Special Anti-Bullying Art Exhibit

These are some of the pieces that the participants of the Day Habilitation program created for Sinergia's 2nd Annual Unity Day on Bullying Prevention, held October 10th. They are colorful, expressive and truly special. The artists each received a Certificate of Achievement from their teacher, artist and educational art consultant Ana Soto. You can see more of the day's activities on our Facebook album.

Day Hab Celebrates Women’s Suffrage

In March, the Day Hab women’s group recognized Women’s History Month and learned about a lot of influential women through the ages.  Following right after February’s Black History Month, this time of year it is always good to remember that women and people of color did not always have the right to vote and struggled to be recognized as eligible citizens.  To practice this right, we made sure that everyone in the program (men and women!) had the opportunity to register to vote.  We completed the paper forms and mailed them in, but there are several ways to register.  See http://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html to find out how to get registered today.

To celebrate Women’s History, print out these coloring pages (great for both adults and children) that we created in Day Hab:

Portrait of Etta James

Votes For Women Poster

 We Can Do It Poster

Day Hab Celebrates Volunteers

On Friday, March 23, the Day Habilitation program had a ceremony to recognize the participants who have been working hard all year at their volunteer jobs in the community.  This has been an exciting year for our volunteers, as we have three new volunteer sites: the Glass Garden at NYU’s Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine, the 125th Street Branch of the New York Public Library, and the soup kitchen at St. Paul and Andrews Church.  These new opportunities have been great learning experiences for our groups, who also continue to volunteer at Encore City Meals on Wheels twice a week.  Jeanie Cameron, Encore’s Volunteer Coordinator, came and shared some words at the ceremony and recognized our program for its long-standing dedication to volunteering.  Each of our volunteers received an award for their hard work and a few of them shared their inspirations with the audience.  See our photo album on Facebook. Congratulations to the following volunteers:

Corey A.
Carlos B.
Trish B.
Terri B.
Vanessa D.
James F.
Kenneth F.
Jose F.
Jose H.
Ivan L.
Joseph N.
Lee P.
Armando P.
Emmanuel S.
Tyrone T.
Barbara V.
William V.

Celebrating MLK Day at Sinergia

"On January 17th, the Day Hab program had a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Together, we talked about the work of Dr. King and we each learned something we didn’t know about him, such as his birthplace (Atlanta) or primary occupation (a preacher). We had been preparing for the celebration during the previous week and everyone participated by sharing poems or other thoughts on their dreams for the future and peace and equality. It was the perfect opportunity to refer to the conflict resolution training that we did during the Bullying Prevention Week in October. We reviewed tips on avoiding conflict and how to peacefully diffuse a potentially violent situation.  The civil rights movement’s use of peaceful demonstrations (speeches, marches, boycotts, etc.) was a great example of how people can make their voices heard without using violence.

Day Hab Artists (above, l. to r.) Vanessa, Mildred and Ivan worked as a team on a portrait of Dr. King.
They spoke about how important King’s work as a leader was, as bringing people together is the best way to make things happen. They demonstrated this point by talking about how they had collaborated to accomplish the drawing, which was too large for any of them to have done alone. We also enjoyed singing some songs, including “We Shall Overcome,” led by Mabel J. who proudly sings in her church choir on the weekends."

For more pictures on art projects that the DayHab artists have been creating visit our Facebook page.

--Erin McSorley, DayHab Art Specialist

Sinergia's Annual Christmas Celebration 2011

Sinergia's Annual Christmas celebration for children and families on December 22, 2011 was the high point of our holiday season.  Our Christmas angels, the NYC Department of Sanitation-M7 personnel, again blessed our holidays as the sponsors of the annual event at Lincoln Center's Julliard School. They have faithfully supported this celebration for over a quarter of a century. This year we had great weather and no snow so we had an overflow audience - the greatest attendance ever! We were pleased to have the Commissioner John J. Doherty join the men and women as they helped Santa Claus distribute wonderful gifts to the many children in the beautifully decorated space. Dinner included the traditional dishes: rice and gandules, pernil, hot dogs for the children and cookies, candies and refreshments galore. The accompanying pictures tell the story of the wonder and joy exhibited by so many children for whom this celebration has such significance. We took the opportunity to pay special tribute to Alexander McDonald, former member of the NYC Department of Sanitation-M7, who passed away this year. It was a touching moment when we stopped the festivities to honor his memory. Nancy McDonald, his widow, and his son Mathew were presented with a certificate of appreciation by Sinergia's Executive Director, Myrta Cuadra-Lash, which acknowledged Alex McDonald's contributions. The evening ended with the traditional entrance of Santa Claus and his elves. The staff of the Department of Sanitation and Sinergia felt joyful to be part of a legacy and tradition that brings so much happiness to so many children and families. Special thanks to all the entertainers, to Scott Lancelot and Maria Quintero and the staff of the Department of Sanitation, to Sinergia's own Doris Rodriguez and the rest of the staff for making this event possible.

(click here to view our Photo Album on Facebook)

Special Lunch for DayHab Volunteers

Of the many activities that the adults in our Day Habilitation Program partake in, volunteering is one of the ones they enjoy the most. On June 23rd, DayHab volunteers were honored at a luncheon in the Dr. Nivia Zavala Conference Center.  In appreciation for their assistance to such agencies as Meals On Wheels, each participant was presented with a framed certificate along with a gift certificate from Target. Also in attendance was Eve Cook, the Volunteer Coordinator for New York City Meals on Wheels, who stated during her speech that the volunteers from Sinergia were her most reliable and were known for showing up even during inclement weather. It means a great deal for these adults with disabilities to give back to the community through their delivery work for Meals on Wheels, and the horticultural assistance they give at the Rusk Institute and the Carver Gardens on 124th Street.

Day Hab Visit to the Rusk Garden

After finding out about all the wonderful things going on at the Rusk Institute's Glass Garden (which we mentioned before in this post) the DayHab group went on a field trip and participate in their Prevocational Program. "We had a great time learning to plant windowboxes that will be kept in the perennial garden for patients and the public to enjoy," says Day Hab Specialist Erin McSorely. Looks like they had lots of fun "communing with nature," and even getting a little R & R (rest and relaxation)!

Vanessa, Michael, Maritza, Gisselle and Ivan

Mildred and Cindy

William

Day Hab Art Sale

The Day Hab Artists were at it again! They let their creative juices flow and made hand-crafted items for the “Go Green, Spring Clean” art and craft sale. The sale featured artwork that was either made from recycled materials or designed to assist the user to make greener and smarter choices. Among the items for sale were fashionable shopping totes, vintage button picture frames, and reusable lunch dishes. 

Corey, Blanca, Maritza and Carlos

House by Carlos

Horse by Ivan

Rosa and Mabel hard at work

Day Hab Celebrates Women's History Month

To celebrate Women’s History Month, Sinergia's Day Hab Artists created a timeline of women through the ages that was installed along the hallway on the 3^rd floor.  It started with the year 1840, when women were denied the right to participate at an anti-slavery convention in England, and continued all the way to the present with a summary of this year’s White House report, “Women in America.”  The report found that while more women than men are getting college degrees, they still make only 75% of what their male counterparts earn. 

Each Day Hab participant had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the timeline and discuss various key events.  Hot topics of discussion were the fight for women’s suffrage, which was finally granted in 1920 with the 19^th Amendment, and the struggle for women to be respected in their various fields, like Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to graduate from an American medical school with a physician’s license.  (She also opened the first medical college for women!)  The Art Appreciation group also had the chance to take a virtual tour of Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party, a tribute to various influential women, both real and mythical, throughout world history.  The Dinner Party is a permanent installation at the Brooklyn Museum.  Learn more about the exhibit at www.brooklynmuseum.org.

Day Hab's Black History Month Celebration

On February 17, 2011, the participants of Sinergia’s Day Habilitation program presented a Black History Celebration in the Activity Center of our headquarters at 2082 Lexington Ave. The festivities included presentations by individual groups of the Day Habilitation’s participants. One group presented information about Harriet Tubman and the intricacies surrounding the operation of the famous “Underground Railroad” (the hidden routes used by Ms. Tubman to secret runaway slaves from the South to freedom in the North). The presenters educated the audience about how the “conductors” of the “Underground Railroad” often used homemade signs and scraps of fabric or pieces of quilts to indicate various conditions along the route. Some of the signs indicated danger, direction, safe passage, that there had been a death along the route or that safe lodging and food was available to those making their way to the North and freedom. (Below: A Day Hab group presents a biography on Soul Music pioneer, Aretha Franklin – the first African American female artist to win a Grammy.)

Other groups presented information on African-American historical figures, celebrities and politicians.  The entire presentation was done very well and was entertaining as well as educational. Thanks to the Day Habilitation staff and participants for a very meaningful, thought-provoking and enjoyable presentation! (Below: Rosie shows the quilt square sample she made that indicates to “Underground Railroad” riders that they should follow the geese to the North.)

Day Hab's Annual Dinner Dance

On the night of Friday, January 14th, the Day Habilitation program held its 4th Annual Dinner Dance at the Julia da Burgos Recreational Center at 1680 Lexington Avenue in East Harlem. As always, this was a night for everyone from Sinergia’s Day Habilitation, Residential, and Family Care programs to dress up and dance the night away to all kinds of exciting music. More than 50 individuals with disabilities attended and enjoyed the dancing, food and entertainment. This year’s festivities included a fashion show, dance music from a DJ and live music from the outstanding singer, Amui Ptah and his band. The food was delicious and was graciously served by members of the Day Hab staff as well as other members of Sinergia’s various departments. Everyone had a fantastic time and there were smiles on all their the faces, from the first dance right up to the time for everyone to begrudgingly call it a night. Many thanks go out to Day Hab Coordinator Lore Barcelona and her staff for the planning and implementation of this event and to the other staff from Sinergia who gave of their time to help this night be a special one for the people with disabilities that we serve. We look forward to next year’s event being just as grand. More pictures and video will be added soon to our Facebook page.

2010 Brought Trial and Victory for Sinergia's Day Hab Program

For Sinergia’s Day Habilitation Program, consistency is an important foundation for progress. As we mentioned in an earlier post, the program helps adults with developmental disabilities to expand their social, recreational and vocational skills. Changes in scheduling can be very disruptive to the Day Hab participants but early in 2010 they demonstrated how well they could handle a big transition. That's when Sinergia packed up and moved to a new location in East Harlem, at 2082 Lexington Avenue on 126th Street. After much anticipation and fanfare, Sinergia’s brand new offices were ready on February 1st. On that day and in the months since then, the Day Hab participants have shown that they don’t adapt to new surroundings by trial and error but by trial and victory! They quickly learned new transportation routes and braved new bus rides home. When the new elevator was being repaired, they climbed the stairs or took an alternate elevator. It’s as though every participant was determined to make 2082 Lexington their new home.

Putting their green thumbs to work at the Carver Garden.

While the neighborhood in Harlem is very different than the one at 29th Street, the Day Hab participants have embraced change and used it as a springboard for adventure. Day Hab groups have volunteered at the Carver Garden on East 124th St., growing fresh vegetables and learning how to prepare them. They’ve visited the library and shopped at the brand new mall on 116th St. which houses Manhattan’s first Target store. They've also walked to Yankee Stadium, gone swimming at the local public pools and played basketball and football games at the park on 130th Street.

 

Go Yankees!

The new location has not been an impediment to continuing past activities like Encore Meals on Wheels or exercising at the YMCA and Riverside Park. Life on Lexington Avenue has continued as usual with fun activities and adventurous new excursions. Some participants volunteered at the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition Shelter, walking homeless dogs and caring for lonely cats. In July, some of them went “Walking with the Dinosaurs” at Madison Square Garden. They've visited exciting places like Rye Playland, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and Coney Island, and also had fun closer to home, barbecuing in a local park and picnicking in the garden.

Riding the Staten Island Ferry

The new spacious conference room on the fourth floor was the perfect place for the first Volunteer Award Ceremony and Spring Art Exhibit, as well as the annual Thanksgiving Lunch on November 24th. Day Hab also observed Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month with informational celebrations, we premiered our first Photography Exhibit, and had a costume party for Halloween. The participants are now looking forward to holiday celebrations in December and the Dinner Dance in January.  With the coming of the New Year, Day Hab will continue taking on new challenges and adventures in stride. It’s what they do!

--Rob, Vianka, and Erin

Day Hab Program Participates in Pet Support

_______________________

Day Hab Volunteers for Pet Support

Over the summer, art specialist Erin McSorley along with some of our Day Hab participants (pictured above: Maritza C., Terri B., and Edith C.) volunteered to care for animals at the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC Shelter). We had a lot of fun walking the dogs and meeting the cats who are all waiting for loving homes. They even have a chicken! Volunteering at BARC was a great opportunity for us to learn how to care for, socialize with and give affection to animals, since many program participants do not have pets in their own homes. Though it was sad to leave them, we will not forget the new friends we made. BARC is a 501c3 not-for-profit, no-kill, privately run animal shelter located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. To get more information about donating, volunteering, or adopting a pet visit www.barcshelter.org.

Spotlight on Sinergia's Day Hab Program

Sinergia's Day Habilitation Program is a five-day-a-week program that develops social, recreational and vocational skills of adults with developmental disabilities. While the program is headquartered out of Sinergia's new main office at 2082 Lexington Ave., many of our activities take place off site in the community. The 40+ individuals in the program range in age from 21 to 64, and we tailor the activities to suit their needs and desires. Monday through Friday you will find participants volunteering for "Meals on Wheels", gardening and harvesting vegetables at a local "pocket garden", bowling, visiting museums, photography, working on job skills, writing resumes, engaging in internships, working on computer skills, working out in our gym, visiting amusement parks, partaking in group discussions about current events, learning how to become better self-advocates, creating artwork and needlepoint, learning how to traverse the New York City public transit system and much more.  Some individuals take part in groups that work on job related skills that have helped them acquire and maintain actual jobs.

Twice a week in the mornings, the Day Habilitation participants offer light breakfast refreshments and coffee in the ever-popular "Café-Café" program. They walk through our offices taking orders and delivering breakfast sandwiches, fruit, juice and, of course, hot coffee. This provides an opportunity for them to increase their social skills and create friendships that go beyond the program itself.

Recently, one of the participants held a weekend party to celebrate his 25th birthday and many of his Day Hab friends attended. They arranged their own travel and purchased presents all by themselves. The family of the young man celebrating his birthday was very touched that so many of his peers could arrange to come on their own on a Saturday to join in the celebration.

For further information on Sinergia's Day Hab Program call Lore Barcelona at 212-643-2840 ext. 318.

Our Very Own Secret Garden

Cindy F., Christine V., Mildred R. and Michael C. put their green thumbs to work.

This summer, some of Sinergia's Day Habilitation participants have been learning to grow in a different way - with soil, water, and sunshine!  At the Carver Community Garden on 124th Street we have been planting, tending, and harvesting our very own vegetables. We share a plot with Pathways to Housing, a neighboring non-profit and collaborate with members of their Resource Center to grow a variety of nutritious and tasty plants: tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, basil, collard greens, squash, cabbages, and more!  It has been a lot of fun to watch our garden grow, talk about how to prepare different vegetables and learn about the rich nutrients they provide us with. 

As novices, we often learn tips from some of our fellow gardeners, like James, a gentleman who has gardened at Carver for a number of years and has been a great help. On the other side of our plot, The Nourishing Kitchen grows vegetables for their soup kitchen. They are also experienced gardeners and offer cooking and gardening workshops.

This gardening opportunity has been provided by Urban Garden Connections, a Partnership of the Bronx and Manhattan Land Trusts.  They operate a number of community gardens in Manhattan and the Bronx.  For a list of garden locations visit The Manhattan Land Trust website.

I look upon the pleasure we take in a garden
as one of the most innocent delights in human life.
--Cicero

Sinergia's Day Habilitation Volunteer Recognition and Art Show

On June 22nd, 2010, the Sinergia Day Habilitation program participants took part in two events. The first was an acknowledgement of the volunteer work that many of the participants engage in on behalf of Sinergia. These activities include delivering meals to seniors for the “Meals on Wheels” program and assisting staff at Senior Centers and at local hospitals. Each volunteer was honored for his or her work by receiving a framed certificate of appreciation and a gift certificate from Target stores. Many of the volunteers have been engaged in their respective activities for years and really enjoy the sense of “giving back” that they get from participating in this effort.

 

The second part of the event centered around the kick-off of the Day Habilitation Art Show & Sale. The Dr. Nivia Zavala Conference Center was filled with artwork, jewelry and photos created by the participants of the Day Habilitation and UpLiving programs, who had been working with staff members for a number weeks preparing works that expressed their artistic feelings and creativity. The event also included the viewing of a video that had been created by the participants, along with Recreational Therapist Carmen Meija-Boil and the assistance of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network. The video was a celebration of the city of New York that featured the participants visiting and enjoying many local attractions. The artwork was open for viewing and for purchase to interested parties for the remainder of the week.

Photos:
Top left: Day Habilitation participant Kenneth F. receives his certificate of appreciation for his volunteer work with “Meals on Wheels”.

Bottom right: UpLiving Program participant Lillian R. poses with the mosaic wall hanging that she created.

Below: Computer art by Frank Ferrieras (prints available for sale; contact Erin at Sinergia at 212-643-2840 for info).

Summer Art Exhibit at Sinergia

The Day Habilitation and UpLiving programs are hosting a Summer Art Exhibition!  The opening reception on June 22nd will feature two films that the Day Hab participants have been working on: one, a documentary chronicling their training as film-makers, and the other, a musical production entitled “The New York Experience”, a presentation depicting how the Day Hab program enhances our participant's lives.  Art on display will range from paintings and drawings to limited edition prints and needlecraft. Events will be as follows:

Tuesday, June 22^nd, 1pm          Exhibition Opening Reception with Film Presentation

Wed-Thu, June 23-24                Gallery open for viewing, 3-5 pm

Friday, June 25^th, 10-3pm         Art Sale (art can be purchased and taken home)

Proceeds from the art sale will directly benefit the artists, with a small portion being used to purchase supplies for future projects.

(Photo: Artist Carlos Borja poses with a sample of his artwork and with Art Instructor Erin McSorley.)

Staff Spotlight: Erin McSorley, Roller Derby Queen

By day Erin McSorley is a Day Habilitation Specialist at Sinergia, where she teaches art to adults with developmental disabilities, but by night she transforms into "Bunny McBones," roller derby queen! "Bunny" rolls with the Gotham Girls Roller Derby, New York City’s only all-female, do-it-yourself (DIY), skater-operated roller derby league. In case you haven’t heard about the resurgence of this supreme sport on skates, it has indeed made a huge comeback and is better than ever. She formerly played with the Dutchland Rollers in Lancaster PA before moving to New York to skate with GGRD, the #1 ranked team in the nation!

"Bunny" played in her first bout as a Queens of Pain team member on May 22nd , and the game will be broadcast on NYCTV at 11:30pm on June 2nd if you'd like to catch her in action. That's her that night in the black and silver pictured above. Their home games are at Hunter College and the next one is on July 10th. Tickets always sell out so if you’d like to attend, make sure to buy yours in advance (like, right now!). Doors open at 6:30 pm, the game starts at 8:30 pm.