The year got away from us before we could send these wishes! Please join us in saying a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to CIL staff members who celebrated birthdays in December! We hope you all had festive and fun birthdays celebrating YOU during the holiday season!
Holly – December 17th
Ashlyn – December 18th
Last month our awesome CIL staff gathered together to celebrate the holiday season during our Annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon! Everyone had a blast participating in a variety of holiday activities as well as playing a very festive game of White Elephant. This year, we went back to having a potluck lunch, where everyone contributed and cooked (or bought, lol!) their own savory side dishes and delectable desserts for all to enjoy! Staff also supported their fellow team members who achieved their milestone awards this year, and we were happy to see a few of our CIL board members join us for lunch and share in the holiday cheer. It was a wonderful day of celebrating each other and taking a much-deserved break from work to just relax and have fun! We are proud of all that we accomplished this past year, and look forward to all that is to come in 2024!
ID: Video collage of pictures taken of CIL staff and atmosphere during White Elephant, holiday activities, enjoying the buffet lunch and presentations.
During our Staff Appreciation Luncheon last month, we had a wonderful time honoring our team members who achieved specific work anniversary milestones of 5, 10 and 15 years! This past year, we had four staff members to celebrate and they are listed below.
Please join us in saying a huge congratulations to all!
Sophia Kitchen, Sign Language Interpreter – 15 years!
Christie King, Gainesville Office Receptionist and Data Entry Specialist – 10 years!
Patty McElroy, Bookkeeping Assistant – 10 years!
Kim Moffitt, Sign Language Interpreting Assistant – 5 years!
Thank you all so much for your dedication and commitment throughout the years. You have made a huge difference in the lives of people with disabilities, and we are so grateful that you continue to be valued members of our CIL family. We appreciate all that you do for the CIL, our community and our consumers!
ID: First picture is Kim holding up her award (left) and her supervisor Colette (right). Second picture is supervisor Alex (left) and Christie holding up her award (right). Third picture is of Colette speaking about Sophia and Patty, who were unable to attend the luncheon, and the amazing work that they do.
As we bid farewell to 2023 and embrace the possibilities of a brand new year, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to each and every one of you who has been a part of our incredible journey in advocating for people with disabilities. This past year we achieved remarkable milestones in our pursuit of equality, inclusion, and unity. From breaking down barriers to fostering understanding, your support has been the driving force behind every positive change we’ve witnessed.
As we step into 2024, we are filled with excitement and hope for what lies ahead. This year holds the promise of continued progress, advocacy, and transformative strides towards a more accessible and inclusive world for all. Thank you for being an integral part of our community. Your support is the catalyst for change, and together, we will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of those with disabilities.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year filled with love, joy, and opportunities for growth!
Bridging awareness and inclusivity at CFCAA! ✨ Sada, Kevin, and Stephanie recently had the honor of presenting for the incredible staff at Central Florida Community Action Agency (CFCAA) on disability awareness and CIL programs. The engagement and enthusiasm from their team were truly inspiring as we explored ways to enhance CFCAA’s accommodation for individuals with disabilities.
To add a touch of holiday spirit, the staff luncheon was Grinch-themed, and we couldn’t resist capturing the festive moment with a snapshot alongside one of their fantastic staff members who donned the Grinch attire! 🎁📷 Embracing the season of inclusivity and joy. 🎄
What a magical time we had at our Consumer Holiday Party! 🎉✨ The CIL transformed into a winter wonderland filled with joy, laughter, and creativity. Our consumers and staff came together to celebrate the holiday season in the most heartwarming way possible.
Our gathering was a whirlwind of creativity and joy, from crafting candy cane reindeers, decorated cookies, colored festive coloring pages, enjoyed a hot chocolate bar, and painted ornaments. Thanks to everyone who made this event unforgettable, and happy holidays from The CIL family!
As we wrap up another incredible year of progress, empowerment, and community, The CIL extends warm wishes to our amazing community, supporters, and advocates! We are immensely grateful for the strength and resilience you bring to our community every day.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to creating an inclusive world where everyone can thrive. Together, we’ve made strides towards accessibility, equality, and empowerment, and we’re excited for what the future holds!
As we celebrate the holiday season, let’s reflect on the power of community and the difference we can make when we come together. May your holiday season be filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. 🎁
Last week, we had a lot of fun “shopping” for and collecting toys for all our CIL families! The CIL has partnered with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program for several years now, and we cannot thank them enough, year after year, for helping so many of our families have a wonderful Christmas with a visit from Santa!
This year we helped 33 families with disabilities and a total of 74 children! We were thrilled to see the CIL kitchen completely packed with bags and bikes that are bound to bring so many smiles and feelings of joy to the children who will be unwrapping them! At pick up time, there were a lot of thank yous and smiles from our grateful families.
We were thankful to have several of Santa’s helpers assist with picking out specific toys from children’s wish lists, and that made things go much faster and smoother. It was so appreciated that staff took the time out of their very busy day to help bring some holiday cheer to our families in need! Special thanks go to all of our wonderful CIL elves: Terri, Myrtle, her husband Eli, Holly, Stephanie, Lindsey, Clara, Claudia, Destini and Medjina. We even had a retired staff member Don take time out of retirement life to help pick out gifts. You are all awesome, thank you infinity!
Ho Ho Ho and Happy Holiday Season! Our CIL staff elves got into the holiday spirit earlier this month and festively decorated our Christmas tree, activity room, lobby and hallways in both the Gainesville and Ocala office! Special thanks to everyone who was able to help make the CIL sparkle during this festive season! Everything looks fantastic, and the addition of holiday music playing in the lobby, makes it even more perfect for this time of year!
Additionally, CIL staff were able to enjoy a Health and Wellness Activity amidst their busy days at work. We had our very first pop-up surprise event for staff, sharing just a day and time to be ready for a fun activity, but with no additional information. Staff were pleasantly surprised to discover that we would be creating our very own personal name ornaments using scrabble-like tiles for names, as well as other fun embellishments to add. Staff had a blast putting their own finishing touches to their ornaments, and once they were ready, we placed them on our tree! We will be able to enjoy them for years to come, and look forward to the next pop-up surprise in the new year!
ID: There are 2 graphics. Both graphics have 6 polaroid pictures assembled in a circle to resemble the look of a wreath. In the center is CILNCF’s logo with a santa hat on the left side of the logo. Golden stars are displayed throughout both graphics. The first graphic displays 6 pictures of CIL staff with their holiday decor around the office. The second graphic displays pictures of the decoration around CILNCF’s office.
We are thrilled to share a glimpse into the incredible journey of guiding interns through their first rotation in the Project Search program. As the Employment Consultant Supervisor and Skills Trainer, Ammal had the honor of guiding a group of talented interns through this transformative experience and has this to say about for the students in their first rotation:
“In my role as a skills trainer at Shands Hospital, I had the privilege of guiding interns through their first rotation in the Project Search program. It was a transformative journey, witnessing these individuals engage themselves in the unique challenges of a hospital setting. Nurturing their professional growth, I observed a remarkable blend of resilience and skill development. The collaborative spirit within our team, coupled with the interns’ commitment, resulted in the successful completion of their first rotation, leaving a positive impression on their professional journey at Shands Hospital.”
The collaborative spirit within the team, coupled with the interns’ commitment, led to the successful completion of their first rotation, leaving a positive mark on their professional journey at Shands Hospital.
They are now in their 2nd rotation—stay tuned for more updates!
ID: Video consists of a slideshow of images of the students throughout their internship at Shands Hospital for their first rotations.