COMHAR Newsletter – March 2024
Welcome to Volume 10 of PEOPLE FIRST, COMHAR’s Agency Newsletter!
If you are interested in receiving the newsletter electronically, please email a request to info@comhar.org.
Intellectual Disabilities Month
COMHAR Celebrates Intellectual Disabilities Month
Each March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and our partners work together to create a social media campaign that highlights the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.
“A World of Opportunities” – we’re celebrating people and working together to remove obstacles. Our goal is to build a community that’s committed to creating a world where everyone can do well and succeed. Join us in making a world where all kinds of people have the chance to thrive.
COMHAR supports individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) to reach their fullest potential and live happy, productive lives. We provide customized programming that helps individuals maximize the skills they need to thrive at home or in their communities. COMHAR’s Vanderwoude Center is the epicenter of our ID Supports. In addition to housing our administrative offices, the Vanderwoude Center is the hub for the Community Participation Supports and Supported Employment programs. This wonderful space offers individuals a safe environment where they can continue to grow.
COMHAR offers Community Living Arrangements with Direct Support Professionals (DSP) who support residents with activities of daily living in community-based residences. These homes typically support between one and three residents, and offer various levels of staffing supports. Additionally, our teams help residents to maintain medical care for both chronic and acute conditions. DSPs will promote community experiences for the residents as we support individuals to reach their fullest potential.
The individuals served in this program must have a primary diagnosis of intellectual/developmental disabilities or autism. Many are dual diagnosed with ID and mental health issues. We serve a substantial number of wheelchair users in this program and others with complicated medical conditions.
For more information about COMHAR’s services for people living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,
African American Arts – A Platform for Social Justice
COMHAR Celebrates Black History Month
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE ARTS—Art as a Platform for Social Justice is the theme for Black History Month 2024. Carter G. Woodson, a historian, founded Black History month in 1926 to promote the history, culture and achievements of African Americans and other people of color. “Those who have no record of what their forebearers have accomplished lose the inspiration from the teaching of biography and history”, said Mr. Woodson.
According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans.
Please join us in recognizing the people of color in the COMHAR Family and the Community for the contributions they make every day.
People First – Vol. 9 | January 2024
Welcome to Volume 9 of PEOPLE FIRST, COMHAR’s Agency Newsletter. Share in the joy our members experienced during the holiday season; learn what is happening at COMHAR; meet our tenured team members!
If you are interested in receiving the newsletter electronically, please email a request to info@comhar.org.
December is AIDS AWARENESS MONTH
World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit
The theme for AIDS Awareness Month is “Remember and Commit.” This annual event serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma, an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and a rallying cry to commit to working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat.
The first World AIDS Day took place in 1988, providing a platform to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and honor the lives affected by the epidemic. This year marks the 35th commemoration of this important day. Over the past 35 years, there has been significant progress in addressing HIV and AIDS thanks to advancements in medical research, increased access to treatment and prevention, and a broader understanding of the virus.
Click here for a message from Admiral Rachel Levine
COMHAR offers services and peer support to members living with HIV/AIDs. The Community Living Room at 100 S. Broad Street has been cited by a member as the source of their strength on their Recovery Journey. Learn more by clicking on Recovery Journeys.
Click here for more information about COMHAR’s Specialized Services.
#worldaidday
Giving Tuesday – November 28
Can We Count On You to Help Us On Our Recovery Journey?There truly are great things happening in Kensington, and COMHAR has been around for almost 50 years, positively impacting the lives of individuals in the great city of Philadelphia. In the words of a proud member of the COMHAR Board of Directors, “I take pride in spreading the word about this positivity that exists within a part of our city where we usually only hear about “negative news”.” As a Mission Driven/People First organization, COMHAR empowers members to live healthier, self-determined lives. Through the Open Door Clubhouse members are given the opportunity for self-determination through the running of daily meetings and the operations of the Clubhouse as they work toward preparation of an employment plan. In the HOPE programs, members are given art lessons so they can express themselves in a creative manner. Evidence Based Therapy is offered to members in the outpatient division. Through Recovery Journeys on our website one can see the positive impact COMHAR has on it’s members. To help support others on their journey, donate now.
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