Three Non-Profit Organizations to Receive Donation from McDonald's in Depew

People Inc., Southeast Works and Lancaster Opera House Awarded Donation What: McDonald's Ribbon Cutting for new Depew restaurant - Donations made to three area organizations When: Friday, July 1, 2011 at 11 a.m. Where: McDonald's 6360 Transit Road, Depew, NY Who: McDonalds's Depew Restaurant Owner Sandra Haefner and McDonald's staff members; New York State Assemblymenber Dennis H. Gabryszak; Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Mary F. Holtz; and representatives from People Inc., Southeast Works and Lancaster Opera House. In an effort to give back to their community, the newest McDonald's location in Depew chose three organizations to make a $250 donation each to: People Inc., Southeast Works and Lancaster Opera House. The store is also celebrating its new location with a ribbon cutting and encouraging new patrons. McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 local restaurants serving more than 64 million people in 117 countries each day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. People Inc. is a not-for-profit health and human services agency providing programs and services to more than 10,000 people with special needs, their families, and seniors throughout Western New York. Since 1971, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity. Southeast Works is a non-profit human service agency that energizes people with disabilities individually and within communities to lead independent and fulfilling lives through innovative services. The Lancaster Opera House is a reminder of an early American tradition combining a music hall with a town's main governmental building. As a performing arts and community center, the Lancaster Opera House features plays, musicals, concerts, films and special events.

People Inc. Staff Help to Restore Gowanda Cemetery

WHAT: People Inc. leads team to restore Gowanda Cemetery/Wheater Road Cemetery WHEN: Wednesday, June 29, 2011; 10 a.m.-2p.m. WHERE: Gowanda Cemetery/Wheater Road Cemetery. Near Route 62 in Collins, NY. In its third year of work at the Wheater Road Cemetery, People Inc. is working with the Collins Correctional Facility and the Cattaraugus County Department of Mental Health. To date, teams of People Inc. staff and volunteers have unearthed and cleaned about 485 gravestones which have sunken over time. The team will work diligently today to clean the remaining stones and straighten the cast iron grave markers in front of the cemetery. A memorial garden is being planned for a future date. In an isolated field near Route 62 in Collins, NY, the graves of 550 former patients of the Gowanda Psychiatric Center are typically marked by number, not by name. Unidentified and un-mourned, the individuals there were patients from the 1950s to 1991, and a project led by People Inc. is helping to restore some dignity and honor to their lives. The Wheater Road Cemetery is the final resting place of approximately 1,200 people who resided in what was known as Gowanda State Hospital and later the J. N. Adam Developmental Center, which opened in 1898 to provide residential care for the "insane and idiotic." The restoration endeavor is also an active example of the strides that have been made in the treatment of people with disabilities and in acknowledging their history. People Inc. is a not-for-profit health and human services agency providing programs and services to more than 10,000 people with special needs, their families, and seniors throughout Western New York. Since 1971, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity.  Directions to Wheater Road Cemetery 1. Take the 90 West toward Erie, Exit at 57 A (Eden Evans Center Road) 2. Turn left on to Eden Evans Center Road 3. Proceed into the village of Eden 4. Turn right onto Route 62 5. Proceed on route 62 through North Collins and into Collins 6. Across from the Collins correctional facility, you will see a barn on the corner at the left - turn left, this is Wheater Road 7. Just past the farm land on left, there will be a tire track drive - park in grassy area there 8. Walk down the hill and look for folks working toward the front of cemetery

Disability History & Awareness Education Bill - NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT

Friends and Supporters of the NYS Disability History and Awareness Education Bill, WE NEED SUPPORT FROM OUR NYS LEGISLATURE TO ENACT A.4384/S.2352 NOW! WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW!!! Next week may be too late! This bill will help teachers prepare students to better understand, accept and respect people with disabilities by making available to all K-12 schools disability history and awareness education materials with the goal of promoting civic responsibility, awareness and understanding of people with disabilities. This bill will be a conduit for removing negative stereotypes and the development of a more inclusive and tolerant society. IF OUR NY REPRESENTATIVES DO NOT HEAR FROM ADVOCATES, THIS IMPORTANT EDUCATION BILL WILL END! Put disability history and awareness curriculum in every classroom in NYS. Assembly member Cathy Nolan and Senator John Flannigan's office especially need to hear from us TODAY. CALL THEM, WRITE THEM - PLEASE CONTACT THEM TODAY. Urge them to support A.4384 (Schroeder) / S.2352 (Grisanti) and urge them to put the bill on the next Education Committee Agenda. PLEASE SEND TWO communications to your elected state representative(s) in the Assembly and the Senate. Please send:      1.)  MEMO OF SUPPORT ON YOUR LETTERHEAD AND      2.)  SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR NYS REPRESENTATIVE. Unsure of who your state representatives are? Visit:  and . Please feel free to personalize your memo and letter. Please mail/fax your memo to as many Representatives as possible. In addition, please send a copy of your agency Memo of Support to  cherrick@people-inc.org or fax to (716) 817-7234. We are meeting with NYS Representatives now and require these memos and letters. Please send copies of your letters and memos as soon as possible. Your help is appreciated! Now is the time to make sure that history is not repeated and that people with disabilities are treated respectfully! Show your support for this important education bill. Send your memos today! PLEASE HELP MAKE A.4384/S.2352 A REALITY

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The next Incredible Years Parent Training Program will begin soon!

Where: People Inc. 3131 Sheridan Drive Annex Conference Rooms Amherst, NY Time: Mondays from 5:30pm-7:30pm Dates: May 9th through August 8th The Incredible Years program is designed for parents of children ages 3-12 years old. The Dinosaur Social Skills Group is available for the children

Interested in learning more about what's happening at People Inc.?

Click here to view our latest E-newsletter! Stay up-to-date on our news, programs, and special events with our free e-newsletter! Click here to sign up.

People Inc. Featured in Western New York Family Magazine

People Inc.'s Young Adult Life Transitions program is featured in the article,  "From High School to Adult Life: The College Campus Experience," in the Western New York Family Magazine April 2011 issue of its Special Needs section. Click here to learn more about YALT! Click here to read an a

Wellness Fair on April 8

As we age, sharing with friends in a senior community can help to multiply the joy and divide the sadness that may occur along the way. This is one reason to think about moving to a senior living community, however an even better reason is that research has shown that those seniors that stay connec

Twenty People Inc. Employees Earn WNY AmeriCorps ABLE Scholarship

Twenty employees of People Inc., Western New York's leading human services agency, were recently honored with the Western New York AmeriCorps 2011 ABLE Scholarship Award. The scholarship is a partnership between People Inc. and WNY AmeriCorps through AmeriCorps's America Builds Lives through Education (ABLE) Program. This is the second year that People Inc. was chosen to participate and offer employees financial assistance toward their education. Employees must be employed in a program providing direct service to individuals with disabilities and meet specific income requirements. The award can be used to pay educational expenses such as tuition, related fees and student loans. "This is such a great program for employees, who, by their work everyday, further the mission of People Inc.," said People Inc. Retention Director Kimberly Kadziolka. "This scholarship program assists with the employees' educational advancement, which may further their careers with People Inc." The following employees earned the scholarship: Deborah Brown, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo Tia Carter, IRA Specialist, resides in Amherst Ariel Collins, ICF Specialist, resides in Buffalo Laura Conti, IRA Specialist, resides in Lockport  Ronald Cummings, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo  Mary Kate Duff, Primary Instructor, resides in Grand Island Victoire Dushime, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo Christopher Etterle, IRA Specialist, resides in Lackawanna  Megan Gorski, Behavior Technician, resides in Akron Beth Huffnagle, IRA Specialist, resided in Grand Island  Tashana Johnson, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo  Kristin Kemnitzer, ICF Specialist, resides in Hamburg Valeria Keys, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo Gwendoline Lander, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo  Kelly Matthews, Community Based Instructor, resides in West Seneca Nicholas Mekus, IRA Specialist, resides in Dunkirk Katherine Needham, PCA, resides in Depew Sierrha O' Neal, IRA specialist, resides in North Tonawanda Jessica Sparks, PCA, resides in Lancaster Veronica Ubiles-Ginty, IRA Specialist, resides in Alden