Melanie Patterson, a previous board member and an active volunteer, shares her family’s experience with UCP.
Our son Marc has multiple disabilities and our family’s first experience with UCP was through its Birth to 3 program. When Marc was only four months old, we saw signs that his development was not on track, and he was deemed eligible for early child and family support services through UCP’s Birth to 3 Connections program. Over the course of the next three years, UCP therapists came to our home two to three times per week to provide physical, occupational and speech therapies, as well as vision instruction. They worked with Marc and provided us with techniques and strategies.
Marc is now eight years old and has been supported by UCP through its Youth Resources and Respite Care programs. Youth Resources provided services for Marc when he was in a day care environment, an often complex situation for children with special needs. UCP’s Respite Care program allows us to connect with excellent respite providers so that our family can have a regular break from the constant care that Marc needs.
Based on our family’s experience with UCP, I want to do all that I can to contribute to UCP’s commitment to individuals with disabilities. UCP strives to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.
We do not know what we would have done those first few challenging years without the support of UCP’s Birth to 3 program and all of the incredible people who were on Marc’s team. We are so grateful for UCP!