Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities

11/14/2025

For the third year in a row, our community came together over two days to celebrate World Kindness Day by making tie blankets and assembling hygiene kits for local organizations as well as making Thanksgiving cards to share with our neighbors at the Ashtabula County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

This wonderful tradition brought together advocates from Greenelight Workforce, LLC, Acrs Maples, and Vitality Supported Living , along with students from Christian Faith Academy: investing in the leaders of tomorrow, Ashtabula County Junior Fair Royal Court & Ashtabula County Junior Fairboard.

Recap

We are especially grateful to the students from Christian Faith Academy, to Edna OBaker, and to one other generous donor for providing fleece that allowed us to create even more blankets to share.

The blankets and hygiene kits were given to What If? Network., His Helping Hands, and Homesafe, Inc. Ashtabula County's Domestic Violence Shelter. We were honored to hear firsthand about the important work these organizations do to support people in need, which made the day even more meaningful.

Toni Scurpa, Superintendent of the Ashtabula County Board of DD, expressed her heartfelt thanks to the community organizations for their incredible work, as well as to everyone who helped create the items shared. She highlighted the power of working together, supporting one another, and the meaningful impact that comes from investing in our community through small acts of kindness.

Together, we celebrated World Kindness Day by spreading warmth, care, and hope, one blanket at a time.

11/14/2025

This past Wednesday, we had such a wonderful time getting creative with Thanksgiving-themed crafts! Throughout the day, people stopped by the County Board to make something special. Many chose to gift their creations to someone they’re thankful for, while others chose to keep theirs as a reminder of all they are grateful for this year.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this festive event so heartwarming!

11/13/2025

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This week, we’re hearing from Ryan, one of our amazing Advocates supported by the Ashtabula County Board of DD.

Every story reminds us that there’s always something to be thankful for. Today, we’re especially grateful for the smiles, kindness, and unique perspective our advocates bring to our community—and for Ryan, who serves as a dedicated board member representing the voices of the people we support!

11/13/2025

Reminder: The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, November 13th at 6:00 PM. There will be a Finance Committee meeting starting at 5:00 PM before the regular scheduled board meeting.

All meetings will take place at the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities office, located at 2505 South Ridge Road East, Kingsville, in Conference Room 110A.

11/13/2025

It’s always a great opportunity to be on Sunrise Live with Jim!
Thank you, Jim, for welcoming us and giving us the chance to share more about the Ashtabula County Board of DD and the work we do to support people throughout Ashtabula County!

Ryan Jenks, Board Member; Manda Jackson, Quality and Community Outreach; and Tia Woodard, SSA Case Manager, all from Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disability, joined me this morning for a lively discussion of what our local DD entity does and how it serves the community!

We talked about the recently passed Renewal Levy, and how those funds are used to support 600+ individuals with differing needs in the DD community!

Our local Board of DD recently received their 3 year accreditation from the State of Ohio, noting their good work with their clients on an ongoing basis! Congratulations!

Two recent projects involving the DD Board are the completed Walnut Beach Accessibility and Inclusion Playground, making the area available to all, and more easily accessible to those in wheelchairs or other mobility devices…. A new similar playground project is slated to happen in Jefferson soon, and is becoming a model for other parks and recreation areas!

It was interesting to have Ryan’s perspectives expressed, as he is now a voting board member, and recipient of DD services, and sharing his views, concerns and ideas on how to better serve this community! He’s also really funny!

Thank you all for an informative visit today!

11/12/2025

Enjoy the creativity and talent of our artists all year long with the 2026 Work of Heart calendar, featuring beautiful artwork created by people supported by the Ashtabula County Board of DD.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the stunning pieces featured! These calendars make the perfect holiday gifts. Don’t miss out on this inspiring collection & reserve your copy/copies today to have them in time for the holidays!

Click here to reserve your copy today: https://tinyurl.com/2nvjju3v

11/11/2025

Celebrating Bryce: A Hardworking Team Member at Discount Drug Mart!

Each month, we spotlight people we support working in our community and the employers who foster inclusive workplaces. This month, we’re excited to highlight Bryce!

Bryce is a stocker at Discount Drug Mart, and this is his very first job. He’s been part of the team for about three months and is really enjoying the experience. He loves learning something new each day and is fascinated by all the different products the store carries, even ones he has never seen before! Bryce has also built great relationships with his coworkers. They speak highly of him, sharing that he’s dependable, hardworking, and always willing to tackle any task. One coworker even said, “We are glad to have Bryce on board. He is a hard worker, gets stuff done, and is an all around good guy.” Outside of work, Bryce enjoys spending time with his friends. Thank you to Drug Mart for fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace for everyone!

11/11/2025

Did you know that Supported Decision-Making Network of Ohio (SDMNO) meets monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of each month?

Their meetings are open to everyone interested in Supportive Decision Making.

Join the meeting this week, Wednesday, November 12th, from
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM.

Are you interested in telling your story around SDM? You can be featured at one of their Wednesday meetings, too!

Topic: SDMNO Meeting
Time: Nov 12, 2025 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83675000420?pwd=XV3pshn8jfwE0srqxiXNExbYYxwte5.1

Meeting ID: 836 7500 0420
Passcode: 920956

11/11/2025

Today, we join our community in recognizing and thanking all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Your courage, sacrifice, and dedication to protecting our freedoms are deeply appreciated.

We are grateful for the veterans among our staff, families, and friends who continue to make a difference every day.

11/10/2025

We’re excited to feature Terri as our Work of Heart Featured Artist for November!

Terri's beautiful artwork is on display all month at the Ashtabula County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center where she posed for a photo with George Dubic, Administrator of the Nursing Home.

More amazing artwork from talented local artists supported by the Ashtabula County Board of DD can also be enjoyed at:

📍 AM Ford
📍 Office of State Rep. David Thomas
📍 Ashtabula County Educational Service Center
📍 Ashtabula County Auditor's Office- Scott Yamamoto Auditor
📍 Ashtabula County Board of DD
📍 Henderson Library-Jefferson, OH

Thank you to our community partners for helping us showcase the incredible talents of our artists. Your support shines a light on the creativity and abilities that make our community so special.

Be sure to visit these locations throughout November and celebrate the amazing creativity of our local artists!

If you would like to purchase the 2026 Work of Heart Calendar. To order your copy today, please click here to register. https://tinyurl.com/bdehs93y

11/10/2025

The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, November 13th at 6:00 PM. There will be a Finance Committee meeting starting at 5:00 PM before the regular scheduled board meeting this month.

All meetings will take place at the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities office, located at 2505 South Ridge Road East, Kingsville, in Conference Room 110A.

11/10/2025

Join us for our next Ashtabula Playgroup!

DATE: Monday, November 17th
TIME: 4:00–5:00 PM
LOCATION: Ashtabula County Board of DD (2505 South Ridge Rd. East, Ashtabula)

This fun & free Playgroup is designed for children ages 0–5. It's a great opportunity for little ones to play, explore, and make new friends while parents and caregivers connect, too!

There’s plenty of space to play, snacks to enjoy, and smiles to share. We can’t wait to see you there!