This Pride Month, we celebrate ALL people for who they are! At Las Trampas, we believe that everyone, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), deserves to live safely, openly, and genuinely in their communities. We will always work to support LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in our community to discover their capabilities and live fulfilling lives. https://pridefoundation.org/
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Lafayette Community Day
We are proud to have been a part of Lafayette Community Day on June 1st! Thank you to those who helped us sand and re-stain our benches, which are a favorite spot for our day program participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to enjoy a quiet space and break from activities. We had a great time seeing the spirit of Lafayette’s volunteerism, compassion, and kindness come to life!
2024 Spring Newsletter
Dear Friends,
As our beautiful campus bursts into bloom this time of year, we at Las Trampas are celebrating the blossoming potential within each of the individuals that we support. Spring is a season of growth and hope, and we are filled with optimism as we reflect upon the past few months.
ADVOCACY
There is an urgent matter to be advocated for! Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed to delay a $1 billion investment in critical supports and services for Californians with developmental disabilities from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025. Las Trampas strongly opposes the Governor’s proposal to delay this investment.
At Las Trampas, we create and support self-advocates. We started the year with advocating at the East Bay Legislative Coalition (EBLC) Legislative meeting on Zoom. Since then, staff have been supporting self-advocates with follow-up visits to legislators’ offices and the state capitol.
For more information on the proposed delay and how to advocate, click here.
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Congratulations Carmen, one of our day program instructors, who was awarded Las Trampas’ 2023 Employee of the Year! Carmen has been with Las Trampas for 22 years. She is kind, caring, and empathetic towards the day program participants that she supports. She always comes to work with a positive attitude, and her work ethic is impeccable. Participants state that Carmen “knows what she is doing and she knows us very well.” Thank you, Carmen! We appreciate your many years of dedication to Las Trampas and your embodiment of Las Trampas’ mission to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead full lives!
ALL THINGS FOOD!
Our vegetable garden on campus has been flourishing! Participants in our day program have planted rhubarb, bok choy, carrots, herbs, sweet peas, and lettuce, and look forward to planting summer vegetables soon. Once they have grown, these vegetables are used in our teaching kitchen.
Participants in our Life Skills and Health and Wellness classes utilize our teaching kitchen by making healthy meals and snacks. They learn about budgeting, shopping, preparing food items safely, cooking, and cleanup.
OFF-CAMPUS ADVENTURES
Our participants love going on adventures out into the community, and we have gone on plenty! Outings have included visits to the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, the Sloat Garden Center in Pleasant Hill, the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, as well as trips to the gym, library, and grocery store.
Some participants in our Life Skills class have also chosen to get their clipper cards. These participants have the opportunity to participate in small outings to learn how to use public transportation, such as the BART and busses. Our staff support these individuals with planning, safety, and managing their clipper card.
LEGACY GIVING
May is Leave a Legacy Month, a national public awareness campaign encouraging people to leave a planned gift to a charity that is meaningful to them.
As I think about my legacy, I think about what the future holds for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Nationally, the number of adults with IDD aged 60 and older is projected to double from 641,860 in 2000 to 1.2 million people by 2030. On top of that, Autism diagnosis rates are skyrocketing. It is clear to me that to fully support the IDD community into the future, we will need to expand our services and our funding.
The future is guaranteed to no one without active participation by people who care. Data supports that the best way to ensure Las Trampas’ future is through a Legacy Giving program. Legacy Giving refers to donations that you plan to give after your passing, and it is commonly referred to as “planned giving” because donors plan these gifts years before they are distributed. These gifts have the potential to supply Las Trampas with meaningful funds for years to come, and to honor your legacy.
I know that death is an uncomfortable subject, but it comes to us all, and I take comfort in knowing that I am prepared. I have an estate plan, and I have personally left a percentage of my estate to Las Trampas. I take pride in knowing that my legacy will live on through Las Trampas, and I hope you will consider joining me.
To share your legacy giving intent or to learn more, please email Katherine at kkoller@lastrampas.org.
2024 O2 SABBATICAL AWARDEE
I am thrilled to announce that I have been selected to receive an O2 Initiative Sabbatical Award! This award honors dedicated nonprofit executive directors in San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties with a three-month break for essential rest and renewal. While this award allows executive directors to recharge, it also empowers organizations to build their leadership capacity. I am very excited to be a 2024 awardee!
Thank you for being a part of our journey! We are so grateful for your continued support in empowering our friends and neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead full lives. Keep an eye out for more ways to get involved!
Daniel Hogue
Executive Director
Click here to view our full winter newsletter!
Join Lafayette Community Day on June 1st!
Looking to be a part of #LafayetteCommunityDay on Saturday, June 1st?! Volunteers can sign up to join an outdoor Bench Improvement Project on our campus in Lafayette. We will be sanding and re-staining these benches, which are a favorite spot for our day program participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to enjoy a quiet space and break from activities.
Visit https://lafayettecommunityday.org to learn more and register to be a part of this special day of service and celebration!
Mobility Awareness Month & Global Accessibility Awareness Day
May is Mobility Awareness Month and today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! At Las Trampas, we are celebrating the power of inclusion and removing physical and digital barriers so that participants can discover their capabilities, increase their independence, and become active members of their communities. Join us in breaking down barriers and creating a more accommodating and equitable society!
For more information, visit https://accessibility.day/ and https://nrrts.org/mobility-awareness-month/#:~:text=May%20is%20National%20Mobility%20Awareness,live%20active%20and%20independent%20lives
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
This May, we are honoring the incredible contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We are especially inspired by Alice Wong, an Asian American disability rights activist and the founder of the Disability Visibility Project, working to challenge perceptions and amplify disability media and culture. Join us in celebrating our community and AAPI Heritage Month www.asianpacificheritage.gov
Lowell Berry Award
Huge thanks to the Lowell Berry Foundation for their generous grant! Their donation will allow us to continue to provide gold standard services for our participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), supporting them to discover their capabilities and lead full lives. We are incredibly grateful for their continued generosity.
Meet Kim
Meet Kim, who has been a part of Las Trampas’ Adult Day Program (ADP) for almost a year and is newly a part of our Supported Living Services (SLS)! Kim likes to do math, play card games, and spend time outdoors with her friends at Las Trampas. She especially loves listening to 90’s country music when the group is out walking on the trail by our campus. Thank you for all of the energy and joy you bring to our programs, Kim!
Deaf History Month / National ASL Day
This month, we honor those who are members of the Deaf community! Did you know that April 15th is also National American Sign Language (ASL) Day? ASL is considered to be the backbone of the Deaf community. It allows people who are Deaf or hard of hearing to communicate their opinions, beliefs, and values. It can also enhance their cognitive, academic, social, and emotional development, which supports them in maximizing their potential and leading full lives.
Here at Las Trampas, we believe in inclusion for all! We are committed to providing resources and promoting communication access for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Let’s continue to work towards a more inclusive world where everyone is capable of connecting and communicating! https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/
Meet Joe
Joe has been a participant in Las Trampas’ Supported Livings Services (SLS) for over 20 years! Joe is able to live on his own with 24-hour support and care from our staff who help him with his everyday living and community outings, such as grocery shopping and attending doctor appointments. Joe loves to attend baseball and football games in person, and he also loves the holidays. He especially loves dressing up in theme for Halloween and Christmas. Joe’s caregiver, Paris, comments that Joe is an extremely loving participant! We are excited to see what great things Joe accomplishes in the next 20 years.
