3 minute read
CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY STRENGTHENING THEIR PILLARS OF SUPPORT THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION, RESOURCE COORDINATION AND ADVOCACY.
Dear Friends,
As I reflect on the past year of MHP’s growth and accomplishments, I can’t help but think of the word ‘community’. The past few years have been challenging, especially for children and parents accessing the public education system. The remedy to those challenges? Not having to face them alone. From our Uncork Hope Committee helping us determine alternatives and solutions to our event structure and logistics; growing our signature fundraiser to new heights despite a less than ideal fundraising climate to a longstanding community partner, donor and volunteer offering enhanced office space to MHP in the near future — our community makes this work possible.
Tahereh Mafi said, “All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.” It is true that the work MHP does is heart work. We have always employed parents of children with special health care needs themselves, because much of the expertise they share with the families we serve is inspired by their own life’s experiences. It is my personal opinion that one of the worst human emotions that can be felt is loneliness. MHP combats that. We not only tell families that we will be with them on their journey, but we show them through our actions and interactions. We help to alleviate the stresses that all parents feel in trying to do right by their child(ren). Because of MHP, 409 times in 2022 parents did not have to come to the IEP table alone; a highly stressful, emotionallycharged and confusing experience. Our work is so fundamentally important to me personally as a mom. And as an employer.
Our employees are the heartbeat of the work that we do. The community felt within our team is second to none. Team members that come to work for MHP stay. MHP offers an environment that values family and work-life balance as closely as we do the service that we provide. We are somewhat small, but extremely mighty. And growing! This year we will add at least two new positions to our team; enabled by community support of our 2022 fundraising efforts.
As we look to the future, we are excited by the opportunities for growth and humbled by all the ways that we know you will rise up to meet our needs so that we can continue to meet community need. We look forward to serving an even broader representation of the Commonwealth in 2023 through outreach and community partner development efforts. We will continue the heritage of never having to turn a family away; not on the basis of their child’s diagnosis or that family’s ability to pay. Throughout the challenges of the past few years, MHP never closed our doors to those in need. We came through those experiences stronger and more steadfast than ever before. We are grateful for your support.
Thank you for being a part of this MHP community. Your Child is Our Mission.
Sincerely,
Emily Jiancristoforo, MHP Executive Director
MHP STAFF
EMILY JIANCRISTOFORO
Executive Director
GAIL AUSTIN
Director of Operations
MARY PETERS Resource
& IEP Coordinator
HOPE KINKEL WALTON
Program Coordinator
HEATHER GARRETT Development Manager
VICKI BEATTY IEP Advisor
KATE OPPE IEP Advisor
DONNA SABEL IEP Advisor
CATHERINE KEIPER Bookkeeper
KATE OLENYIK
Al’s Pals Program Director
KENDRA NAGLIERI Program Support
HALEY BARBER Program Support
LAUREN SHERWOOD Coordinator – Special Families
Roanoke
Dear Friends,
What a monumental year it has been here at MHP; a year of great need, rapid growth, and unprecedented community impact. As the effects of COVID-19 continue to disproportionately affect children with special needs who were unable to receive their normal support from the public education system, we have seen a 241% increase in families requesting our services, including an astounding number of emergency cases. MHP needed to grow immediately and our supporters came to the aid of their community, raising over $260,000 at Uncork Hope. Together, we have ensured that children with special needs and their families had the support system, advocacy, and outcomes they deserved. Together, we changed lives this year.
The stories that have emerged out of this year are the kind that bring a lump to my throat, tears to my eyes, and butterflies to my stomach. These stories all start with the same cry of desperation, mothers like myself saying, “I don’t know how to help my child. No one will help me. I don’t have the resources to help my child. My child is hurting.” These are the phone calls that MHP is called to serve every single day. These are the calls that our compassionate staff turn into stories of triumph, hope, and healing. I’ve been saying it all year, we do not see this community need slowing down. In fact, through the pandemic and through these stories, we have identified niche areas where children with special needs and their families are being underserved, or in some cases, not served at all here in Virginia. MHP is ready to meet our mission and our vision to ensure outcomes for children with special needs and their families in Virginia.
Sincerely,
Megan Newman, MHP Board President
MHP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SATYA RANGARAJAN
SCOTT DICKENS
RYAN GLASER
KENDALL VON MICHALOFSKI
TOMMY
BOWLES
Vice President
ELLE JOYNER
Secretary
JOHN NEWTON
HALLIE HOVEY-MURRAY
ROBIN SLATER
DIANA HUDGINS
KIM THIES
