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Social Innovations Grants Announced by the Woods Services Foundation

Social Innovations Lab provides unique opportunity to create, test and execute innovative ideas for the social sector.

 

The Woods Services Foundation announced $100,000 in seed funding for six projects resulting from the Social Innovations Lab recently held at Woods Services.  The 2nd annual Social Innovations Lab ran from June 2018 through late September for 30 staff from Woods and its affiliate organizations during which they could propose a solution to a social problem, improve the delivery of services, develop a new line of business, or create a social enterprise.

 

Woods partnered with the Social Innovations Institute to offer lab experiences that were designed to cultivate, test and execute creative ideas and strengthen entrepreneurship and innovative thinking. During the Lab, staff generated ideas about how Woods and its affiliates may enhance services or develop new ones, improve upon policies or systems, have a greater social impact, and/or enhance the employee experience. Staff participated either as individuals or as teams.

 

The six proposals receiving funding include:

 

  • The Artist out of the Woods proposal was awarded $10,000 to produce and sell artwork created by Woods’ residents as income for residents as well as support for the art therapy program.
  • The Heartfelt Adventures proposal was awarded $5,000 to develop a competitively priced social recreational program for Woods Community at Brian’s House.
  • The Leadership Development proposal was awarded $37,800 to pilot a training and coaching program designed around the principles of emotional intelligence that will develop leaders for the Woods organization who will support and drive Woods transformation initiative into the next 100+ years.
  • The Sanctuary Room 2.0 proposal was awarded $15,000 to create a room and resources that address secondary traumatic stress and staff burnout for Tabor Services.
  • The Social Market Garden proposal was awarded $5,000 to pilot the production and sale of organic vegetables grown by Woods residents as an employment opportunity.
  • The Flower and Gift Shop proposal was awarded $24,200 to develop a retail social enterprise run by Archway Programs in similar style to Woods’ Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop.

 

Woods Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit multi-service population health management and advocacy organization that provides innovative, comprehensive and integrated health, education, housing, workforce, behavioral health and case management services to more than 4,000 children and adults in the intellectual and developmental disability, child welfare, behavioral and brain trauma public health sectors who have complex and intensive medical and behavioral healthcare needs.

 

 

 

 

Magic of the Season at Winter Wonderland at Woods

Woods was alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays during the second annual Winter Wonderland at Woods, which was held on Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st. The kickoff to the holiday season was highlighted by a tree lighting ceremony on Friday evening, which featured performances from the Woods’ Disney choir and Beechwood vocal choir and the arrival of Santa on a Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company firetruck complete with lights and sirens!

 

The tree lighting also included an uplifting speech from a Woods resident, as well as remarks from local state representative Frank Farry and Woods’ board president, Kevin Sheetz. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Woods residents were invited to the stage to help Santa push a big button to illuminate our very own Christmas tree, which was beautifully decorated by Greg Gilton of Xtreme Elevations and included snowflake ornaments uniquely painted by each resident of Woods.

 

The fantastic Woods’ maintenance crew was instrumental in setting the stage for Winter Wonderland and spent weeks decorating the grounds and constructing a free-standing “Santa Cabin”, complete with holiday movie motifs and a red velvet throne for the big jolly guy himself. Santa’s Cabin was a big hit with Winter Wonderland attendees as our very own Santa spent time chatting and taking photos with each excited visitor.

 

Like the inaugural Winter Wonderland at Woods in 2017, this year’s event featured unique items and gifts for purchase from one dozen local artisans and crafters. This year all attendees, including Woods residents, families, and staff members, as well as members of the local community, were treated to a number of free activities and treats at Winter Wonderland, including soft pretzels, hot chocolate, and face painting as well a make-your-own ornament station, Santa letter-writing area, and holiday movie quiet room, all courtesy of the Woods’ recreation departments. Our friends from JR Michalski HVAC generously donated 700 Santa hats and glitter glue, an activity that was a big hit with attendees of all ages. Former board member Alice DeVoe and her husband, John Szabo, baked and donated several dozen delicious Italian cookies, which were sold in specialty Winter Wonderland tins.

 

Our Woods’ social enterprises Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop, Common Grounds Café, Woods Wear, and BeechTree were all well represented at Winter Wonderland. Yellow Daffodil showcased their beautifully decorated campus location and held three different popular craft workshops. Common Grounds Café showed off their new coffee bar and specialty coffee drinks while Woods Wear unveiled their new space and custom t-shirt offerings to the public for the first time. BeechTree was setup among the other vendors and sold gift sets featuring their bath and body products.

 

Winter Wonderland at Woods also served as the drop-off site for our Secret Santa program. Each year more than 200 staff members, families, community members and local business sign up to purchase gifts for Woods residents who stay with us through the holidays and would not otherwise receive them. Thank you to all of our generous Secret Santa donors, as well as the more than 50 volunteers who  donated their time to serve as parking, snack stand, and greeter booth attendants, Santa’s Cabin managers, and Secret Santa gift checkers. It truly takes a village to transform Woods into Winter Wonderland and we are so thankful to everyone for their help, support, and patronage!

 

Local Sprint Car Racer to Visit Woods

Local Sprint Car racer, Brett “The Hammer” Michalski and his crew from JR Michalski Heating and Air Conditioning in Hulmeville, will visit Woods next Tuesday, Aug. 14, to showcase race cars and talk to Woods residents, students and staff members about life as a race car driver.

 

Attendees will have an opportunity to get their photo taken with Michalski, explore the racing team’s rig, meet a professional racing flagger and learn about proper race car care. On display will be a 410 Winged Sprint Car, a Micro Sprint Car, and a Go Kart.

 

In addition to the visit, the racing team also had the Woods logo placed on Michalski’s race car, which will be part of the display. The group will also donate tickets to future races so that Woods residents can attend.

 

“It’s an honor and privilege to give back to the community and Woods and also be able to explain the sport of racing,” said Joe Michalski, owner of JR Michalski Heating and Air Conditioning “We hope the outcome of our visit brings awareness of the sport and lets the children have a good time and experience.”