Morristown Students Earn Grants for United Helpers

MORRISTOWN — Thanks to the writings of two students at Morristown Central School, United Helpers has earned back-to-back grants from the Northern New York Community Foundation’s Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge.

Scarlett Ritchie was one of 20 students to earn a $500 grant for their chosen organization during the 2021-2022 academic year. The following year, after changes to the competition made by the Northern New York Community Foundation, Peayton Stark was one of 10 students to earn a $1,000 grant for their selected organization.

Morristown Central School English Teacher Maggie Rollins said she’s been fortunate to have one of her students selected each year they’ve participated in the challenge.

“The pride I feel when my students put their heart into their responses and show their love for their community is unparalleled,” Mrs. Rollins said. “United Helpers has a huge impact in the Morristown community, so it’s no surprise that students are always interested in giving back to that organization.”

“We are especially grateful that the teachers at Morristown Central School have chosen to bring this program alive for their students. It is exactly what we hoped and envisioned when we established our Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge,” said Northern New York Community Foundation Executive Director Rande Richardson. “Their participation very firmly demonstrates their belief in fulfilling their mission and values of collaboration and responsibility to the world around them.”

In addition to employing several people from the Morristown community, United Helpers has both an IRA and a Senior/Disabled housing complex located in Morristown. Scarlett’s mother, Tammy Ritchie, and Peayton’s mother, Colleen Stark, each work for United Helpers, although both girls say their essays have a deeper meaning than simply writing about where their moms work.

When Scarlett was five, she broke the knee in her left leg. “I had to go to physical therapy because I had to learn how to walk again,” she said. “Since United Helpers helped me, I hope I get the chance to help them.”

Peayton chose United Helpers because of the special bond formed with one of the residents at the IRA where her mom works. “I would like to donate to the IRA in Ogdensburg, because I have a really good connection with some of the residents there and the employees,” she wrote. “This one resident is so nice; he always called my sister and me ‘his girls.’”

Sadly, that resident passed away earlier this year, but through the impact he made on Peayton and the execution of this grant, his legacy will continue to live on.

Each girl recently had the opportunity to present the grants they won to United Helpers CEO Todd Amo. “Thank you very much for choosing us. This is fantastic,” he said. “We will be sure to put these funds to good use.”

Other organizations that have benefitted from grants earned by Mrs. Rollins’ students include the Gateway Museum in Morristown, Renewal House in Canton, and St. Joseph’s Foundation in Ogdensburg.

“I feel that the Giving Challenge is a valuable assignment and students looks forward to potentially giving back to the community they rely on so much,” Mrs. Rollins said.

An assignment in English Class at Morristown Central School has turned into $1,500 in grants for United Helpers thanks to the writings of now-freshman Scarlett Ritchie and now eighth grader Peayton Stark. Both girls wrote award winning essays while in Maggie Rollins’ seventh-grade English class. From left, United Helpers CEO Todd Amo, Peayton’s mother Colleen Stark, who works as a MDSP at the Spruce Street IRA in Ogdensburg, Peayton, Scarlett and her mother Tammy Ritchie, who works as comptroller for the United Helpers organization.

United Helpers Receives $611K Grant To Expand Behavioral Health Services

CANTON – As part of the Village of Canton’s $1,186,974 Community Development Block Grant, United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills will receive more than $600,000 to help the organization expand its reach in the community.

United Helpers will specifically receive $611,974, which will be used to hire six new mental health clinicians and six new care coordinators.

Director of Behavioral Health Services David K. Nelson noted that more than 60% of the patients receiving mental health services through United Helpers do so from its Canton location, located at 22 State Highway 310. United Helpers also operates a Behavioral Health Clinic at 221 Hamilton Street in Ogdensburg. 

“Since 2019, we have built and grown mental health services in Canton, currently serving the community with four full-time clinicians and a part-time psychiatric nurse practitioner, who provides care for six hours each week,” Mr. Nelson said. “Presently, we receive as many as 50 referrals each month and have a wait list of more than 200 people. The average wait time for services is two weeks.”

United Helpers Health Home Care Coordination currently provides community-based services to 260 clients across the county, including many in the Canton area. Mr. Nelson said each care coordinator has a caseload of roughly 30 individuals, while each clinician is seeing as many as 80 patients at any given time.

“This grant will allow us to provide these much-needed mental health and care coordination services to as many as 432 new people,” Mr. Nelson said.

United Helpers Vice President of Development Christa J. Carroll worked together with Mr. Nelson and officials from the village on the grant application, which was submitted as part of the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal’s Community Development Block Grant CARES Program.

“We are thankful to the State of New York for this grant funding, and their recognition of our efforts to provide behavioral health services to the people of Northern New York,” Ms. Carroll said. “I am thankful to Dave and everyone from the village, especially Leigh Rodriguez, who worked so very hard on this grant application. We are excited about helping many more people.”

New York State Commissioner of Homes and Community Renewal Ruthanne Visnauskas said this particular version of the Community Development Block Grant was awarded to municipalities for efforts related to COVID-19 pandemic response.

In a letter announcing the awarding of the grant, Ms. Visnauskas wrote, “The projects selected for award will assist in the recovery of New York State communities by improving the resiliency of businesses and safety of homes and public facilities serving its residents.”

While United Helpers had been providing behavioral health and mental health services prior to the pandemic, Mr. Nelson said the pandemic led to a dramatic increase in the need for these types of services.

“United Helpers is seeing the highest levels of anxiety and depression we have ever seen since the pandemic hit in March of 2020. This is a troubling trend fueled by loneliness and isolation,” Mr. Nelson said. “We are beyond thankful that the state is recognizing our efforts.”

If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or feel like you could benefit from counselling or therapy, give United Helpers a call. For services in Canton call 315-386-0264, for services in Ogdensburg call 315-541-3042. Services are offered to people of all ages, with Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurances accepted. Services may also be offered in-person or remotely.

Staff from the United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills Mental Health Clinic in Canton are thrilled to hear their team will soon be expanding thanks to a grant from the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal’s Community Development Block Grant Cares Program. The grant of nearly $612,000 will allow for the hire of up to six new mental health clinicians and six new care coordinators. Front row, from left, Medical Assistant Danielle Jackson, Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Programs Brea Snyder, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director Stacey Ryan; back row, from left, Director of Behavioral Health Services Dave Nelson, LCSW-R, Canton Clinic Receptionist Alicia Vallance, Clinical Social Worker Lisa Van Kirk, LMSW, and Supervising Social Worker Jeanine Forrester, LCSW.

United Way Grant Helps Fund Career Development at United Helpers

OGDENSBURG – A $10,000 grant from the United Way of Northern New York has paved the way for more than 20 United Helpers employees to receive training allowing them progress in their careers with the organization.

Interested employees were able to shift from employment at United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care to the Assisted Living Program to work as home health aides or in leadership positions at Assisted Living.

A small group of employees also received OSHA certification, allowing them to work in maintenance or other non-direct care positions.

“We are grateful for the continued support of the United Way of Northern New York,” said United Helpers Vice President of Development Christa Carroll. “This is our second consecutive year receiving a grant from the United Way, which we have used for employee development. Our employees, as well as the people we care for will benefit from these funds, whether it be through employment retention or enhanced training for our caregivers.”

United Helpers currently employs roughly 800 individuals in a variety of roles, including nurses, CNAs, direct support professionals, home health aides, social workers, food service, housekeeping, maintenance, and more. For more information on available positions or how you can join the United Helpers team, please visit www.unitedhelpers.org/employment or call (315) 276-6413.

One of the many individuals to benefit from this United Way grant is Darcy Kerr, who now works as a med-certified home health aide, after spending the first several years of her career as a CNA.

United Helpers Receives Grant to Train More than 70 CNAs for Careers with UH

CANTON – Thanks to funding from the Workforce Development Board’s Rural Healthcare Grant program, dozens of students will be able to enroll in United Helpers’ Certified Nursing Assistant training program tuition-free. 

The grant, which totals $144,000, will cover the $2,000 tuition cost for up to 72 students who enroll in the program through 2023. The classes are offered on a regular basis at United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Canton, with a new class starting soon. 

CNA students can be hired as United Helpers employees before their training begins. Students often work as Task Aides while enrolled in the CNA class, meaning they are earning income while working to earn their CNA Certification. 

The benefit of this tuition-free training on site at United Helpers is that CNA students learn and train right in the facility where they will be working—becoming comfortable finding locations and services within the building, familiar with the residents and their families, and thoroughly ready to “hit the ground running” upon earning their CNA Certification. 

Once certified, they always have the benefit of being able to circle back to their CNA instructor, who is a fellow UH employee, with any questions. 

United Helpers CNAs start out earning $15 per hour. 

“It’s no secret that making time for career training isn’t an easy thing to do, and sometimes due to financial constraints, it’s not even possible,” said United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care Vice President of Operations Timothy Parsons. “This program, though, allows students to further their education and earn income to support their families at the same time.” 

United Helpers Vice President of Human Resources, Michelle Matthews, who herself began her career as a CNA, said that becoming a CNA can be a lifelong career or the first stepping stone in a career with nearly endless possibilities.

“I was still in high school when I became a CNA,” she said. “Now more than 25 years later, I am still working for United Helpers. Although no longer providing patient care, I would not be where I am professionally today if it weren’t for those years of working as a CNA.” 

Students interested in enrolling in this tuition-free course, may fill out an application online at www.unitedhelpers.org/employment or contact human resources at (315) 276-6413 for further information. 

To qualify for this train-on-the-job opportunity, aspiring CNAs must: 

• be at least 18

• have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience 

• be vaccinated against COVID-19 and show proof, or have a legitimate medical exemption with appropriate documentation 

• be unemployed or underemployed in a low-wage or part-time job 

“We are grateful to the Workforce Development Board for this grant, which will not only help to better the lives of those who take the class, but also the people in our care,” said United Helpers Vice President of Development Christa Carroll. “By greatly reducing training costs for our new CNAs, we are able to provide this opportunity to dozens of people from around St. Lawrence County who will see their lives enhanced because of it.”

United Way Grant Helps Fund CNA Classes

OGDENSBURG – A grant from the United Way of Northern New York will help dozens of new hires and already employed Task Aides become Certified Nursing Aides (CNAs) through training provided at United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in either Canton or Ogdensburg. 

New CNA Dawn Baber assists Mary Brayton.

The $7,000 grant was awarded to United Helpers to help with the costs of materials and supplies for six on-site CNA training courses, covering up to 96 students.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of January’s CNA training course; however, two classes were held in March, with seven students from Canton and four students from Ogdensburg earning their CNA certification.

A second round of classes is ongoing, and additional classes are planned throughout the year. 

Anna Stout & Alyvia Stott work together to roll a mannequin.

Rehabilitation and Senior Care Canton Vice President of Operations Timothy Parsons wrote the grant on behalf of the two facilities, while serving in the same capacity for Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Ogdensburg.

Becoming a CNA requires training, classroom learning, and certification. The Certified Nurse Aide is a paraprofessional member of the health care team who works under direct supervision of a licensed nurse.

A typical day for a Certified Nurse Aide may include answering patient call bells, delivering messages, serving meals, making beds, assisting residents with meals, and dressing and bathing. Aides may provide skin care, take temperatures, pulse, and respiration, and assist residents with walking or getting in and out of bed. Certified Nurse Aides observe patients' mental, physical, and emotional conditions and report changes to the nursing and medical staff. 

Candace Ouellette studies for her CNA exam.

If you are interested in becoming a CNA in either Canton or Ogdensburg, please visit, www.unitedhelpers.org/apply to submit an application for the next on-site class.

To learn more about the United Way of Northern New York, please visit www.unitedway-nny.org.