soon join our team.

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We attended the Maryland Wool and Sheep Festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds on Saturday. I have shared in lectures that my life has been lived to the soundtrack of the clicking of knitting needles. Mom loves wool and knitting, and the festival is an event she has been looking forward to for some time. The event catalog arrived on Thursday evening, and as we shared a meal, she pored over the details, vendors, and event map. Bright and early on Saturday morning, we headed south on Highway 97, filled with excitement.

The festival was everything she’d hoped for. Rows of vendors selling every possible wool-related product under the sun. Barns full of sheep, breeds I had not previously known to exist. Much like when I take Olivia shopping, there were benches full of husbands patiently waiting. Now and again, Dad and I were called to offer an opinion…mostly Dad. He has occupied the position of knitting consultant for what I imagine is all 50 years of their marriage. Coincidentally the festival was celebrating its 50^th year of operation, and T-shirts and hats commemorating the anniversary were purchased. I picked a hat with the head of a ram…because, you know, RAM-sey. Plans are already being made to attend the 51^st annual festival next year.

As a former 4-Her, I am familiar with events featuring livestock and the products yielded from animal production. I was touched by a young man leading a large-horned ram between the livestock buildings. The dads were getting lambs on fitting tables in preparation for their children’s turn in the ring. I enjoyed hearing the familiar sounds of the judges announcing their reasons for each contestant’s placement in a class and the corresponding ribbons. I was happy not to endure the physical discomfort of the showing of sheep this Saturday. My heart was particularly warmed in observing a young man call to an older 4-Her as she groomed a lamb nearby. The boy hollered, “Hey, Annabelle,” and gave an enthusiastic wave. The young lady waved back and gave a smile that might last all week. As the boy walked along, he said to his mother, “That’s Annabelle; she is in my club,” beaming with validation. Annabelle may not understand the kind of impact her smile and wave bestowed. I thought back on the feelings I experienced when an older member of my own club gave me a few moments of their attention.

In addition to a life full of 4-H and wool, I am an avid people watcher. I attend various festivals related to music, and people-watching is one of my favorite pastimes. Observations from this event included attendees of all ages but skewed towards an older crowd. Themes included very comfortable footwear; Brooks running shoes, Birkenstocks, and funky boots were in solid representations. The T-shirts were great. “I knit so I don’t unravel” was my favorite. Equally as declarative were the tote bags. Every possible pun related to knitting adorned the sides of canvas bags bulging with newly acquired yarn and wool.

There is something about a group of people gathered around a passion. The energy is noticeable. A level of self-consciousness erodes when we engage with others who share a similar spark. C.S. Lewis wrote about friendship as a relationship lived shoulder-to-shoulder. Two or more individuals are focused on the same interest, pursuing what brings them joy.

This is a good analogy for the people I work with at Target. Colleagues stand side-by-side, working towards a common goal in developing life and the passions of those we serve. This is one of life’s great gifts. To engage nearly every day with work that brings joy and fulfillment. Almost every day is a festival celebrating the lives of those we serve and those we serve alongside.

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The words we use related to the disability community have evolved. As society’s conception of those who learn and engage in society differently, the words we use to describe community members have changed. Some changes are for the better, others for the worse. Language is a living medium. As such, it is essential that we critically evaluate our use of language in reflection of how much power language has in our reality.

One of the words that have been troubling to me since coming to Target Community and Educational Services is the term we use to describe those we serve…clients. I do not love it. In my experience, when I am a client, I am engaged in a transactional relationship—a one-way exchange. The connection is one-directional when I go to the bank to complete a transaction. Even if I have engaged with the person helping me with the transaction many times, the association exists with a boundary that is only that of familiarity. To live outside of those bounds would be, in the parlance of our youth, ‘cringe.’

When we engage in acts of service, we must understand that our interactions are not transactional. Our relationship is reciprocal. Something is given, and something is received. Something more than depositing a check into an account. The duality of the relationship of service is symbiotic in that we both benefit. Both people in the interaction are being served in some way. Both leave the experience with something they did not possess at the onset.

Using the term client in a service-related relationship reduces the experience and projects someone gives to someone without. A hierarchy is established. I am a “have,” and you are a “have not.”  This thinking has no place in the disability community, as disability is a natural part of the human experience. Someone who learns or engages in the community differently is not less of a person, and that person is not any less worthy of the inherent dignity and worth of all people. There is no hierarchy, and we are all people equally.

In recognition of the reciprocity in service relationships, I proposed that Target moves away from the term client in honor of the individuals who reside and participate in our services. Those who live in our residential communities are residents, and those who engage in our community and vocational services are participants. Thus, all who engage with Target services are participants.

Changing language takes time. We are creatures of habit. But slowly, our language will change, as it does, to include this more inclusive, reciprocal experience that we live in our work.

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