Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Stark DD)

06/16/2026

This annual event returns again this year. Look out ... You are on the Wanted List!

Join the Stark DD Service and Support Administrators for this western-style celebration. 🤠

Dress in your best Western/County clothes. Free skate rentals, light refreshments provided!

Must be 18 years of age and older to attend. SORRY...NO KIDS ALLOWED.

No tickets are required; Free for attendees.

06/15/2026

☀️ Free Summer Meals Are Available for Children & Eligible Young Adults in Stark County 🍎

When school is out, free meals are still available throughout the summer for children ages 18 and younger.

Eligible students ages 19–21 who receive special education services through an IEP may also qualify.

Local schools, libraries, food pantries, and community organizations are working together to help families access nutritious meals during the summer months.

📍 Meal sites, food programs, and pickup locations are listed below.

06/15/2026

The next scheduled meeting of the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities Governance Board will be on June 23, 2026, beginning at 6 p.m. The Board meeting will be held in the Ernest Cohen Room at the Whipple-Dale Centre, 2950 Whipple Ave. N.W.

The meeting is open to the public. Additionally, viewers can watch the meeting livestream through the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities page.

06/12/2026

Stark County Board of DD School Programs at Southgate Summer Camp

06/08/2026

🌟 Congratulations to our next All-Star DSP, Isaac Lipkins! 🌟

Nominated by Ryan Lennon of XL Developmental Services, Isaac is recognized for his unwavering commitment to delivering genuine, high-quality support to the people he serves.

Isaac takes the time to understand each person's unique preferences, needs, likes, and dislikes, providing individualized support with compassion, dignity, and respect. His strong focus on health and safety, including his expertise in managing seizures, makes him a dependable and highly skilled professional who consistently goes above and beyond.

Isaac's thoughtful, person-centered approach helps those he supports feel valued, understood, and secure, enhancing their quality of life each day. He is also known for his leadership, teamwork, and willingness to assist colleagues and share his knowledge with others.

Respected by both his peers and the individuals he serves, Isaac leads by example through his professionalism, passion, and dedication to the developmental disabilities field.

Congratulations, Isaac, on this well-deserved recognition as an All-Star DSP! ⭐

If you would like to learn more about the Stark DD All-Star DSP Appreciation program, visit our website at https://www.starkdd.org/dsp-all-star

06/06/2026

06/05/2026

Stark County Board of DD School Programs at Southgate

06/05/2026

The Canton Palace Theatre’s Sensory Cinema movie series is an inclusive initiative designed to make the magic of movies accessible to all audiences, especially those with sensory sensitivities. While the historic theatre has temporarily closed as it begins the first phase of its 100th anniversary renovation project, the series continues in 2026 at the Cultural Center Theater, ensuring the experience remains available to the community! You can check out the full article in this month edition of Uhiquely You by following the link below!

https://www.flipsnack.com/BFFF6B77C6F/uniquely-you-magazine-june-2026?p=48

06/03/2026

Congratulations to our next All-Star DSP, Janelle Auber, of Patricks Helping Hands. Janelle was nominated by Amanda Patrick of Patricks Helping Hands.

In her nomination of Janelle as an all-star, she wrote:

"Janelle is an amazing DSP who goes above and beyond daily. She is constantly thinking of ways to improve folks’ everyday life with new activities to do. She gets in the kitchen daily to help prepare some pretty awesome recipes. She shows up every single day with a positive attitude and has great rapport with people she supports, including someone who used to have challenging behaviors.

She enriches the lives of all those she meets including coworkers. They have told me they lean on Janelle and try to mimic her everyday ways so they get better results daily. She excels at meal planning, helping people learn to cook, and making small recipe books. This aligns with one person’s outcome in their ISP. She is skilled at quickly de-escalating and turning a bad moment into a positive one. Janelle is sincere, caring, optimistic, and on point !

Janelle takes the lead without even realizing that she's doing it. She came up with an idea of a chore chart for someone who becomes triggered when DSPs frequently give verbal cues. The result has been positive. She initiates different daily activities to help people engage with community and personal health from swimming at the YMCA, coin hunting, and BINGO. Janelle is one of a kind and a true asset to Patrick's Helping Hands.

Janelle will take the time to be creative and think of outside the box things for people to do. This includes finding meaningful activities to help avoid challenging behaviors or moments of conflict. She knows how to make those around her happy and that’s what it’s all about!"

👉If you would like to learn more about the Stark DD All-Star DSP Appreciation program, visit our website at https://www.starkdd.org/dsp-all-star