Sonia Sotomayor Book Signing

Two staff members of Sinergia, Myrta Cuadra-Lash and Sandra Ruiz had the pleasure of attending the presentation and book signing of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the CUNY Hostos Community College on February 2, 2013. Reading excerpts from her book, My Beloved World, she spoke about her childhood growing up in a housing project in the Bronx and being diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of eight. Her presentation was very touching and engaging. Many in the audience identified with her experiences and laughed and relished her stories, which gave a vivid portrait of life as a Puerto Rican child, her close bonds with her family, especially her “abuelita”, her love of community and transition into womanhood. It was very special to be part of the audience which embraced this unique woman who has become the first Puerto Rican to be appointed to the Supreme Court. The signed book will be placed in Sinergia’s library. Here's a review from the NY Times.

Apps for Education and Fun

MPC Co-Director Godrefy Rivera attended a workshop in December on iPad and Android apps for Children with Special Needs at UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) Technology Resource Center that discussed how the Apple iPad and Android tablets can be used as devices for educational and fun activities at home for children with special needs and their families. These apps are used to enhance communication and speech, art, music, and sensory activities.

The MPC will be hosting a workshop on Assistive Technology and the IPad and IPad Apps on Thursday February 21 from 10AM-12PM that will be conducted by technology specialists from United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). Contact Godfrey Rivera for information at grivera@sinergiany.org or call 212-643-2840, ext. 307.

Below is a list of free resources/apps for the iPad compiled by Dan Herlihy (www.connectivetechnologysolutions.com).

Free iPad Apps 

Story Creation, Writing
- StoryKit – create books, stories, record, write, draw
-Paperdesk Lite – free notebook, write, record
-Sonic Pics Lite
-TalkingPics Micro
-My Scene – create stories from backgrounds and characters
-Storie – create and share stories
-ZenTap – free word processing with word prediction program
-Poetry Creator
-iDiary for Kids Lite
-smartNote Free - note taking
-Picturebook – create and illustrate stories
-Scribble Press – create and publish ebooks for kids
-Poetry Creator
-Educreations - create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard – create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-Screen Chomp - create screen movies with annotations, drawing, text, voice over tutorials
-Animoto Video Slideshows
-PaperPort Notes – voice recognition with embedded Dragon Dictate, record audio, type, draw
-Popplet Lite – brainstorming, take/add pictures within app, connect, add text
-PhotoPuppet HD Lite – animation program, work with your own images, export
-Write 2 Lite – simple writing tool, link files to Dropbox
-i Tell a Story – free audio recording app
-Present it Lite – import PowerPoint presentations (from Dropbox or similar program) and run on iPad – both ppt and pptx formats

Audio Books, eBooks
-Freebooks – free eBooks – import ePub from Dropbox
-Nook for iPad
-Ebook Search
-OverDrive Media Console – download/playback/sync to iPods audio and ebooks from public libraries
-Bookster – free books that read aloud, students can record their own voice
-iBooks – eBook Reader
-Stanza – eBook Reader
-I Like Books – 37 Picture Books for Kids – reads aloud, highlighting word by word
-Curriculum Books – CK12 Chemistry, CK12 Earth Science, CK12 Biology, CK12 Life Science, more
Dan Herlihy dherlihy@juno.com www.connectivetechnologysolutions.com 1
-Common Core Standards
-http://www.gutenberg.org/ - download over 36,000 free audio and eBooks for ipad
-Blio – ebook reader, can download free books that read aloud, can purchase voices and it will read your own ePub books

Audio/Recording/Notes
-Audio Memos Free – The Voice Recorder
-Quick Voice Recorder – record notes, memos
-AudioNote Lite
-Dragon Dictation – speech to text
-Dragon Recorder – record voice, export as MP3
-Talking Tom Cat – character speaks back what you record, can save as MP4
-Talking Anya Free - character speaks back what you record, can save as MP4
-Teacher Notes – take notes, add images, audio
-Scribbie Free – note taking and audio recording

 Photo Editing, Video, 3D Panorama Creation
-Tour Wrist – see 360 degree panoramas of sites around the world
-Photosynth – create 360 degree panoramic images using camera
-Arounder Touch –similar to Tour Wrist
-Time-Lapse HD Free – time lapse movie maker
-Instagram – photo sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare and Posterous
-Gloop Free – warp images and photos
-DocScan HD – take picture of document – creates PDF file
-iStopMotion Remote Camera – (to be used in conjunction with iStopMotion) as a remote to run camera on

iPhone, iPod, iPad2
-Videolicious – add photos to slide show, add music, export
-Adobe Photo Express – excellent, better than most apps you would pay for
-iCoacher – add annotations on video
-Time Lapse Photography – create time lapse movies
Time, Money, Calculators
-Counting Money
-Counting Bills & Coins
-Telling Time Free
-Clocks 2
-Stop Watch Lite
-CheckBook HD Free
-SpinCalculator Free - talking calculator
-Grocery Gadget Free – Shopping List
-Calculator
-Calculator+
-Calculator++
-Calculator Pro for iPad Free
-Free Graphing Calculator
-powerOne Scientific Calculator – Lite, Free Edition

Online file storage, organization, note taking
-Dropbox – free online storage
-Evernote – free online notebook
-SpringPad - free online notebook
-Remember the Milk – free to do list, sync online and with device
-Wunderlist – (www.wunderlist.com) sync to cloud, computers – tasks, homework
-WunderKit – additional features expanding on Wunderlist
-Teacher Pal, Teacher Notes

Autism
-Autism Apps – compendium and review of apps for Autism with prices, descriptions, reviews
-ABA Flash Cards and Games
-ABA Problem Solving – What Does Not Belong
-See.Touch.Learn
-Touch and Learn – Emotions
-Match it Up
-Matching Jobs
-Vis TimerFree – 5 minute visual timer
-Social Skills Builder
-Model Me Going Places 2
-Choice Board Creator
-Visual Cue Lite
-Talking Picture Board

Science
-Science360
-GPS by TelNav – GPS
-Commander Compass Lite – compass, GPS Tracker, Maps
-Planets
-AroundMe – GPS
-3D Sun
-HudsonAlpha iCell – cells
-Periodic Table of Elements
-Please Touch The Exhibit – from the Melbourne Museum, interactive
-Science Glossary – glossary of names and terms
-Natural Science for Kids. City of Light
-NASA Visualization Explorer
-Anatomy
-Heart (3D Human Heart)
-LabAssistant – chemical compatibility
-The Water Cycle
-Mission Antarctica
-Human Brain
-Compass for iPad (free)
-Compass 54 Lite
-Clinometer HD
-iElements

Math
-Simply Subtraction for iPad Free
-Algebra Explained
-Quick Graph
-Virtual Manipulatives
-Free Spreadsheet
-Just Numbers – learning numbers 1-20 in a variety of activities
-Fraction Basics
-Pizza Fractions: Beginning with Simple Fractions
-Math Kid
-Elevated Math
- Sketchpad Explorer **** excellent program – can download free modules from website including ability to take picture with iPad, measure lines and angles - http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/browse/tag/ipad
- Geometry: Volume of Solids

Misc
-Read it Later
-Total Recall – mind mapping
-DropMind Lite – mind mapping
-QR Code Reader and Scanner, QRafter, Scan, ScanMyDoc – free QR Code Readers
-WordSearch Star Free – word search creator
-Simplemind+
-Checkers 360 Free
-ABC Magnetic Alphabet Lite
-Little Speller
-WatchKnow Educational Videos
-Study Hall – create virtual study hall for class where students can log-into your class, chat and you can monitor
-Sign-N-Send Free – sign PDF files and e-mail back for printing
-Qwiki – free reference
-Doodle Buddy
-Draw 4 Free
-Paint with Time
-Draw!
-Rainbow Draw Free
-DrawFree for iPad
-Tracing Paper Lite
-MyHomework
-Kid Animation – animation creation
-Paint Sparkles Draw
-The ABC Song
-(there are many more free drawing apps – search drawing, draw or paint)
-iSwifter – flash enabled browser
-Caster Free – create and publish podcasts
-MyCongress
-Constitution for iPad
-TeacherTool One – attendance, grading
-Sparkle Fish – audio story completion
-Flat Stanley
-Magnifier
-Over 40 Magnifier and Flashlight
-PDF Reader Lite
-Perfect Reader - PDF Reader for iPad
-PDF Mate – PDF reader
-Small Talk Aphasia - Male (male voice)
-Small Talk Aphasia – Female (female voice)
-Verbally (AAC app)
-AlphaBaby Free – record sounds for letters and matching images
-LiveBinders – Access to LiveBinders to create, edit your online Binders – internet access required

Music
- Jell-o Jiggle-It, Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD, Classical Guitar, Mandala HangDrum, GrooveMaker, Beatwave, BarrelTones (excellent drum app), Piano Free, Guitar Free, Steinway Etude, QQ Piano Free, PianoBand Free, Xylophone HD for Free, Pocket Bells, MelodyTouch Lite, Lo –Fi Folk Arranger, Pedros Pigiano, Piano Hero, Discover Musical Instruments Free, SoundPrism, Music Sparkles – All in one musical Instruments, Lego Duplo Jams, Keyboard Music 2 Free, Talkapella, Falling Stars (OS 5), Soundrop, Physics Draw Free, Singing Fingers, Simon DX Free, Harmonizer, Songify

Sinergia's 2012 Christmas Celebration

Sinergia commemorates the holidays again this year with its annual Christmas Celebration on Friday, December 21st from 3:00 to 6:00pm. This is an annual tradition that has been sponsored by the NYC Sanitation Dept. for over two decades. It is the highlight of the year for children since they receive beautiful gifts from Santa Claus and there is a wonderful feast for the families. Other than our Summer Picnic this is the one occasion when families, staff and the community gather to celebrate the holidays together.

The entertainment this year will be provided by Iluminada Hilario who will sing English and Spanish Christmas songs as well as play the guitar. We will also have Johnny Cajigas and his wife sing and play a Christmas music medley.

Again this year we would like to say "thank you" to Scott Lancelot, Maria Quintero and the men of NYC Sanitation Dept. M7. We are also grateful to John Catsmatidis and his family for their generous support through the years.

We are very appreciative of our staff for their hard work, especially Doris Rodriguez who is the coordinator of the event, Michael Mitchell who will be Master of Ceremonies and the entire team for serving food, assuming hosting duties throughout the event and making sure the children and families are having a great time. Happy Holidays to all! ¡Felicidades a todos!

Note: Sinergia will be closed on Dec. 25, 26, and Jan. 1st.

Sinergia Hosts NYAEMP's Family Forum

From the Desk of the NYAEMP President, Wafa Abboud

Good afternoon everyone,

As a result of the massive destruction and impact of Hurricane Sandy, I have waited to send you an overview of NYAEMP's Family Forum with OPWDD Commissioner Courtney Burke on October 25th at Sinergia. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I am sharing with you some of the joy that those of us who were at the Forum experienced. The Family Forum was very successful on many levels. A number of you who were there have told us so, and we thank you. The room was packed, with many standing at the back of the room and in the hallway. All of the participants were moved by the power of the stories they heard that day. I was and am proud to be a member of NYAEMP and to be serving you as the President of the Board of Directors.

Commissioner Burke was accompanied by Jill Gentile (Deputy Commissioner), Donna Limiti (Regional Director 6 & 4) and Pat Sarli (Development of Community Services). They heard from 12 individuals and families representing 10 of our member agencies. Every story was very powerful, both in its personal content as well as the critical role played by the multicultural agency.

Among some of the powerful statements made by individuals/families were the following:

“A native of the Dominican Republic, Ms. P is non-English speaking, has physical disabilities and is often confronted with cultural challenges that impede her ability to advocate for her children. Ms. P did not receive early intervention services because Ms. P. was culturally indoctrinated with the belief that her daughter's behavior and developmental deficits were characteristic of a spoiled child." Ms. P’s agency helped her to understand her daughter’s challenges and was able to help her receive the necessary services.

“Being part of a multicultural agency means so much to me because: “They understand my religious needs making sure I always have a Com-Hab worker to help me with my cooking before Sabbath and the Jewish holidays, as well as making sure I have everything for the holidays...the dedicated staff always make sure I have workers that share my beliefs and are sensitive to the principles I hold dear. This is very important to me especially when my son (with disabilities) is around, so that he hears and sees only things that I would approve of."

"I didn't enjoy the foods on the menus that were done by the nutritionist, and the staff expressed this to her peers. My agency had someone come in and sit down with me and my peers to ask us what we would like to see on the menu. I stated that I like soul food...like collard greens, yams, and mac & cheese. Because this residence has a mixed ethnic group the menus have to appeal to all of us. This is not something that I can have at every agency. They worked with the nutritionist to help us get the foods we like, only healthier."

Commissioner Burke applauded the families for their courage and for the power of their stories. She was observed as being moved to near tears several times. The Commissioner stated that the stories "create fire in my belly and keep me going". She also stated that as OPWDD focuses more on service outcomes, "we need to partner with multicultural agencies…and bring them along with us as we change." Later in the Forum, Jill Gentile reiterated Commissioner Burke's commitment and stated in response to a question about the future of multicultural agencies, "We need them all."

As the president of NYAEMP I want to thank Yvette Watts and Allan Bergman for a magnificent job in preparing for and facilitating NYAEMP's Parent Forum. At the conclusion of the Forum, Yvette presented the Commissioner and Jill Gentile with notebooks containing the typed stories and photographs of the participants as a visual reminder of who we are and what we do.

I also want to thank our Host Mytra Cuadra-lash, Executive Director of Sinergia and her staff for making the afternoon a success with their warm hospitality. The room was filled to capacity with families, consumers and providers all of whom were warmed by the compelling stories everyone shared regarding the various agencies.

We need each other more than ever before. Please accept my thanks for your commitment to NYAEMP and our top priority for the year, which is to ensure the continuation, viability, sustainability and growth of New Yorks' multicultural agencies.

I also extend to you, your families and loved ones and to the individuals and families to whom you provide services and supports my best wishes for a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving. All of us have some things for which we are grateful at this time of year.

Below are pictures from the Parent Forum. Thank You, Wafa Abboud

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.

Sinergia's 2nd Annual Unity Day for Bullying Prevention

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, an observance that was started by PACER, the National Parent Training and Information Center. Sinergia will mark this occasion by holding its 2nd annual Anti-Bullying event to show support for students who have been bullied. We will distribute orange t-shirts for children and hold special activities, including a parent forum, a presentation by the New York Police Department and a Anti-Bullying Poster exhibit.

The theme and purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the importance of bullying prevention. Bullying is a serious problem nationwide that takes a terrible toll on students and their families. The problem is particularly serious for students with disabilities. We hope you can join us.

Our Unity Day for Bullying Prevention will take place on Wednesday October 10th from 3 - 5 PM at 2082 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor conference room. For more information click here or call 212.643.2840.           (photo)

Sinergia Hosts Forum For Multi-Cultural Agencies

Sinergia is very pleased to host a Forum For Multi-Cultural Agencies prepared and arranged by the New York Association of Emerging and Minority Providers.

The forum aims to highlight the essential and critical role that multicultural agencies have made and are making every day in the lives of the families and individuals with developmental disabilities that we serve.  The OPWDD Commissioner Courtney Burke will meet parents from member agencies who will make a personal presentation on "how culturally and linguistically competent agencies have enhanced their families lives and the individual with a developmental disability."

The forum will take place on Thursday, October 25, 2012 from 1:30-3 pm at Sinergia, Inc. located at 2082 Lexington Ave.  The Commissioner will hear the stories first hand from the families and individuals. For more information, please click here.

Direct Support Professional Recognition Week

The week of October 20 – 15, 2012 was designated by the New York Staff Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (NYSOPWDD) as Direct Support Professional Recognition Week.  During this week agencies that provide services to people with disabilities took special time to honor those employees who work directly with these individuals.  The hours that these staff work are long and include weekends, evenings and holidays and the compensation is low, however, the responsibilities are wide-ranging and can make the difference to the successful integration of a vulnerable  population  into the life of a community.

As part of the week’s recognition Sinergia was delighted to acknowledge the work of our direct care staff and recognize the honorees at a breakfast on September 19, 2012 at our main offices.  Sinergia’s has some wonderful, dedicated direct care staff throughout several departments. The Residential, Day Habilitation and Community Habilitation programs had the difficult job of narrowing the selections down to just one employee from each department. The  honorees selected are: Gwen Baez, (13 years of service) Thainesse Caro, (4 years of service) from the Day Habilitation program; Oristela Birmudez (6 years of service) from the Community Habilitation program.  We profoundly extend our appreciation to the honorees and the entire direct care staff. We sincerely recognize the contributions they make on a daily basis to the quality of life of the persons they serve.

Photo: The Sinergia Executive staff, Michael Mitchell (Deputy Exec.), Myrta Cuadra-Lash, (Executive Director) and Dr. Bernice Moro (Associate Director) pose with Direct Support Professional of the Year honorees, Thainesse Caro (Day Habilitation) and Gwendolyn Baez (Residential).  Absent from the event was honoree Oristela Bermudez from the Community Habilitation program).  Once again, Sinergia thanks these fine people for their hard and dedication.

Sinergia's Anti-Bullying Unity Day 2012

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, which was started by PACER, the National Parent Training and Information Center.

Sinergia will mark this occasion by holding a Unity Day, bringing people together to show support for students who have been bullied. We will wear orange, distribute orange t-shirts for children and hold special activities, including a Special Poster Exhibit.

When: October 10, 2012 from 3 PM- 5 PM
Where: 2082 Lexington Ave., 4th floor
RSVP: 212-643-2840

Poster Exhibit – Call for EntriesWe will be holding a Special Poster Exhibit with an anti- bullying theme. Children are invited to participate by submitting their artwork. All entries will be on view for the month of October. If you would like your child to participate, entries must be received by October 3 in person or mailed to:
Poster Contest
Sinergia, Inc.
2082 Lexington Ave. 4th floor
New York, New York 10035
RSVP: 212-643-2840

Judges will be Marta Moreno Vega, noted Director of the Caribbean Cultural Center and Ana Soto, artist.

Please come with your children to this anti bullying event featuring special activities and guest speakers.

Sinergia's 2012 Dinner Dance - a Night To Remember

On April 20, 2012, the Day Habilitation program hosted the annual Sinergia Dinner Dance at the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center on West 65th Street. Individuals from our Day Habilitation, UpLiving, Residential, Family Care, and “We Are Parents, Too” programs all attended the soiree. Everyone came out in their finest apparel ready for a delicious catered dinner and danced all night long to many favorite tunes, spun by a top-notch deejay. This year’s festivities were also highlighted by a fashion show performed by the Day Hab participants and a photo booth manned by Sinergia’s Deputy Executive Director, Michael Mitchell. It was truly a night for everyone to feel like stars, and one we will all be talking about for the rest of the year. Congratulations to the Day Hab staff as well as the volunteers from other departments who helped us create the best Dinner Dance yet! View more photos on Facebook.

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 hosts Meeting for Emerging & Multicultural Providers

Pictured above: three officials from OPWDD: Tom Holland, 4th from left, Jonathan Pease, 5th from left and Alan Eskenazi, 7th from left, plus Yvette Watts E. D. Assoc., center, and the Board members of NYAEMP.

Sinergia hosted a membership meeting of the New York Association of Emerging & Multicultural Providers on January 18, 2011 in which  Yvette Watts,  Executive Director of the Association welcomed the members and introduced the guests presenters from the NY Office  for Persons With Developmental Disabilities.  Allan Eskenazi, Deputy Commissioner of Department of Quality Improvement (DQI), Tom Holland, Regional Director and Jonathan Pease, Area Director presented on the changes within DQI, the Early Alert System for agencies,  Fire Safety and the three areas of focus as recommended by the expert panel that reviewed the Wells Fire; building safety and construction , functional level of consumers and staffing and training. Also discussed were MSC and vendor protocols which will include incident management, personal allowance reviews and physical plant reviews.

Power Point  presentations , agency overviews and thoughts and concerns around the 1115 waiver  were also made by key staff from member agencies and the responses by NYAEMP to the Request for Information issued by OPWDD were disseminated . Overall, the speakers gave a strong message to the membership on  the importance of multicultural agencies to form a collective presence in the face of the drastic changes in the system and advised the organizations to band together, maintain quality standards and keep connected to their communities in order to survive these changes.

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)

Sinergia's 2011 Summer Benefit

Beautiful setting, beautiful sounds, beautiful people! That's how we would describe our Summer Benefit on June 12th, where we had a chance to pause for a moment and take stock of our accomplishments. Everyone was looking their best and in a celebratory mood as the music of the Ray Santos Orchestra filled the space at the historical Museum of the City of New York.

The event gave us the opportunity to honor Dr. Pedro Noguera (above left), who is the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, for the work he does to champion children and promote student achievement. His immense scholarship and research on urban education prompted us to recognize him with the first ever Dr. Sally Romero Award for distinguished service to children, which was presented to him by Dr. Romero's daughter, Norma Romero-Mitchell.

We also honored New York State Assemblyman Robert J. Rodriguez (above right) with the Community Service Award for his tireless work in building the infrastructure that will ensure access to housing and business development, as well as cultural and social services in East Harlem. Yolanda Sanchez, an institution in the Latino community who has spent over thirty years in human services, presented him with the award. Both honorees also received a citation from the NY State Assembly.

The evening was dedicated to two of our very own heroines who are no longer with us. Dr. Sally Romero was President of Sinergia's Board of Directors until her untimely passing last summer. Christine Cuadra was a beautiful young woman who stood out in her vibrant red dress at our last gala in 2008. She too has passed on but we will never forget her dedication and hard work with the homeless families at Sinergia and her unwavering support to her mother, Executive Director Myrta Cuadra-Lash.

We were also thrilled to announce that June 12th was proclaimed Sinergia Day by the Council of the City of New York. The current President of Sinergia's Board of Directors, Dr. Len Torres (above), read the inscription, which says in part: "On behalf of all New Yorkers we commend Sinergia for its leadership, vision, faith in families and its abiding commitment to and advocacy for children and adults with disabilities." We want to thank the office of New York City Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito for arranging this proclamation. As we approach our 35th year, we will continue to build on our achievements.

The Ray Santos Orchestra (above) played a mix of Latin salsa and romantic boleros which had everyone congregating on the dance floor.

One of the items in the silent auction was a gorgeous oil painting (above) by artist Dianne Smith, former boardmember of Sinergia.

Dr. Gayle Haines (above left), who organized the silent auction, chats with Myrta Cuadra Lash and Beth Torres (above right).

 Zenaida Mendez of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (far left) and Dr. Marta Moreno Vega of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora (3rd, l. to r.) pose with the honorees.

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.

Sinergia's Family Care Providers Appreciation Luncheon

On July 22 Sinergia will host a Family Care Appreciation Luncheon, where we acknowledge the invaluable contributions of five dedicated Family Care providers. Our Family Care Program, which has been in operation for 20 years, consists of families living in the community who open their homes to people with developmental disabilities. Presently there are ten individuals living with families in the community. Some have lived in a family care home since infancy while others have lived with the same family for as long as twenty years. Two brothers who are now in their teens consider their family care provider their Mom since they joined the family when they were babies. The individuals with developmental disabilities living in family care homes become integral members of these families; they participate in all family activities and go on vacation with them. It also affords them the opportunity to partake in all aspects of community living. We salute the following Family Care Providers for their nurturance, love and dedicated care: Angela Baez, Guadalupe Guillen, Ana Guzman, Leydi Dominguez, Carmen Ulloa. Pictured above is last year's luncheon.

Speak Out on Services for Children with Special Needs

On April 12, the MPC co-sponsored a Speak-Out event along with the ARISE coalition. The Speak Out, or ¡Hablando Claro! in Spanish, was an opportunity for parents of children with special education needs to voice their concerns with the provision of special education services before elected officials, the Department of Education and key stakeholders. The event was attended by a diverse parent population who don not often get a chance to speak.  In repeated instances, and many trying to withhold long pent-up emotions, the parents reported feeling anguish over their child not having made progress after years of special education services. Others described being treated with disrespect by school staff and/or their child refusing to go to school. One parent told of her son having been in District 75 since the age of 8, when he was classified as emotionally disturbed. She was repeatedly called to pick up her child due to his disruptive behavior and asked to increase his medication. Now 17 years of age, he is still in District 75 with the ED classification, despite having matured and his behavior calmed. When the parent sought a reclassification and move to a community school, to her dismay the school psychologist suggested re-classifying her son as mentally retarded and placing him in a 12:1:4 program (a program for multiply disabled), stating that this way she could continue getting SSI services. Sinergia and the MPC laud the courage and perseverance of the parents who poured their hearts out in testimony and shared their challenging experiences in trying to secure special education services for their children.

NYC Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio made an appearance and heard the parent's stories. Stating that he was very concerned about the issues with special education, the Public Advocate announced that his Office was conducting a survey which parents were invited to complete. The surveys are being collected through the month of May, after which their outcomes will be reported and published.

Sinergia Participates in Autism Awareness Month

  Did you know?

An average of 1 in 110 children in the United States have an Autism Spectrum Disorder

April is Autism Awareness Month, a cause that Sinergia strongly believes in and is continuously looking for ways to support. Our Autism Initiative program recently applied for a $5,000 Irvin Stern Foundation grant. The foundation was looking for innovative ideas to fund and our idea was  approved. Through the grant we will be able to buy three laptops for teens with Asperger's Syndrome to teach some mothers who are not computer proficient. Additionally, the youth will have opportunities for social interaction and at the same time some parents will learn about computers and the internet. We are very pleased to provide an opportunity for the teens to contribute to the technology learning of mothers.

We are offering the following autism-related events in April:

April 8th: Breakfast for Spanish Speaking families
April 14th: Implementing Dairy Free Diet for Kids
April 29th: The Role of Art in Autism

Additional Autism resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Libraries and Autism
New York's Initiative for Adults and Children on the Autism Spectrum
OPWDD Autism Calendar of Events
Autism Society
Autism Speaks

The UN also has a new section on their website with resources and UN autism events in April held at their headquarters in New York.

Autism World Views 2011: Help shine the light on global autism by participating in this 10 minute survey.

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.)