United Cerebral Palsy

Support of affiliates: approximately 56 local service providers or ucp affiliates (54 in the us and 2 in canada) reach more than 155,000 individuals and their families annually. Affiliate services include, but are not limited to, housing, clinical therapies, assistive technology training, early intervention programs, transportation, individual and family support, social and recreation programs, community living, state and local referrals, employment assistance and training, advocacy, information, research, referral and promoting research. Ucp national supports the network of members through affiliate and national revenue sharing programs (online giving, the vehicle donation program, direct mail, and workplace giving). In addition, ucp national facilitates a national annual meeting, regional affiliate convenings, quarterly ceo virtual town halls, topical calls, case for inclusion annual report, webinars, national update town halls, federal-level advocacy, professional learning series for therapists, research grants and scholarships to attend training related to therapies.

Non-federal (bellows): assistive technology often plays a vital role in the lives of people with disabilities. Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Ucp offers financial assistance through our non-federal grant program, the bellows grant, which helps pay for assistive technology equipment to individuals with disabilities that cannot afford to purchase this life changing equipment or special devices. Use of this program is available only through ucp affiliates.

Public education: the ucp affiliates provide support and services to more than 155,000 people with disabilities annually, one person at a time, one family at a time, meeting the unique needs that each possesses. Through our affiliate network, ucp provides such diverse programs as childcare, supported living, education, health, employment, housing, transportation assistance, early intervention, job training, research, day programs, and recreational activities. Ucp supports public education and outreach programs, providing information and social networking resources to parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities in the us and canada affiliated regions. In addition, ucp educates and informs the affiliate network through the life without limits and network news e-newsletter, including webinars, such as the professional learning series, and via town halls, topical calls, and annual/regional meetings. The annual meeting provides valuable information on Cerebral Palsy and disability-related issues, as well as philanthropy/development, state and federal advocacy, governance, leadership topics, and other valuable information. Ucp also educates the general public through the life without limits newsletter, the ucp website, and the information and referral program, which provides information for parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities around the globe in several languages including a text-to-speech and translation feature on the ucp website. Through the information referral (i&r) services via its partnership with an affiliate, individuals can obtain information on how to contact their local, state, and federal resources by either calling a toll-free number or submitting an inquiry via the ucp website. Bi-lingual staff members will be available to answer inquiries in both english and spanish. Ucp also provides information referral services for the general public and the disability community.