Dungarvin

We invite you to stop scrolling, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and take a deep breath. May is recognized as #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, an initiative near and dear to us. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “mental health is not simply the absence of a mental health condition – it is also about the presence of well-being and the ability to thrive.” Many of the individuals we support count on their Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to help them manage their mental health. Meanwhile, working in this industry can take a toll on our employees’ stress levels and general state of minds. Throughout this month, we hope to share the ways in which our colleagues sustain positive mental health so that they can continue to support others and thrive themselves, but we want to hear from you, too! Share your answers to these questions with us in the comments. Who knows... maybe your perspective will be of help to someone else! #CreateCommunity

🎉 Dungarvin Direct Support Professional Sampson Wolloh is a special individual. Always wearing a smile, his optimism and energy translate into his fierce support for the individuals in Kentucky who he supports. Whether through singing to his guys or providing updates to their families, his skill, compassion and dedication are always evident. Last week he was recognized for excellence in the direct support field when he accepted the DSP of the Year Award for the state of Kentucky from the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). Way to go, Sampson! Dungarvin Kentucky is lucky to have you, and all of us across Dungarvin’s other locations are proud of your skill, dedication and this amazing achievement. Read more about him and his award here: https://lnkd.in/gjmdeDmq

As April wraps up, we wanted to share how our Dungarvin Oregon team supported a very special event recently in support of #AutismAcceptanceMonth. 💙 The 24th Annual Autism Walk in Oregon is an opportunity for the local community to come out together in support of individuals and families touched by Autism. Dungarvin Oregon team members staffed a resource table during this event. Over 1,000 people joined us in support of the Autism Society’s event as the community banded together to celebrate all who identify as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We look forward to the next event in Salem in May and showing our support again in Eugene in June! Can we expect you there? #CreateCommunity

📢 Known among her Dungarvin colleagues as always willing to go above and beyond for the individuals she supports, we are proud to announce that Employment Specialist Brenda Olson is the ANCOR DSP of the Year for Minnesota! Brenda brings more than 20 years of experience supporting people with disabilities as she continues to advocate and find ways to help each individual reach their fullest potential. Dungarvin is incredibly proud of her and so happy she has been recognized for her years of dedication and advocacy with this prestigious award. Congratulations, Brenda! Read more about her and her award here: https://lnkd.in/gGB3jnw9

🎉 Dungarvin was thrilled to watch Direct Support Professional Stephen Kibii accept his DSP of the Year Award during the ANCOR Connect ’26 conference, April 21-23 in Boston! Stephen works in an Indiana group home, where he has made a huge impact in the lives of the individuals he supports. Congratulations, Stephen! Your Dungarvin family around the country – and back home – are extremely proud of your commitment to your profession and this national honor. Keep up the GREAT work! Read more about him and this award here: https://lnkd.in/g8WBBcq6

🔎 Now more than ever, it is vital for professionals in the direct support industry to have the confidence and training to be able to speak to the value they provide in their everyday work. With the future of Medicaid uncertain, their voices are more important than ever. Last fall, ANCOR launched the new DSP Ambassador Program. The purpose of this program is to give DSPs the ability to “speak up, speak out, and tell their stories about the vital role they play in the communities they support.” At the ANCOR Connect conference last week, two Dungarvin DSP Ambassadors graduated from the program. Featured here are Denise Martinez from Connecticut and Geno Walters from New Mexico. What does this mean for us, and for you reading this? These DSPs are now equipped to engage with our lawmakers, members of the press, and to communities across the country about the importance of their work and to advocate on behalf of the direct support workforce. We couldn’t be more proud of them and their ongoing commitment to serving others! To learn more about the DSP Ambassador Program, please visit https://lnkd.in/dcXst839 .

🏆Braeden Tyler-Babkirk has a knack for finding creative ways to help the individuals he supports as an Employment Specialist at Compass Career Solutions A Dungarvin Company based in Washington. That ability, along with his problem-solving skills, compassion and personal dedication to those he serves, recently resulted in a huge honor: an ANCOR DSP of the Year Award in Innovation! Braeden and five other Dungarvin DSP of the Year winners from around the country accepted their awards during the ANCOR Connect ’26 conference, April 21-23 in Boston. Congratulations to Braeden and all of Dungarvin’s DSPs of the Year! Read about Braeden and his award here: https://lnkd.in/gvCWKk4d

⭐ Last week we spent three days celebrating 6 Direct Support Professionals that were recognized nationally for being the best of the best. To be a DSP is not easy – it requires patience, tenacity, courage, and a kind heart. Through interactions with the winners, we are proud to say that they truly represent the best of what Dungarvin strives to accomplish through the services we provide. On Tuesday, we heard from our CEO and ANCOR’s President, Lori Kress, and we danced the night away together. Wednesday gave us the opportunity to take our DSPs on a tour through Boston and experience a harbor boat tour. Later that evening, we presented them with a token of our gratitude and had a lovely dinner with speeches recognizing them and our ANCOR Ambassador graduates. Thursday we watched as each of our national winners were recognized in front of their peers as the DSP of the Year for their states. They reminded us that compassion doesn't clock out. Every year, this experience reminds us to be grateful to each and every Dungarvin DSP throughout the country for the work they do and the hours they put in when no one is watching. YOU are Dungarvin. #CreateCommunity

Your passion can change lives; and your career. Join Dungarvin and be part of a team that’s progressive, purpose-driven, and committed to making a positive impact in the world.

Your passion can change lives; and your career. Join Dungarvin and be part of a team that’s progressive, purpose-driven, and committed to making a positive impact in the world.