From Joseph M. Pancari: On Two Years as President & CEO
Dear Friends of CP Unlimited,
At the close of a transformative fiscal year, and on the occasion of my two-year anniversary at the helm of this remarkable Agency, I wanted to share some of our most important accomplishments and lessons learned.
This has been a period of exciting expansion for CP Unlimited and it has taken the extraordinary abilities of our team to build on all the potential of our vision.
To empower their commitment and passion, CP Unlimited has grown our physical spaces while developing platforms and partnerships to bring real benefits to the people we support and the greater disability community.
From Brooklyn to Queens and Yonkers to the Hudson Valley, new residential and Day Habilitation settings establish best-in-class standards for purpose-built, design-centered spaces where people with disabilities can thrive. Weaving through the nearly 300 locations under the CP umbrella is a pipeline of resources, education, and engagement strategies informed by CP parents, Direct Support Professionals, and others in the field.
This was also a stage in CP history where collaboration across the political spectrum will bring to bear true change for nearly one million people throughout New York State. Inspired by the CP Family and advanced through a bi-partisan—and steadily growing—list of officials and stakeholders, The Traveling with Dignity Act (Bill # 7697 / A. 8373) mandates height-adjustable, adult changing tables in public venues across New York by 2030. We thank NYS Senators Peter Harckham and Rob Rolison and Assembly Member Chris Burdick who were the original sponsors of this transformative measure making its final way through the state legislature at time of writing.
The last two years also motivated more creative engagement with area institutions to make CP’s impact more visible; I can point to our winter exhibition with The National Lighthouse Museum and upcoming summer show at Positive Exposure featuring contemporary images by CP Unlimited photographers from our Day Habilitation programs to name but two recent examples. I must also acknowledge the vital role of our self-advocates, whose powerful words and lived experiences enhance our outreach efforts and person-centered care. Visitors notice our central office now displays widespread press coverage reflecting our more prominent profile.
Simply: CP Unlimited is a place that means so much to so many because the work we do matters.
Thank you for helping the people we support achieve fulfilling lives these past two years, and throughout our close to eighty-year history. I am encouraged and amazed by all of you, without whom none of this would be possible.
With Gratitude,
Joseph M. Pancari
President & CEO
