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‘In Case You Missed It’ Highlights – 4/1

‘In Case You Missed It’ Highlights – 4/1

April 1, 2023
It may be April Fool’s Day, but there is no fooling around about how exciting the month of April will be for our supporters. We’re just four weeks away from our big party to celebrate supporting a lifespan of services. There is still time to purchase tickets for Momentum Celebrates! You won’t want to miss this event. Plus, we honor Occupational Therapists this month and recognize April as Autism Awareness Month. Momentum also welcomes a new Speech Director and we have beautiful new art available for purchase by talented Momentum Creative artists. Read on!
 
Join Momentum for a Night of Celebration
We are inviting the community to join us for Momentum’s new annual event – Momentum Celebrates! It has been three years since we had an opportunity to reconnect with old comrades, meet new friends, and get to know the businesses that align with Momentum and our mission. With this inaugural event, Momentum marks 78 years of building our array of services from pediatric therapies and interventions to adult programs and independent living. All proceeds from this jubilant evening under the stars during our “casual gala” support Momentum’s full lifespan of programs and services for adults, children, and their families.
 
    Saturday, April 29th
    6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    2400 Willow Lane
    Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
 
    Attire: Dressy casual 
 
We’ll be celebrating outside as the sun sets and the moon rises. Guests will enjoy an evening of great food, signature cocktails, entertainment, and special recognitions. Learn about our new building and the programs that will be made available to children, adults, and families. Momentum is excited to be part of the Thousand Oaks community and we would be honored for you to join us.
 
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors
Tamara and Mark Hatwan
Billy Walk
You won't want to miss - Momentum Celebrates!
Our Occupational Therapists Rock!
Occupational Therapy can be such an important building block in a child and family’s life. Many people are surprised to hear that children participate in occupational therapy because we usually associate the word “occupation” with jobs. However, there is a broader view of “occupations” for children, including playing, learning, and socializing with friends. Momentum Pediatric Therapy Network helps children develop these necessary skills to transition into an independent and rewarding life. We celebrate OT’s in April for their dedication and the passion they bring to every child who walks through our doors. Be sure to follow our social pages as we highlight staff and their excellence.
 
New Art Gallery Online
 
We’re excited to share new artwork available for sale online from our extremely talented Momentum Creative artists. Journey Onward can be viewed here. They are beautiful pieces of different mediums that exhibit the creativity these artists exude. Check it out!
 
Momentum Welcomes New Speech Director
We are delighted to announce Jodie Victor M.S. CCC-SLP as our Director of SLP.
 
Jodie received her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University. She also attended EBS United’s Spanish Immersion Program in Quito, Ecuador.
 
Most recently, Jodie has been the Senior Director of Speech and Occupational Therapy Services for The Help Group in Los Angeles. She has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Supervisor at the Mariposas Project/MP Health. She holds professional memberships in the California Speech-Language Hearing Association and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
 
Jodie will provide SLP services for our Early Intervention and ESDM programs. We look forward to sharing more SLP news in the coming weeks and months.
 
“Fun in the Sun” Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness
Fun in the Sun Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness / March 25, 2023
We had a blast at the inaugural “Fun in the Sun” Walk & Roll for Inclusion Awareness Event last Saturday. The event proved a huge success with more than 160 people who showed they are inclusion allies. We appreciate all the sponsors and businesses that attended. In total, Momentum WORK, Inc. met its goal of raising $20,000 to support accessible employment and health and wellness opportunities for people with disabilities served in our community — Thank you for your support! We look forward to 2024! (Watch the video above created by Rae van Seenus)
 
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (Central Coast) has introduced AB 1147, the Disability Equity and Accountability Act. The bill, which has broad support among self-advocates and families, strengthens the ability of the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to provide effective oversight of the 21 regional centers.
 
The bill focuses on three main areas for people served by regional centers: 
  1. Equity – People served by regional centers receive equal access to services regardless of their race, ethnicity, disability, or location.
  2. Accountability – The state looks more closely at how regional centers are serving their clients and holds them responsible for how clients are treated and served.
  3. Transparency – Clients and families have more opportunities to see how they are individually served and how their regional centers are serving all clients.
 
Use the tools on here to add your voice to this important effort.