News & Updates | UCP+ of San Luis Obispo

UCP+ held a very successful Night Without Limits event at the Courtyard by Marriott on Saturday, October 18^th.  The theme for the evening was Wild, Wild West.  The event featured a sit down dinner, winetasting, and a silent auction.  Joe Hoeflich, the Program Manager of the SLO Tri-Counties Regional Center, received the UCP+ Citizen of the Year Award.  Makayla Rustigian received the Raymond Castro Self-Advocacy Award.  UCP+ would like to thank our sponsors: Nonprofits United, Thoma Electric, David Murray, Jeff Priolo, and Mark Shaffer for their support.  We also thank the wineries and businesses who made donations for the Silent Auction.

The UCP Board of Directors voted to approve to change the organization’s name from United Cerebral Palsy of San Luis Obispo County to UCP+ of San Luis Obispo County.  The organization has been concerned that the United Cerebral Palsy name leads to the assumption that UCP only serves members with cerebral palsy.  UCP+ serves members with any type of developmental disability.  “We do not want to confuse our members or donors about who we are providing services for in San Luis Obispo County”, said UCP+ Executive Director, Mark Shaffer.  Over the next six months, UCP+ will be placing their new logo on their website, stationary, and vehicles.

UCP will be moving their summer camp for adults with disabilities from Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria to Camp Arroyo Grande.  The move is an effort to reduce the cost of the camp that has been operating since the summer of 1989.  UCP has hired Jeff Evans to handle the preparation of all the meals for the camp from August 22-28^th.  70 campers have signed up for this year’s camp.  Camp Arroyo Grande has a swimming pool, so campers will enjoy afternoon pool sessions.  The camp also offers a daily excursion to the Pismo pier area and shopping at Walmart.  Most of the campers will be funded through Tri-Counties Regional Center.

The holidays are a time to reflect on the past year and get ready for a new year.  We are thankful here at UCP for the dramatic recovery from the COVID pandemic. 

In the past year our CIP Tours, Leisure Clubs, and Camp Kelley Creek have return to full capacity. Our new UCP Connections facilitates supported trips into the community for small groups of friends.  Our CIP Dinner Club provides a dining opportunity at local restaurants to meet new friends.  The Ambassador Leadership is starting their fifth year of classes teaching our members to give back to their communities.  Our newest Horizon Program will work with groups of members to learn how to plan and implement social outings. 

We are also thankful for our volunteers and supporters who make our services possible.  We look forward to promoting individual choices for our members to live a life without limits.  Have a very happy holiday and all the best in 2024.

United Cerebral Palsy has been working with Tri-Counties Regional Center to offer more exposure to services in the community.  We are also using a person centered approach to ask our members where they want to go in the evenings and weekends.  Our UCP Connections are small group outings planned with the member and their friends.  We include transportation and staff support if the member requests them for their trip into the community.

If you have any questions or are curious as to what this means for you or someone you may know, please don’t hesitate in contacting us at UCP. Call us at (805) 543-2039 or email us at contact@ucp-slo.org.

UCP of SLO had a launch day for members to sign-up for 2023 activities and had an outstanding response. We spent all day on the phone and emailing with members, support staff, and family members to assist our members in signing up for their favorite activities. Having a launch day for members to start signing up allows UCP Staff to see what activities are most popular and excites our members the most because those are the ones that fill up the fastest. With this information, we can add additional Leisure Clubs and CIP Tours onto our calendar to ensure every member gets the opportunity to participate in their favorite activity. Be sure to visit our calendar to see what exciting activities and trips we have planned for 2023!

UCP of SLO has so many exciting program expansions in 2023; UCP Connections will be available for members to create personalized activities with their friends with the help from Brooks in the UCP Office and Leisure Clubs will be happening up to two times a month for everyone to have an opportunity to participate in an activity that excites them. UCP of SLO will also host zoom events for members to virtually participate in activities like watch parties, music hour, friends hour, and more!

CP started a leadership training class for members with developmental disabilities in 2019 and we graduated our first class in June of 2020. The class was originally held at UCP in our conference room and when Covid hit UCP moved it to Zoom. The Zoom platform has been ideal to allow members to attend in the comfort of their own home and learn. UCP is starting the fourth class of Ambassadors for the 2022-23 year. Ambassador class supports members setting goals by creating a vision board, learning leadership skills, communication skills, and volunteering in their local communities. Once an Ambassador graduates they become an Ambassador Mentor and encourage new Ambassadors though the next class.

News About the 2023 CIP Tour and Leisure Club Schedule!

UCP is putting the final plans for the 2023 schedule for CIP Tours and Leisure Clubs.  We will be increasing the number of Leisure Clubs to two per month.  We will send out the schedule at the beginning of November and members can start reserving for events on November 15^th.

Camp Kelley Creek 2022!

A UCP Disney Production was one for the books! After a long awaited 2 years, we were all able to gather as a group and experience the joy of being with friends. Seeing our camper, Virginia, having a blast during camp and fully living a life without limits is one of the many reasons why UCP continues our mission. Virginia was always moving and grooving in Music and Movement, volunteering to help serve at mealtimes, and made others smile around her.