Everyone wants to belong. To be independent. To be part of a community where they know who you are, know your name. To be able to freely come and go, stroll the Avenue, take in the sights and sounds, to reflect in the solitude of your freedom. To be in charge of one’s life, to dictate what you want to do and when is the innate right of an adult, but unfortunately some individuals aren’t as fortunate with what should be inherently theirs.

In New Jersey there are hundreds of individuals in institutions and Developmental Centers with the life dream of being able to be an independent citizen in the community of their choice. Thankfully, due to the Olmstead Act, individuals have a voice. They have the ability to decide where they would like to live and with whom. There is another set of individuals in New Jersey who already live in the community and should also have the right to move through the continuum of care from group home living to least restrictive environments such as an apartment. Due to the thousands of individuals on New Jersey’s waiting list and due to emergency placements, moving stable individuals into new settings has its hindrances and challenges.


At Dungarvin we believe in Respecting and Responding to the Choices of individuals, and we have heard Wayne, who has been a resident in one of our group homes since 2008. Together, Wayne, his mother and Dungarvin persevered. Wayne has always been independent while with Dungarvin. Wayne is “very outdoorsy” as described by one of the staff. He loves “walking, shopping, cooking and always makes sure that the kitchen is clean and the garbage is taken out.” Wayne is responsible. He handles his own medication, and is able to have eight hours of unsupervised time daily. He does his own laundry and banking and accepts assistance with cooking. Wayne is an upstanding citizen in the community in which he lives. Local vendors know him. He comes and goes as he pleases. Wayne states, “I like books so I go to the library often. I collect books and a lot of other things which I put in my room. I try not to have so much stuff but I like it. I think I would like to get married someday. I have a girlfriend who also lives in a group home and I see her as often as possible.” Very proudly, Wayne elaborated, “We’ve been together for a couple of years.” He says, “I enjoy going for walks, going to the movies, going out for coffee, shopping, listening to music, going out to restaurants and occasionally going to bookstores. I have a good sense of humor.”

He works at a local Behavioral Health facility where he stacks boxes into larger cardboard boxes. He loves to work and is proud of his accomplishments. Wayne also volunteers at a local Animal Shelter on weekends. Wayne strives to be productive and occupies his time with activity that is meaningful to him and helpful to others.

Wayne was one of the recipients of the STAR award which recognizes individual achievements for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Wayne has been living the life that he wants to live but always had one dream that has not come to fruition- until now. In a recent meeting, Wayne stated, “I hope to live in my own apartment one day.” Wayne has always wanted his own apartment. Wayne has been advocating for himself to move from living in a group home with three other men, into an apartment where he lives alone but with staff support. Wayne stated that he’s “been doing all of my daily chores, and doing everything I need to do to move.” Wayne’s mother has been his long-time advocate as well. She has been his voice until he was able to have his own voice. Well, we heard you Wayne! Wayne will be moving into a beautiful one- bedroom apartment where he will be able to continue going for walks and enjoying the freedom that is rightfully his! Way to go Wayne. YOU did it, WE heard you!

We extend a warm welcome to the men and women living in our new Valparaiso, Battle Ground, and Flora, Indiana homes along with their staff and families. Effective January 1, Dungarvin acquired Spectrum Community Services of Indiana, a provider of services to adults with disabilities. Each of the five programs is home to four people and is licensed as an Extensive Special Needs (ESN) service.

Two homes and an office are located in Valparaiso, 14 miles from Dungarvin’s Portage, Indiana office and 50 miles southwest of our South Bend office. Another two homes and an office are located in Flora, 100 miles southeast of Valparaiso and 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The fifth home is located about 20 miles from Flora in the town of Battle Ground.

Over the past three months the Indiana team has worked hand-in-hand with Spectrum management and its parent company Oconomowoc Residential Programs (ORP), to successfully transition the services and employees to Dungarvin. In three short months we transitioned 19 individuals, 61 staff, 5 homes, and 2 offices into Dungarvin services.

A special thank you to Spectrum’s director, John Runions and Dungarvin staff: Rick Adams, Senior Director; Christina Dickens, Office Manager; and Sheri Butler, Human Resources Manager, for their tireless effort throughout the transition, sacrificing family time over the holidays and enduring complicated weather. A salute also goes to all the support departments and staff from both Dungarvin and ORP for their invaluable effort behind the scenes.

Join me in welcoming all to the Dungarvin family!

Dungarvin launched the annual Peggy Porter Memorial Award in early 2007 to honor the life and ultimate sacrifice of Peggy Porter, a Dungarvin direct service professional (DSP). Peggy was a truly extraordinary person of great humility, and she cared immensely about the people she supported. On the evening of December 20, 2006, a fire broke out in the home of two individuals served. Peggy attempted to extinguish the fire while simultaneously trying to save the lives of both individuals in the home. Overcome by smoke, the fire claimed both her life and the life of one of the individuals; the other person recovered fully. It was her love and dedication that drove her in her last selfless act to try and save the lives of individuals served. The Peggy Porter Memorial Award is regarded with considerable esteem across the Dungarvin organization and recognizes DSPs who have performed a significant act to protect the welfare of a person served.

This year, the Annual Peggy Porter Memorial Award is presented to Tim McGruder and Ashiana Ali of Dungarvin California, LLC.

On June 12, 2013, as employees and individuals were participating in one of California’s day programs, employees Tim McGruder and Ashiana Ali were busy completing their normal duties. Ashiana was assisting a gentleman in the restroom when, without warning, he slumped and became unresponsive. Ashiana quickly recognized that the individual needed assistance, and she called out to her co-workers for help. In the meantime, he began to lean further forward, becoming increasingly limp. While attempting to stabilize the individual and prevent him from falling, Ashiana noticed his skin was becoming pale. Just as quickly, she observed another change, he turned blue and his body became rigid.

Tim, upon hearing his co-worker’s urgent request for assistance, entered the restroom and removed the individual from the commode, laying him gently on the ground. It was apparent that the supported person had stopped breathing, and Tim began performing CPR while Ashiana swiftly ensured someone called 911.

Tim and Ashiana were well-prepared to respond to this emergency, and they applied their training effectively. Prior to this event, Ashiana was in the process of earning her certified nursing assistant (CNA) license while Tim had been trained as an acute care CNA and licensed respiratory aide. Both DSPs had recently refreshed their CPR and First Aid training.

By the time EMTs arrived to the scene, the individual had regained consciousness. His color had returned, and he was breathing normally. Both staff continued to attend to him with a cool rag to his head, comforting words, and assurances that he would continue to be well cared for. Upon arrival to the hospital, the individual who had collapsed was diagnosed with pneumonia. He has since experienced a full recovery without further incident.

In this situation, Ashiana and Tim reflected Dungarvin’s values by demonstrated courage and dedication to a person in service. Their swift and thorough actions show that DSPs do make a difference in the lives of those people they support. This difference is reflected the abilities, talents, and commitment of all of our staff.

The Dungarvin California team proudly commends Tim McGruder and Ashiana Ali for their valiant efforts, which honor the life and actions of Peggy Porter’s own heroic efforts.

An award ceremony will be held this spring of 2014. Family, friends and colleagues will be invited to celebrate Tim and Ashiana’s dedicated efforts, initiative, and commitment to quality.