Statements
Mission
The mission of United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee is to advance quality of life and opportunities for all people of all ages with all types of disabilities through direct services, advocacy, and support for them, their family members and caregivers. The agency provides services to individuals who have a variety of disabilities with focus on developmental conditions and disabilities that primarily affect mobility.
Our guiding vision is to realize a fully inclusive community, where people with disabilities have access and opportunity to achieve their fullest potential; a community where they and their families realize the promise of integration, self-direction, and quality of life choices.
Background
United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee (UCP) was incorporated in 1985 by concerned parents of children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, and volunteers. Our guiding vision is to achieve a fully inclusive community, where people with disabilities have access and opportunity to achieve their fullest potential; a community where they and their families realize the promise of integration, self-direction, and quality of life choices. UCP serves persons of all ages with all forms of disabilities, with focus on disabilities that primarily affect mobility and developmental progress. In recent years, UCP has dedicated our resources to the state's under-served populations, i.e., persons with significant disabilities who are not served by the state's system of developmental disability services, and persons who do not qualify for substantial governmental supports. These include children and adults with developmental disabilities who are disqualified from the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver Services because of diagnosis or who are on the extensive waiting lists for services in Tennessee's Medicaid Waiver Programs. The agency also serves a large population of individuals who have acquired disabilities as a result of conditions related to aging.
Impact
UCP has a very lean and efficient operation, with only 4 full time staff members and hundreds of volunteers. The services we have developed allow us to serve a substantial number of people at a low cost. These programs are sustainable, and they are to a certain extent scalable within the context of available funding. UCP programs provide targeted, essential relief that makes a measurable difference in the safety and independence of both the individual with a disability as well as their home-based caregivers. United Cerebral Palsy currently serves over 1750 people annually through the following initiatives (Each of these programs has waiting lists for services): Each year, UCP provides over $500K in retail value of durable medical equipment to persons with severe disabilities who could not otherwise acquire this equipment. Our Rutherford County Family Support Program serves over 140 individuals annually, with focus on families with children who have developmental disabilities and limited supports UCP, our volunteers and partner programs across the state have constructed over 2800 wheelchair ramps on to the homes of low income individuals with severe disabilities. Our sports and recreation programs serve approximately 35 children and young adults annually. UCP was recognized by the Tennessee State Legislature for our advocacy efforts which resulted in the creation of the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (now merging with the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability). UCP does not represent that our programs meet all of the needs of the populations we serve; their needs are immense. UCP will continue to advocate for sound public programs that provide equity in services to all disability populations. Until that time, our primary goals are: to continue to provide low-cost targeted services to relieve extraordinary needs to address waiting list needs in our key programs of service to expand our volunteer outreach, training and services, to develop non-restricted funds to meet ongoing operational needs.
Needs
Support is needed at every level to support our efforts to promote inclusion, support, and empowerment of people with disabilities. Among these needs include 1) Financial Supports to ensure continuation of programs and services and to cover essential operational costs of our agency. We also need 2) Advocacy and Awareness Supports, including raising awareness about disabilities and advocating for policy changes to improve accessibility, rights, and inclusion and educating the public and policymakers about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. 3) We need Active Volunteers to assist with direct services such as building wheelchair ramps and distributing durable medical equipment and essential supplies to people in need, and 4) We need Community Leaders to work within and outside United Cerebral Palsy to ensure the best future for our organization and the people we serve.
CEO Statement
United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee is unique among agencies serving individuals with developmental and acquired physical disabilities in Tennessee. UCP has chosen to focus on the needs of substantially unaddressed populations. Our agency relies on an array of public and private funding initiatives for basic services to our families. Many of our families report that they are living with substantial medical debt. The individuals our agency serves are people with documented and verifiable needs who simply have nowhere else to turn. Our resources are meager, but our volunteers and families prove every day that much can be done when limited resources are used with innovation and care.
Board Chair Statement
Working with United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee reminds me every day of the strength and resilience of people with disabilities and their families. I am also reminded that it isn't easy to work twice as hard as everyone else for every accomplishment you achieve. Our agency works to level the playing field. We believe that every person, regardless of ability, deserves a chance to thrive. And that's where you come in. Your generosity fuels our mission. It provides vital resources for UCP's direct, hands-on programs and services, making a difference each day in the lives of children and adults with severe disabilities.
So, I urge you: Give generously. Your contribution isn't just a donation; it's an investment in a brighter, more compassionate world. Together, we can break down barriers, create opportunities, and build a society where everyone belongs.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Human Services - Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers |
| Secondary Category: | Housing, Shelter - Home Improvements/Repairs |
| Tertiary Category: | Recreation & Sports - Amateur Sports |
Areas Served
While our primary focus is Middle Tennessee, UCP of Middle Tennessee provides services to individuals with disabilities in approximately 80% of Tennessee counties in any given year.
| TN - Bedford |
| TN - Cannon |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Clay |
| TN - Coffee |
| TN - Cumberland |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - DeKalb |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Fentress |
| TN - Franklin |
| TN - Giles |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Houston |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Jackson |
| TN - Lawrence |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Lincoln |
| TN - Macon |
| TN - Marshall |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Moore |
| TN - Overton |
| TN - Perry |
| TN - Pickett |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Stewart |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Trousdale |
| TN - Van Buren |
| TN - Warren |
| TN - Wayne |
| TN - White |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
