Judy Ham is devoted to creating meaningful lives. As president of United Cerebral Palsy of Colorado (UCP Colorado), Ham proudly follows the legacy of the organization’s founding mothers who wanted quality of life for their disabled children instead of institutionalization. “It’s not about limitations; it’s not about us making choices for people,” Ham says. “It’s about helping them decide how they want their lives, how they might achieve it, and helping families feel successful in that effort.”
Formed by nine mothers of children with cerebral palsy in 1948, UCP Colorado now serves children with a variety of limitations and even low income children who are not disabled. The organization strives to create, support and encourage inclusion for children of all abilities and their families through early education, employment and support services.
“We don’t change the disability – it doesn’t go away,” Ham says. “We offer a comprehensive set of services to make peoples’ lives easier.” The early education program, Career Options Centers, serves more than 750 families with children who are six-months to 5 years old. Every child undergoes an assessment and screening to identify specific needs and strengths. About 25 to 35 percent of the children have some type of challenge, from autism and developmental delays to personality disorders and of course, cerebral palsy.
Gina Hickman enrolled her son in the program when he was 18 months old. Now three, the child with developmental disabilities is attending the Career Options preschool through Head Start, where he receives speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. “We’ve seen tremendous progression in his development,” Hickman says. She likes how her son receives services in the classroom setting instead of in isolation. The kids work on puzzles and play with Legos to develop their fine motor skills, and jump on trampolines and ride bikes for their physical development. “He’s in an integrated setting with other kids without disabilities, so I think he learns a lot from them,” Hickman says.
UCP Colorado’s Employment Works program collaborates with the business community to find suitable jobs for about 4,000 Coloradoans with disabilities each year.
“Just because they happen to have a disability doesn’t mean they can’t find what they care about and what they dream about,” Ham says.
Liz Neafus-Stenzel’s daughter Elizabeth, 26, has a seizure disorder. “She needs (an employer) that is sympathetic if she’s having a bad day or doesn’t feel well, that she can go home,” Neafus-Stenzel says. “We kept trying to find jobs and it just wasn’t working.” Employment Works helped Elizabeth find a job at King Soopers, where her manager is considerate of her special needs. “UCP is such a blessing to our family,” Neafus-Stenzel says.
Empower Colorado is another program that provides support to some 29,000 families. “If we can provide early intervention and early support to a family who has just had a child born with a significant disability, we can really make a difference,” Ham says.
UCP Events for 2011
United Cerebral Palsy of Colorado served more than 38,600 families last year. “our intention is to really help children with disabilities become all that they can, allow them to develop in their own way, and to also support families,” says CEO Judy ham, adding “Everyone deserves a meaningful life.” But there are still more than 700 families on the waiting list for early education services. Fundraising events and donations from the community help UCP Colorado provide services to the ever-growing community of disabled children and their families.
The organization is hosting the 10th Annual Mother’s Tea from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on may 7 at the Westin tabor Center in downtown Denver. this luncheon features a champagne reception and a relaxing day of entertainment, including a fashion show and giveaway packages.
Then mark your calendar for June 12, when the 28th Annual Exotic Sports Car Show & Concours d’Elegance will take place. the event will feature exotic automobiles from early classics and collector cars to vintage and current models. For more information about UCP’s upcoming events, visit cpco.org
How to Help
Many of UCP’s accomplishments over the past 64 years have been a direct result of the generous support of the community. Whether it’s a monetary donation, a tax-deductible vehicle donation, or the volunteering of time, each contribution makes a difference. to make a donation or to learn more, visit cpco.org/donate.html or call 303.691.9339
