United Cerebral Palsy Of New York City Becomes Adapt Community Network
Leading 70-year-old human service not-for-profit organization re-launches its brand to prepare for changing disabilities sector landscape
NEW YORK, March 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, March 8, 2017, the Board of Directors of United Cerebral Palsy of New York City (UCP of NYC) announced that after 70 years of serving New York families with disabilities, the leading human service agency for people with disabilities in New York will officially change its name to ADAPT Community Network and re-launch its brand. The new website is www.ADAPTcommunitynetwork.org.
ADAPT Community Network's name change and brand launch will be celebrated at the organization's 70-year Anniversary Gala at the New York Hilton on Thursday, March 9th to honor this milestone.
"It was time to examine everything that we do so that we can serve our communities to the best of our ability and continue to be on the cutting edge of change," said Edward R. Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of ADAPT Community Network. "We want to remain as responsive as possible to the needs of the next generations that have growing expectations of the types of services that we can offer."
The adult services and schools of the ADAPT Community Network already support people who have challenges beyond cerebral palsy. Today, families seeking services are looking for increasingly integrated offerings.
"The Board of ADAPT Community Network is proud of our 70-year history and our many accomplishments, but this brand launch is very timely," said Gary Geresi, President of the Board. "While UCP was comforting for a generation of parents who felt that we would understand the needs of their loved ones, the modern parent or individual receiving supports does not want to be associated with an organization known only by a diagnosis."
The models of care are changing nationwide – and certainly statewide –and government funding is becoming streamlined by cutbacks, limiting the number of organizations that can provide much needed care to people with disabilities. The entire sector throughout New York State is struggling to stay competitive with pay and maintain a quality workforce of direct service professionals that provide the day to day hands-on care to people with disabilities.
ADAPT Community Network has already expanded as an organization to respond to these challenges. Its network now includes two additional partners (New York League for Early Learning and Human First) and a new association with Partners Health Plan, a first-of-its-kind non-profit managed care program for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in New York.
70 years ago, a group of founding families at UCP helped spark the movement that led to the birth of the disabilities sector. Since then, the agency has had many breakthroughs, among them winning legal challenges that led to access to public education for all, community living for children and adults, major advancements in assistive technology, and creating countless opportunities for employment for New Yorkers with disabilities.
ADAPT Community Network better reflects who we are today. Adapt is something we all do – to life, to our environment, and to the circumstances we find ourselves in at any given time. Community signals that we, and all to whom we provide services, are part of the fabric of the community in which we live. Network describes the alliances we will form to expand our reach to guarantee the fullest possible life for all those who look to us for support.
ADAPT's new tagline is [We Change]. Whether it is lives, environments, social attitudes or our own services, it's the most important thing we've learned in 70 years.
About ADAPT Community Network (formerly UCP of NYC)
ADAPT Community Network (formerly UCP of NYC) is the leading not-for-profit agency and a pioneer in providing programs and services that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. For over 70 years, ADAPT Community Network has created a more inclusive world for New York City children and adults with a variety of challenges. ADAPT Community Network's breadth of over 100 comprehensive programs include education, health, technology, residential, and recreational services for thousands of individuals and families annually. Our programs are delivered by thousands of trained and dedicated staff, including a number of employees who have disabilities themselves. For more information: www.ADAPTcommunitynetwork.org
CONTACT:
Petra Tuomi, [email protected], 347-831-2159
James Grant, [email protected], 917-626-1300
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SOURCE ADAPT Community Network
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