On Friday, March 24, 2023, representatives from Murray Ridge Center made a Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month presentation at the meeting of the Lorain County Board of Commissioners, where services of the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities (a.k.a. Murray Ridge Center) were highlighted through the stories of four service recipients. Murray Ridge Superintendent Amber Fisher opened by stating that Murray Ridge Center is proud to support more than 3,000 Lorain County children and adults with developmental disabilities annually.
First up were Icelee and Katalina, seven year-old students and classmates at Murray Ridge School. Dr. Fisher noted that both girls had been a part of the Murray Ridge Early Intervention Program for children ages birth to three years, through which Murray Ridge served 945 infants and toddlers last year. Icelee also attended the Murray Ridge Preschool, and both girls were subsequently referred to Murray Ridge School by their respective school districts. Icelee and Katalina personally thanked the members of the Lorain County Board of Commissioners for their support!
Next up was Robert, a man who resides with his family, and attends Murray Ridge Center’s Lorain Opportunity and Vocational Center (LOVC) five days per week. Robert told the commissioners that he very much enjoys attending the Murray Ridge Day Program, where he does activities and assembly work, exceling at a job working on rods utilized by a local company. Through LOVC, Robert also volunteers at Meals on Wheels!
Finally, the commissioners heard from Ana, a woman who lives in a group home operated by Our Lady of the Wayside (OLW) and attends Pathways, a Day Program operated by OLW. In attendance to root her on was Maria Santana, Ana’s Murray Ridge Service & Support Administrator (SSA). Dr. Fisher explained that those who receive residential and/or Adult Day Services from private providers (i.e. providers other than Murray Ridge) have Murray Ridge SSAs who assist them with developing Individual Service Plans, help them access resources, and monitor their services that are funded by Murray Ridge (Murray Ridge uses local levy dollars to pay the non-federal share of the cost of Residential and Adult Day services provided by private organizations, such as OLW). Ana shared that she had also participated in the Murray Ridge Special Olympics Program!
Many thanks to the Lorain County Commissioners for helping us celebrate the wonderful presence and contributions of people with developmental disabilities in our community!
Students Katalina and Icelee with Dann Swift, Murray Ridge Center’s Director of Education, on their way to the meeting with the Lorain County Board of Commissioners