News & Updates

It often takes leaving your comfort zone to find what you are truly capable of doing. Denise Riley has been doing just that for more than a decade. Denise was enrolled in a Day Program in New York City in 2010 when she learned that she was accepted into Living Resources’ College Experience Program. Like most college freshmen, she arrived on the campus of the College of Saint Rose with a combination of excitement, fear, and doubt. Twelve years later, she knows it was the best move she could have made. Denise said, “My life has changed; I am now living [...]

Check out the November edition of Sharing the Journey View the Nov. Edition of Sharing the Journey Missed previous editions? Check out our Agency News page to see all editions from this past year!

On Wednesday, November 16, Living Resources staff and program participants were part of the 200+ self-advocates, family members, DSPs, and members of disability care organizations that came together to tell lawmakers that NOW is the time to invest in NY’s care economy. We NEED adequate funding. High inflation hit nonprofit providers hard. The non-personnel costs in our supervised residential programs have increased by more than 25% since last year, predominately in the areas of transportation costs, energy, food, and maintenance. Also, our health insurance premiums will be increasing by double-digits next year. So, in addition to investing in the workforce, we need [...]

Abigail Censabella is a 2022 College Experience student with plans for her future career. During her internship placements, Abby had much success exploring opportunities in the field of child care. She started working for Capital Milestones daycare center as a floater and support aid for the lead teachers where she was often praised for her professionalism and eagerness to learn and take on new tasks. This valuable experience helped her develop a goal to work with older children and become an assistant teacher. Throughout the job development process with her Living Resources Employment Specialist, she advocated her desire to work in [...]

Check out the October edition of Sharing the Journey View the Oct. Edition of Sharing the Journey Missed previous editions? Check out our Agency News page to see all editions from this past year!

After graduating from the College Experience Program in 2017, Jordan began working in the brewery at Druthers Brewing Company and fell in love with the world of craft beer. And what’s not to love, really? Not only was Jordan a valued member of the team and involved in the production of the brew, he occasionally even got to sample the beers and get the first glimpse of new brews and merchandise being put out. Unfortunately, like many, Jordan was furloughed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although he was grateful to find part-time positions at Empire Wine and Oliver’s Beverage center, [...]

Brendan, a graduate of Living Resources’ College Experience Program recently celebrated his three-year anniversary working in the Nutrition Department at St Peter’s Hospital in Albany. His duties include cleaning approximately fifteen kitchen spaces and nutrition areas on patient floors, sanitizing handles and microwaves, inspecting foods for expiration dates, and documenting and attesting that the areas he cleaned are compliant with NYS and national hospital regulations and audits. In addition to his job-related duties, Brendan has reached new personal goals as well including traveling to and from work independently. Additionally, he now shares his knowledge of public transportation and assists the incoming [...]

There’s a certain comfort when you’ve been working at the same place for a long time. The workplace becomes a home away from home with co-workers that are like family. In her ten years of employment at the Albany ShopRite, Christina had found that sense of family. Even when she moved from an apartment in Albany to one in Niskayuna in December 2020, she continued working there, making the commute to the Albany store via STAR bus or taxi, which proved to be difficult sometimes. One of the people Christina became close to in the Albany store was the Customer Service [...]

“When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt Emily Durkin began her journey with Living Resources seven years ago as a College Experience student. Of all the lessons she learned in the two-year certificate program hosted at The College of Saint Rose, Emily came away with a strong sense of independence. She said, “At first it was hard to leave home but it was necessary for me to be more independent. They taught us how to interact together and with other people while doing fun activities.” The program gave her the tools to [...]

Isn’t it amazing when your passion becomes your profession? Luke has always had a love for animals. When he attended our College Experience program, he chose to focus on the different aspects of pet care for his internships. He started at Grrreendog Grooming and Spa where he learned about canine behavior and the importance of body language and confidence when directing the dogs. His second internship focused on the retail side of pet care while working at Pet Supplies Plus. There he learned the products, stocked the shelves, and assisted customers. These internships prepared him for graduation (June of 2022) and [...]