Ribbon Cutting Ceremony – 100 S. Broad Street

Walking into 100 S. Broad Street, where COMHAR’s Specialized Services and Community Living Room (CLR) are housed, was like walking into an art gallery.  The newly renovated space is painted in vivid color with the walls adorned with artwork made by the Community Living Room (CLR) members.

On April 4th, the COMHAR Board of Directors, COMHAR Leadership Team, CLR members, and CLR team members gathered for the official ribbon cutting ceremony.  Robert McDonald, COMHAR Director of Facilities and Maintenance was assisted by CLR member, Ricky S., in cutting the ribbon.  Prior to the ribbon cutting, CLR members shared with the COMHAR Board and team members their stories of their recovery journeys.  They expressed gratitude for the services that COMHAR offers which have helped them on their path toward recovery.  The conversations continued during the luncheon that followed.

Thank you to the CLR members for such an open and inspiring conversation!

In the latest COMHAR Newsletter, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new website at www.comhar.org.  Whether looking for services, locations, news from COMHAR, career opportunities, or options to make donations, comhar.org is the place to go!  Sign up for our Newsletter, read our Annual Report, read member recovery journeys, contact us,  and more! 

Read more in our People First – COMHAR Agency Newsletter.

Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan from March 22 through April 21, the month when the first verses of the holy book, Quran, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed more than 1,400 years ago.

Fasting is an important part of Ramadan because Muslims believe it allows them to devote themselves to their faith and come closer to Allah, or God. Muslims who have reached puberty and who are physically capable fast from dawn until sunset and abstain from liquids, food, and negative thoughts and bad intentions. They break their fast after an evening prayer with iftār, a meal often celebrated with friends and family.

During Ramadan, it is customary for Muslims to pray extra nightly prayers and participate in other religious practices throughout the day and night, when possible. They will often wake up for or stay up until suhur, a pre-dawn meal.

We wish all Muslim COMHAR team members, members, and Friends of COMHAR a Ramadan Mubarak (Happy Ramadan)!

Social Work Breaks Barriers That Prevent People and Communities from Thriving

National Social Work Month, observed throughout March, uplifts the social workers of our country, and celebrates their constant contributions to our society. These professionals use psychology and sociology to solve social issues and improve individual lives – and it’s no easy feat! Social work can be emotionally draining, require long hours, and pay entirely too little, yet still, these superhumans strive every day to improve many people’s quality of life and advocate on their behalf. Take some time out this month to recognize social workers and the great things they do at COMHAR!

Did you know that some of the most influential people in mental health have been women?

• Melanie Klein, in the early 1900’s, pioneered “play-therapy” as a way to better understand the communication, intention, and neurosis of children.
• Mamie Phipps Clark, Ph.D., was the first black woman to receive a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University and dedicated her life to offering psychological understanding and support of Americans of color, who were (and continue to be) disproportionately underserved by advances in mental health.
• Marsha Linehan is the creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and a true pioneer in the field.

Let us take a moment to recognize their contributions and the contributions of all female COMHAR team members who make a difference in people’s lives every day and are creating history for the future!

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 offers a complete spectrum of services and has been a trusted name for over 45 years via three programs:
• Community Participation Support (CPS) program
• Community-Living/Residential program
• Intermediate Care Facility (ICF).

Congratulations to COMHAR’s ID Director, Jeff Prince, and the ID team who received the Division of Intellectual disAbility Services One Time Only Funding. These funds will give our ID members the opportunity to connect with the community at Hershey Park!