What's Happening in the IDD Division?

The guys from Windy Ghoul home at Merakey AVS recently enjoyed a fantastic trip to Ocean City, Maryland. They went to the beach, enjoyed eating out, strolled along the boardwalk, visited Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, and made lots of memories!

Merakey IDD Philadelphia hosted a meaningful Juneteenth celebration at 4700 Wissahickon Avenue in Philadelphia. More than 50 employees came together for a potluck luncheon to reflect on the importance of the day and learn through shared experiences. Administrative Assistant Cynthia Henry opened the day by singing the Black National Anthem. Participants enjoyed playing a Kahoot trivia game provided by the Merakey DE&I Council, and several team members offered reflections about this important day. A delicious feast with a Juneteenth inspired menu was enjoyed by all. Red beverages and red desserts were prepared, including hibiscus tea, red-icing pound cake, and berry pie ~ just to name a few. IDD Philadelphia welcomed DE&I representatives Betty Boyd, Tim Barksdale, and Richard Lewis. Also in attendance was VP of IDD Operations Sherri Portnoy, Fiscal team members Theresa Gottschalk and Michael Reilly and from People Operations, Cynthia Davis. The event closed with employees saying they felt a stronger sense of camaraderie as a team and hopeful for the future.

Program participants Cindy, Deborah, Joan, Tricia, Valerie, and the staff from Merakey Galey home at Merakey AVS had a blast at their recent trip to Hershey Park! This group certainly knows how to sweeten a June afternoon.

On Saturday, June 17, Merakey individuals and staff went on an outing to support the research for Breast Cancer at the annual Sister Strut 3K Breast Cancer Event. It was so nice for the individuals to interact with different people who were at the event. The group was able to hear stories about resilience from breast cancer survivors and learn about breast health. Everyone enjoyed the event!

John from Schuylkill Mountain Center’s IDD program was thrilled to see and sit in the emergency vehicles displayed at Martz Hall in Pottsville, PA on June 19.

An individual who resides at a Merakey home in Franklin/Fulton County, PA helped make a delicious dinner earlier this week for his housemates.