Arc employee in Albion wins statewide award as direct support professional
Press Release, Arc GLOW
Photos courtesy of Arc GLOW: Matthew, left, congratulates Arc GLOW Direct Support Professional Roger Garrod on winning a statewide award today.
ALBION — Roger Garrod, a longtime Arc GLOW direct support professional, has received a Thomas A. Maul Direct Support Professional Excellence Award from The Arc New York.
The Albion resident has been an Arc team member since 2009 and currently works in the Academy Street Day Habilitation program.
The Thomas A. Maul Direct Support Professional Excellence Award is an annual award which recognizes direct support professionals who consistently demonstrate excellence, creativity and commitment to providing supports to people who have intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Four prestigious Thomas A. Maul Awards are presented each year.
Thomas A. Maul served as the Commissioner of the NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities from 1993 to 2006. During his tenure, he addressed many long-standing issues facing disability service providers. The Commissioner and The Arc New York shared a priority – recognition of direct support professional staff. Upon his retirement, The Arc New York founded this award in his honor.
The 2022 award presentation was held virtually today as part of The Arc New York’s Annual meeting. Roger was cheered on at the presentation by individuals he serves, along with family members and co-workers. They gathered in the day habilitation site’s community room.
Supervisor at the day hab site, Michael Helwig, said Roger always puts the individuals first. “Roger is dedicated and a team player. He is an innovative DSP that is the heart and soul of support for people with disabilities,” Helwig stated.
Kelly Anstey, Senior Director of Day and Employment Services at Arc GLOW, said Roger demonstrates respect for the dignity, independence, culture, and rights of individuals he serves by first and foremost being present, and encouraging individuals to express themselves in whatever manner they use.
“I have seen Roger interact myriad times with individuals with very limited or seemingly absent communication skills, but the interactive rapport he develops leaves no doubt that true, two-way respectful communication is occurring,” Anstey said. “By developing effective communication, Roger builds trust allowing him to gain knowledge of individuals’ desires, choices and preferences.”
When Roger learned he was being honored with a DSP award, he couldn’t believe it. “There are so many staff that work so hard…I was shocked.”
The award recipient began working as a DSP in the Arc residential department before transferring to day habilitation, but still works as a relief DSP at Arc’s Hamilton Road home where his DSP career began.
ABOUT THE CHAPTER: Arc GLOW, formerly The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming and Arc of Genesee Orleans, is a family-founded agency dedicated to helping people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities meet their full potential and find fulfillment in learning, personal relationships, employment, volunteerism, recreation, the arts, and more. Arc GLOW serves more than 2,000 individuals and their families and recently marked its one-year anniversary as a four-county chapter.
Pictured, seated from left: Roger Garrod and Day Hab Coordinator Michael Helwig. Standing: Arc GLOW managers Kellie Kennedy, Kelly Anstey, Sherri Raab, Board President Cheryl Englert, CEO Martin Miskell and Board Secretary Charles Keenan.
