la esquinita (li'l corner)

Dear Friends & Partners As the year ends, I want to thank you for your support this year. The Sinergia team has been hard at work through these holidays right until the end of the year, providing support services to our individuals and families while dealing with the post-pandemic reality we all live and work in. It has been a challenge helping our individuals adapt and adjust this past year. We are pleased to share that thanks to the support from our funders, partners and our amazing Sinergia team, we are ending the year on a hopeful note. 2022 has been a year of transition for Sinergia. We have weathered unforeseen economic challenges and had a change in leadership at the helm, all while successfully delivering high-quality services to our service recipients. Sinergia has, despite these challenges, effectively maintained the work that supports our mission and vision. 

We hope this year's season fills you with the things that mean most to you and energizes you for a happy and healthy new year. Season's greetings from the Sinergia Inc. Family! 

Sinergia will miss you, Mrs. Veronica Black!September 26, 2022With deep sadness and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our long-time Board Member and Secretary since 1998, Ms. Veronica Black. She was a fearless parent advocate, had a heart of gold, and had a smile of pure joy that was contagious and calming. The Sinergia Family is very thankful for her contribution for many years, which positively influence the life of the people we disabilities we support, their families, and staff. We extend our deepest condolences to her family. Sinergia has lost a great advocate and friend.

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and Sinergia, Inc. invites members of the Latinx community to share their thoughts on OPWDD’s 2023-2027 Draft Strategic Plan. OPWDD’s Strategic Plan will set the direction for the agency for the coming five years. During the forum, OPWDD will discuss the goals for improving OPWDD’s support and services for people with developmental disabilities and hear your comments.Attend Virtually: Use this link to register for the forum or access the forum registration, 

Welcoming remarks by Lore Barcelona:                                                                                                                                            

We proudly present this year’s Sinergia’s Black History Month Presentation. The participants collaborated with our staff on many different projects including recreations of artwork by Rose Piper and Elizabeth Catlett. Oral presentations on Oprah, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, and, Bob Marley. On display, Washington Carver and Madame CJ Walker. The participants worked all month-long learning about their black innovators.

Very seldom are Parent Centers mentioned in a White House press briefing, but please see the the current Fact Sheet as the "Administration Announces New Actions to Address the Needs of People with Disabilities and Older Adults in Response to and Recovery from COVID-⁠19." 

Sinergia, Inc.

I would like to express on behalf of the agency and board that, while we are thankful for our DSP’s and other staff members every year, 2020 has brought new challenges for Sinergia, and their dedication and professionalism has been crucial in our response to the pandemic. This is an unusual Thanksgiving for two reasons.  One, although many or most of us know someone who is among the more than 250,000 Americans whose lives have been lost to the pandemic, we can all be thankful to have been spared, and for those who are close to us who have also been spared.  The Thanksgiving holiday is especially precious because it is an occasion to reflect on those things we are grateful for, even if we generally take them for granted. The other reason this Thanksgiving is unusual is that, while we want to celebrate, we need to be extremely cautious in how we do so.  We know that travel and large gatherings with others from outside our households are not responsible at this time, and we owe it to ourselves, our loved ones and our communities to follow public health guidance. 

This article published in Disability Scoop outlines the sharp divide between parents and also between parents and school officials regarding the provision of in-person services to students with disabilities.The article focuses on parents whose children attend District 75 programs and are mandated to receive services during the summer. Please note Chancellor Carranza's comments regarding this issue. Apparently, there are no easy solutions.Original Article: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2020/06/16/parents-educators-split-in-person-special-education/28478/