Koinonia goes the mile

The CBIZ Walk for D.R.E.A.M.S. on pg 5

Inspirations

volunteer spotlightJohn Carroll students model healthy living

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Fall 2010

the road to wellnessHealth Fair is only beginning of journey for Koinonia

7the men behind the curtainThe maintenance staff comes center stage

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KoInonIA HoMES, InC.6161 Oak Tree Blvd., Suite 400Independence , OH 44131Phone: 216.588.8777Fax: 216.588.5670

KoInonIA EnTERpRISES, LLCAdult Day Support & Vocational Services1200 Resource DriveBrooklyn Heights , OH 44131Phone: 216.741.6659Fax: 216.741.6838

www.koinoniahomes.org

BoARD of DIRECToRS

fred A. Watkins, ChairmanTimothy Alberts, Secretary/TreasurerTodd Hays

Joseph Kilbane

Cathy Veverka

pRESIDEnT/CEo

Diane Beastrom

VICE pRESIDEnTSJody Curry Institutional Advancement & Communications

nancy Disbrow Human Resources

Demetrius Hammett Programs & Organizational Learning

David Laubenthal Physical Resources

Carol Morton Finance

Cover photo by: melody/anthony ConIglIo

a gift to Koinonia homes impacts more

than an organization—it impacts the lives of individuals

we serve who have intellectual and/or developmental

disabilities. With the help of your gift, we can provide

resources that otherwise would not be available. Please

consider supporting Koinonia Homes by contacting our

Office of Institutional Advancement at 216.588.8777, ext.

109. Your gift truly makes a difference. Because Koino-

nia is a 501(c)(3), gifts to the agency are tax deductible.

save the date

annual luncheon

Tuesday, June 14 The Silver Grilleat the Higbee Building

Koinonia connects with the community.

ConneCteon

For more information about this event or to become a sponsor, contact Jody Curry at 216.588.8777, ext. 109.

Koinonia prides itself on providing individuals comfortable, welcoming homes, and we carefully select direct care staff to enhance the nurturing environment. But what about the physical environment? How do we ensure comfort and safety through the houses themselves? That’s where our talented mainte-nance staff comes in. They are the proverbial “men behind the cur-tain,” doing everything from unclogging drains, installing drywall and rewiring electrical outlets.

“They try to be stealthy,” explains Dave Laubenthal, Vice-President of Physical Resources. Laubenthal oversees the mainte-nance team, which is led by Manager Dave Maxim and staffed by Phil Brogan, John Hydzik, Dustin Parker and James Williamson. Because so much activity occurs in the homes, the maintenance staff is careful to minimize disruptions to the daily routines. That means a lot of work takes place when residents are off site during the day—at Koinonia Enterprises or work, for example.

Sometimes work inevitably has to be done while residents are at home, so maintenance staff are cautious, bringing in only the minimum amount of tools for the job and making sure not to leave tools or supplies lying out. Being around residents can create special moments, for both staff and individuals. Brogan notes an instance that made him realize the impact his work had, “Steve

the men behind the curtain

above: Koinonia’s maintenance team includes (front, l-r) John hydzik, phil brogan and dustin parker, (back, l-r) James Williamson and manager dave maxim.

The efforts of the maintenance staff bring them center stage

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came up to me with a picture of a boy with a dog. He wanted me to hang it above his bed, so I did. He gave me a big smile and said thank you. I know it made his day—and mine.” Like all Koinonia staff, the mainte-nance department fosters a welcoming spirit. They do so in their personal inter-actions with individuals but also through their actions at bettering the environment. They will often work with residential supervisors to accommodate an individu-al in his or her room. “The work we do helps improve the quality of life for the individuals we serve,” Parker says, noting that is what he enjoys most about working at Koinonia. Williamson concurs, “My favorite thing about working for Koinonia Homes is that we are non-profit. Our goals center

The men behind the curtain

taking giving to

New HeigHTs

around bettering the lives of other who otherwise couldn't do it themselves.” The maintenance staff keeps individuals in mind while caring for the 12 homes Koinonia owns, in addition to doing work on the nine homes at which we provide services but are owned by the Cuyahoga County Board of Devel-opmental Disabilities. They are also re-sponsible for the maintenance of Koino-nia Enterprises and the administrative offices. You can find them working on proj-ects such as carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, painting, and more. With projects like snow plowing, land-scaping and larger, capital projects, main-tenance oversees contracts with outside companies. When Koinonia has acquired new houses–as it has recently in Strongs-ville, the department works to make sure

the house is up to code and accommoda-tions are made so the home is comfortable and accessible for those with I/DD. If there is a time for the maintenance staff to shine, it’s during Koinonia’s special events. Without hesitation, they go the extra mile to make events run smoothly and successfully. Whether it’s transport-ing cases and cases of food to the Walk for D.R.E.A.M.S. or spiffing up the offices into the wee hours of the morning in time for an event, maintenance staff embody caring. “The two years I've been here I participated in our fund-raiser walks,” says Williamson. “The first one was a big eye opener for me. I realized the com-pany I worked for made an impact in the lives of the people we served. Seeing the never-ending dedication of our staff in every department coming together for client needs was amazing.” Cooperation is a significant aspect of the maintenance department. “The way we help each other makes our job easier and a lot less stressful,” says Parker.

hair salons are about more than hair and beauty. Most women can tell you that. They are a place to share conver-sation, and one such conversation is what led New Heights in Hair to share its generosity with Koinonia through this year’s Walk for D.R.E.A.M.S. Lisa Csenshck owner of New Heights in Hair in Broadview Heights, learned about Koinonia through her client Lina Monteleone, Director of Koinonia Enterprises. “I thought, ‘wow, she’s got a great heart,’” Csenshck says, when Monteleone explained what the organization does. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” It started with New Heights in Hair becoming a jewelry vendor at the Walk, with 20% of the sales going to Koinonia. “I think everyone should win,” Csenshck explains. Once Csenshck shared the details of the fund-raiser with her employees, they immediately jumped on board, offering a total of ten complimentary hair cuts for the raffle that benefited the Walk for D.R.E.A.M.S. The business also contributed four gift certificates. “There is a group of girls here that are just outstanding,” Csenshck says. “I couldn’t have done it without them—or without my husband who is a co-owner with me.” Csenshck has been at New Heights for nine years, but she and her husband Pete bought the business one year ago. She was honored by the opportunity to support Koinonia and the in-dividuals we serve. “They need the support,” she says. “Koinonia is a great way to let them be a part of everyday life.”

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the lake erie winds were no match for the energy of par-ticipants of Koinonia’s CBIZ Walk for D.R.E.A.M.S. on Sept. 25. About 240 people gathered lakeside at Whiskey Is-land/Wendy Park, walking to help oth-ers ride. The event raised over $23,500 toward the purchase of a handicapped accessible van, which will be used for Koinonia’s vocational services.

The mile-long path afforded walk-ers beautiful views of the lake and downtown Cleveland, but people did more than walk. They enjoyed a complimentary breakfast, provided through donations from Einstein Bagels, Country Pure Foods, Avalon Foods, Chobani Yogurt, Giant Eagle and Dunkin’ Donuts.

A variety of vendors offered informa-tion and sold goods from jewelry to pastries. Koinonia Enterprises sold its very popular homemade dog biscuits and BBQ spice rubs.

Games, face painting, group photos and balloon art added to the fun. But the hit of the event was dancing, of course, with DJ Gail McPeake providing an excellent sound track.

Many people helped make the event a success, including volunteers and lead sponsors: CBIZ, KeyBank, and The National Telephone Company. Thank you to everyone who supported the event!

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la Sonya arrived early to Healthy Living class one evening, carrying a stack of her favorite CDs. When Marvin Gaye began to play through the stereo, she started to do her thing—dance. “You’ve got some moves!” exclaimed Morgan Gilmore, one of the student volunteers from John Carroll University who were leading the class. Compelled by La Sonya’s enthusiastic dancing, volunteer Kath Duncan-Chamberlin joined her. As part of a partnership between John Carroll and Koinonia, seven stu-dents are leading an eight-week “Healthy Living and Me” class once a week. Some of the students, like Gilmore and Duncan-Chamberlin, have previously volunteered through John Carroll with Koinonia, lead-ing a drama program and/or book club. When the volunteers discovered how much Koinonia individuals like to dance, they quickly incorporated the activity into the Healthy Living program. “The individ-uals love to dance and aren’t afraid to show it,” noted volunteer Brendan Carey, some-thing that surprised but charmed him. The students are also teaching indi-

John Carroll students model healthy living

volunteer SpotlIght

viduals about the benefits of exercise, how to stretch, making healthy choices, and how to make healthy snacks. Some of the students, like Carey, hadn’t worked with individuals with developmental disabili-ties before, but they were quickly won

over. “I most enjoy their eagerness to participate in our activities, and the smile they put on my face every time I walk in the door,” says Carey. “I didn’t know what to expect,” explains volunteer Melissa Vinci. “They’re really genuine. It surprised me how they make friends so easily and how much of a community it is, even with new people. They’re all different ages but they still connect with each other.” All these reasons brought Duncan-Chamberlin back to Koinonia. “I like to work with the individuals,” she says. “My favorite part is seeing them smile.”

above: Jonathan shows off his muscles with student volunteer brendan Carey at “healthy liv-ing and me” class.

left: John Carroll university students volun-teered to lead a the healthy living class for Koinonia individuals. volunteers include (back, l-r) brendan Carey, Shannon doyle, melissa vinci, Kath duncan-Chamberlin, (front, l-r) asurupi gurung, and morgan gilmore. not pictured: Kelsey langton.6

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Each fall, Federal employees conduct a fundraising drive in their workplaces (be it the post office, veterans’ affairs office, military or other agencies). Called the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), it is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign. Pledges made by Federal em-ployee donors during the campaign season (Sept. 1- Dec. 15) support eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits.

This year, Koinonia is one of the organizations that is eligible to benefit from the campaign. Federal employee donors can choose to designate Koinonia as a full or partial recipient of their contribu-tion. Funds contributed to the CFC but not designated to a specific organization will be distributed to all CFC-eligible organizations in the same proportion that was contributed in designations.

Koinonia is honored to have met the high standards of the CFC and plans to build its presence in the campaign in the coming years. Please spread the word to any Federal employees you know to designate Koinoina as a recipient of campaign funds. Our number is CFC #72214

how well are we really washing our hands? What do a smoker’s lungs look like? Just how many calories does one of those jumbo muffins have? Ask any of the Koinonia employees who attended the Employee Health Fair on Oct. 26. Along with receiving flu shots and health assess-ments, they gathered an abundance of informa-tion on health and wellness, in large part thanks to Koinonia’s nurses. The Health Fair is only the beginning of the journey toward wellness for Koinonia. It kicked off a Wellness Initiative for both employees and individuals. Gail McPeake, Director of Health Services at Koinonia explains the origin of the initiative, “I think that so many of us are so busy and stressed with our work and families. Many of our direct care staff work two jobs. We identified four key areas we needed to address: stress reduction, healthy eating, physical activity and smoking cessation. If we help our direct cares staff to become more knowledgeable about wellness, they can better help the individuals they care for.”

the road toKoinonia puts its employees and individuals in the driver’s seat

CoMBInED fEDERAL CAMpAIgnFederal employees can

designate Koinonia as recipient during

fundraising drive

wellness Each month hones in on a different area of wellness. In November, the focus is on better food choices and December tackles work-life balance. In February, Koinonia launches a sig-nificant smoking cessation program, looking toward the goal of becoming a smoke-free agen-cy by July 2011. Koinonia recognizes that minority and I/DD populations are at higher risk for certain diseases. For example, 14.7 percent of all African Americans age 20 or older have been diagnosed with diabetes. About 50% of individ-uals with I/DD are overweight, compared with a 30% rate in the general population. We want to address the health issues of individuals we serve and those of our staff. Koinonia recently received a grant from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health to hold a two-day event, “Help Yourself: Prevent Diabetes and Hypertension,” on April 6 and 7. For more information about Koinonia’s Wellness Initiative and upcoming programs, contact Gail McPeake at 216.588.8777, ext. 142.

hitt ing the hayIndividuals, families and staff get a dose of fall colors and fun at the Annual fall family picnic on oct. 16.

6161 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 400Independence, OH 44131ph: 216.588.8777fax: 216.588.5670www.koinoniahomes.org

partnering with people who have developmental disabilities to achieve healthy, fulfilling, enriched lives.

InspirationsFall 2010