November 2024

Dear Friends of UCP Heartland,

How quickly another year passes; in November, UCP Heartland celebrated 71 years of service to the community. I am continually amazed at the incredible spirit that was shown by the founding families that wanted something different than the norm, they wanted to keep their children at home, giving them the opportunity to live and learn in their local communities. I imagine if they were here today and saw the opportunities that are available to people with differing abilities, they would be amazed. As a Friend of UCP Heartland, I say “Thank You” for your continued support that enables UCP to move the dream further and provide greater impact to the lives of our wonderful clients.

As we move into this season of Thanksgiving, I believe it’s important to assess our lives and remember what we are thankful for. For me, I am grateful for family and friends and look forward to being together for the holidays. I’m also thankful for our UCP Heartland family of friends, staff, and clients. This is the time of year when UCP has Friendsgiving with Employment and Residential clients, enjoys a holiday meal with parents and children from the Child Development Center in Columbia, and has seemingly endless potluck lunches with staff and clients. These events highlight how much we appreciate each other and enjoy spending time together.