Celebrating Independence

There will be cultural staples across the U.S. over the long weekend that accompany Independence Day. Barbecues, family, picnics, fireworks. Many Americans will turn a watchful eye to loved ones in the Armed Services and to countries like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Honduras.

At SUS, we share the same traditions, touch stones and reminders but they come from slightly different perspectives.  Our focus on CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE actually began in June this year as it was the theme of our annual gala held June 3 at Jazz at Lincoln Center.  Our gala celebrated 30 years of providing service to help challenged New Yorkers achieve independence in their lives. Some of these New Yorkers are veterans of the Armed Forces who had a hard time coping with coming home and living civilian lives. Some are New Yorkers making a transition from streets or shelter to a residence in the SUS supportive service network.  Additionally, there are senior New Yorkers unable to go outside to a barbecue or picnic without our dedicated home care attendants as well as developmentally disabled individuals for whom SUS is their everyday family.

The quality of service from SUS inspires consumers to move toward self-determination, self-reliance, self-sufficiency.  Just a few weeks ago, we held the graduation for our first “class” of the peer-to-peer program. It was emotional for all of us when we heard fifteen SUS consumers talk about their personal road to recovery – moving from the powerless state of addiction, and in most cases homelessness, to now inspiring themselves to give back to their peers.  For some consumers, this is the first time they held a diploma and now they have options for moving forward in their lives.

Our work is to move individuals from our service to their INDEPENDENCE.  Our programs acknowledge vulnerability and needs of consumers but at the same time encourage nurturing ‘human resilience.’ This striving for independence drives the agency as we move forward to refine and build upon our past success. You can view our progress through our multi-media storytelling project.  Please click to see the first of several video episodes about our consumers. For photographs of our proud population click. For more information, register here to be on our mailing list.

As you enjoy the weekend, survey your family, your friends, your neighborhood and your community for someone who is challenged with mental illness, HIV/AIDS, a developmental disability, aging, homelessness, drug addiction and ask yourself who takes care of that person? How do they do it? Do they have help? What are the costs and burdens posed by their challenge? We ask ourselves these questions everyday and then we go to work on the answers.