September 30, 2019

To our Consumers, Families and Supporters:

It has come to our attention that in the past two days, there have been negative and false comments posted about Medina Creative Housing and affiliated companies on social media.  Please know that we take this matter seriously and we are deeply saddened by the false and defamatory statements being made with no context or concern for consequences. Therein lie the potential hazards of social media today.

While we cannot speak to the specifics of each comment due to privacy laws and HIPAA regulations, we want to assure you that the health and safety of the individuals we have the privilege to serve is our highest priority. Nothing is more important to us than the care, comfort and safety of our residents. Families entrust their loved ones to us. And our staff works diligently to deliver compassionate, professional services and the best outcomes so that individuals with disabilities can live their lives with dignity and opportunity.

Our agency documents, investigates and reports all alleged and actual occurrences in accordance with Department of DD rules and regulations. If you have any concerns or wish to report an incident, please contact Felicia LaMontagne, Director of Services at 330-591-4434 or flamontagne@medinacreativeaccessibility.com.  Going through the appropriate channels will assure that all matters are handled appropriately and effectively.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty

Medina Creative Housing Director Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty had high hopes for preliminary plan approval on Sept. 25 for a residential development designed for individuals who have disabilities.

It quickly became apparent, however, that the Middleburg Heights Planning Commission would have to defer its decision until DePasquale-Hagerty completes all required pre-approval processes.

The 16-unit housing project would be constructed where a long-defunct YWCA building recently was demolished at 6981 Smith Road.

DePasquale-Hagerty explained that it has taken four years to assemble all the project components, including seven layers of time-sensitive funding…

For more on this story, click HERE.

The brilliant sunshine and crisp air made October 5 a picture-perfect autumn day for the 5th Annual Medina Creative Housing Fall Festival held at the Medina Creative Therapy Ranch, 5200 Lake Road, in Medina. The four-hour free event included a host of activities for the entertainment of all ages.

Under the direction of MCTR Director Sharon Biggins, 19 riders participated in a horse show in the outdoor ring where those in the MCTR program demonstrated their skills in the areas of showmanship walk and trot, barrels-assisted and independent walk and trot, jumping independent walk and trot, trail assisted and individual walk, and trail individual trot.

MCTR has 92 riders in five different programs designed to meet specific needs through therapeutic services; everything is geared to improve mental health by using horses. Luna is the ranch’s newest horse, and Mending Fences is the newest program recently added to the list. A sign near the outdoor ring says it all: “Because when I ride all I feel is fine.”

The grounds were brightly decorated with displays of friendly ghosts and other fall and Halloween symbols. In addition to watching the horse show, visitors to the Fall Fest were able to take part in a variety of activities: play games, enjoy hay rides, enter a costume contest, get a face painting, paint a pumpkin, do crafts in Pieh’s Paradise tree house, or simply take a stroll down the trick or treat trail…

Click HERE for more on this story.

 Medina Creative Pet Play, 4105 Creative Living Way in Medina, hosted its fifth annual “Howl-o-ween” costume party Sunday afternoon (Oct. 13). The free event brought together friends, both four-legged and bipedal, to celebrate the achievements of workers with disabilities and the success of the doggie daycare and boarding facility.

Guests were welcomed by friendly smiles and ideal fall weather. The party featured costume contests, raffles, refreshments for all, games and plenty of interaction among visitors of all breeds and species.

The facility hosts holiday parties at various times of the year and many of the guests were familiar with each other. Nonetheless, Medina Creative Pet Play continues to experience growth.

“The community has really embraced this program, and we’re providing a valuable asset to the community,” said Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty, CEO of Medina Creative Housing, the nonprofit organization responsible for the successful business.

For more on this story, click HERE

Monday’s ribbon cutting at Medina Creative Housing’s Grande Cafe and Roastery could hardly contain the large crowd that gathered for the event. The new business, located adjacent to Home Depot and Medina Creative Pet Play, provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities and features homegrown food and coffee from around the world.  The ribbon cutting was the culmination of a difficult process to convert a former dog daycare into a coffeehouse.  “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” commented Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty, CEO of Medina Creative Housing.

The transformation involved a long list of businesses and individuals who donated time, labor and materials to the multiyear project. Medina Creative Housing also repurposed items the organization already owned to add to a style DePasquale-Hagerty labeled “rustic industrial chic.”  The resulting space is warm, light and utterly inviting. Patrons can sip gourmet coffee — sourced from global direct-trade growers — and dine on sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, sweets and breakfast items, most of which feature ingredients from Medina Creative Housing’s nearby hydroponic greenhouse.

For more on this story, click HERE

Come join us at the Grande Cafe and Roastery for breakfast, lunch or a cup of coffee.  We have all the goodies you need for Valentines day.  Come support our Valentines Day Bake Sale.  We are raising funds for our new panini  press.  Join us us at 4080 Creative Living Way (next to Home Depot and GFS)

Join us this summer for 10 weeks of life altering Experiences.  Life Steps is offering a summer day educational program with a therapeutic component for those with disabilities. The camp is tailored to those 8 & up.   Each week offers a different adventure and opportunities to improve social skills, learn life skills and build friendships.  The cost of camp is $325.00 for the week. (A day rate is also available at $65.00 per day) Family rates are offered for $275.00 for the week, per
family member. $75.00 Deposit Required

Camp Brochure 2020

Life Steps Registration2020

Dear Friends of Medina Creative Housing:

The changes taking place in our community and across the world in response to coronavirus are happening rapidly and can be overwhelming. At Medina Creative Housing and its Affiliates, we are fortunate to be part of a caring, generous, and resilient community. The health and safety of our population, staff, neighbors and community is always our top priority.

Despite the spread of COVID-19 we are committed to continuing to fulfill our mission and serve individuals with disabilities. Given the COVID 19 outbreak I wanted to provide you with an update on the important steps we are taking at this time. We continue diligently monitoring all CDC and health guidelines and follow all sanitizing guidelines and social distancing.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are making a few immediate changes to protect the health and safety of those we serve, our employees and the community.  We recognize that this situation is fluid, guidelines cannot cover every possibility.

We are asking for everyone to continue to consider others and especially those we serve when making decisions that are in their best interest. Basic common sense is generally our best guide.  We serve a population with a host of pre-existing conditions that could make the impact from the Coronavirus more pronounced or impactful to them.  Given the high transmission rate of the illness, we will continue to provide services with extra precautions to prevent its spread.
We understand success of serving our population during this crisis will require all partners being responsible, being flexible, and being able to lean on each other.  Our operations will remain fluid and we will update you with additional changes.

Our Actions

• Employees are not permitted to report to work if they are showing any symptoms of infection or have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
• We are eliminating large staff meetings and increasing the use of teleconferencing.
• We are practicing Safe Distancing protocols.

Our Cafes

The Grande Cafe Roastery and Creative Café at Lifeworks:

We are continuing to adhere to all city and state regulations regarding sanitary protocols.  We are also closely monitor any changing public health environment and new protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and state and local health departments.  In addition:

• We are elevating our already stringent cleaning and sanitizing procedures and increasing the frequency of sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, such as tabletops, counter tops, point of sale equipment, and doorknobs.
• Reinforcing our strict hand-washing practices with our employees.

• Increasing the use of antibacterial hand sanitizers.

We sincerely hope you will continue to patronize the Grande Café Roastery to ensure that this location remains financially viable and we can continue the important vocational training happening at this site for individuals with disabilities, building employability skills and earning incomes.  We have a convenient drive through for those desiring ease of service and/or social distancing and we will also offer delivery for orders over $25.00 to your home or business.

Our Café at Lodi Hospital is following hospital policy and will be closed until Covid 19 has subsided.

Our Dynamic Day Support Program, Vocational Habilitation Programs and Medina Creative Transitions Program will remain open at this time.

We have canceled all large events.  The Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for March 28 at Medina Creative Therapy Ranch has been canceled.  Resident Enrichment Program activities have been canceled for March and April. Our Annual fundraiser, Raising the Roof “Roaring into the 20’s” scheduled for April 4, has been rescheduled for June 6. Should our new Raising the Roof date not work with your schedule we sincerely apologize.  However, if you cannot attend, I would ask for your continued support through purchasing Raffle Tickets for cash prizes in our Mad Mazuma Raffle or The Big 20 Raffle where you have a chance to win 1 of 20 prizes from trips to California, Chicago, dinner for 8 at Corkscrew and more.

I thank you for being a loyal supporter and friend of Medina Creative Housing and its Affiliates. We look forward to continuing to serve our community and friends. We will provide additional updates and recommendations as necessary in the coming days and weeks via constant contact, our website, and social media.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns now or as the environment changes.

Wishing you and your family health during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty

CEO

Will you consider an act of kindness this #Giving Tuesday to help Medina Creative Housing continue it’s 29 Year Mission of serving=g individuals with disabilities… Creating opportunities and building hope? In these times of uncertainty hope is needed now more than ever.

#Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to generosity and giving.  Its a day to acknowledge the power of giving, volunteerism, and simple acts of kindness.  Please join Medina Creative Housing on this day!  This year has meant quarantining, loss of jobs, loss of incomes, loss of programs, distancing from friends and relatives resulting in isolation and loneliness for those we serve.  Medina Creative Housing has been the stabilizing force in their lives.

As we continue to strive each and every day to enable individuals with disabilities to live their loves with dignity and opportunity we humbly ask for your help this holiday season. .  This campaign is one of the ways we can make a difference.  Please donate here./BUTTON

The entire staff was included in the Compass Award ceremony.

Grande Café and Roastery, our vocational training and paid work program for individuals with disabilities, was presented with the Ohio Treasurer’s Compass Award for demonstrating innovation and excellence in the field of financial literacy.

Through your work, you have gone above and beyond to educate and empower Ohioans so they may make positive financial decisions that lead to a brighter future, announced Rebecca Armstrong, Deputy Director of Public Affairs.

Accepting the award, Dianne DePasquale-Hagerty, CEO of Medina Creative Housing, graciously thanked Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague on behalf of Board President David Palmer, the hard working staff of Grande Cafe & Roastery and the community for its generous support.