WDAC Radio Interview with Milt Stoltzfus

Tonight, they’re eating baked chicken, peas and sweet potatoes for dinner. Smells good, doesn’t it? But, what may seem to be a simple dinner is actually the culmination of in-depth conversations and decision-making processes. See for Ed, Don and the other Individuals at Ed’s home, this dinner really started a week ago, if not longer.

The housemates sat down together at the kitchen table and planned out their breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week. With the help of Don, they talked about nutritiously-balanced meals and healthy snack options. They looked through the grocery store circulars and created their shopping list. Prior to COVID-19, they would go grocery shopping together as a unit. What is often a mundane task for some is actually a learning opportunity and social outing for others.

With your gift of $227, you can provide Ed and his housemates not only a week’s worth of groceries, but more importantly, crucial opportunities to learn valuable life skills and be accepted as responsible members of the greater community.

Jen is a Heart Artist who has been crafting beautifully delicate jewelry and painting sophisticated landscapes since 2015. She is a detail-oriented painter and enjoys mixing her own colors to accomplish the perfect hue.

Jen is also very social in the Studio and will charismatically greet fellow artists with kind words and a gentle smile. She has sold many pieces in the Gallery during her tenure and feels an extreme sense of pride as a professional artist when each creation is wrapped up and transported to its new home.

With your gift of $186, you can provide Jen and other Heart Artists with essential art supplies and materials needed to continue expressing their capabilities while promoting financial responsibility and encouraging self-worth, free expression and collaboration.

When these four Individuals moved into their residential home, they became part of Friendship Community – a close-knit team of family, friends and Team Members ready to uphold and promote each Individual’s basic human needs as well as every-day values. Friendship Community’s four Pillars of Culture – Communication, Collaboration, Competency and Respect – are used to ensure Individuals’ rights (including health and safety), stability and partnerships are being routinely met.

As an essential, life-sustaining, non-profit organization, Friendship Community strives for a comfortable home environment, but must adhere to both federal and state rules and regulations. For example, in addition to attending job-specific trainings and required in-services, Team Members must also be certified in First Aid and CPR every 2 years.

With your gift of $91, you can provide that mandatory training to certify two Team Members in both First Aid and CPR therefore allowing Friendship Community to continue its high standards of quality care and services.

Josh is a joke teller, nature enthusiast and aspiring author. Dave is a kind-hearted and compassionate Team Member who loves jokes almost as much as Josh. When they get together, adventure (and laughter) abounds. Some weeks, Dave drives Josh to a medical appointment or they determine the best flavor of ice cream at a local dairy. Other weeks, they tackle Josh’s to-do list of grocery shopping and other helpful tasks for Josh’s family. When the weather is nice, they enjoy nature hikes together along the Susquehanna River.

Regardless of what they do or where they go, Dave’s in-home care and unwavering support is tailored to Josh’s specific needs. Today, though, is an important day because Josh has a meeting with his publisher to submit the first rough draft of his new book and review the next steps in the publishing process.

With your gift of $42, you can provide one tank of gas in one vehicle – that same vehicle that transports Josh to becoming not only a more independent and self-supporting community member, but now also a published author.