December 2024
What a year!
By Kim Sonafelt
As the days remaining in 2024 dwindle, I am astonished at what we accomplished this year. And I am excited to see what 2025 will bring.
Some initiatives that have taken off this year include our technology solutions. Mainstay started the year with two homes using remote support; this has grown to three homes, with many more planned for 2025. In addition, we are now providing remote support through own Remote Support Professionals who are Mainstay employees, rather than through a third party. This ensures consistency in service, and a better understanding of the people supported, and the environment in which they live, work, and play. We are grateful to our partner – Brian Hart of ShiftAbility – who has worked with us since February to strengthen our technology bench and help us plan for what’s next.
This year we also continued to expand our Life Sharing program. At the start of the year, Mainstay was supporting 15 people through Life Sharing, and today, we have 29 partnerships. This includes the growth of Life Sharing for children with medically complex conditions, a program that launched at Mainstay in 2023. We expect that Life Sharing will remain a focus for growth for both the state of PA and at Mainstay.
This year we had two successful fundraising events – our 17th annual Charlie Ross Memorial Charity Golf Outing AND a 25th Anniversary Celebration. We are grateful to all who supported these fun and festive events. Proceeds from both support our Supplemental Needs Fund which helps to enrich the lives and unlock the potential of the people we support.
As we celebrated Mainstay’s 25th anniversary, we announced our new Vision, Mission, and Values, our new look, and a fresh video. Earlier this month, we also launched this brand-new website where you’re reading this blog. Look around and let us know what you think!
The community’s support has helped us to accomplish a great deal. If you are considering donating to a nonprofits any time throughout the year, I hope you will celebrate Mainstay’s good work with a gift in an amount that is meaningful to you. Your support helps as we engage technology that promotes health, wellness, safety, and independence, provide living environments that are responsive to the needs of the people we support, develop enriching programs and fun activities, and so much more. Click here to donate now!
To learn more about what has been happening at Mainstay, I hope you will review our digital newsletter. Read Mainstay Matters!
We are grateful to have you in our community. And by working together we can create a world where people with diverse abilities thrive in inclusive, supportive communities.
Thank you for your partnership.
Most sincerely,
Kim Sonafelt
Chief Executive Officer