Community Opportunity Center Celebrates 60 Years in Operation This Holiday Season
As we come to the close of 2025, Community Opportunity Center (COC) completes its 60th year of service to people with developmental disabilities. During the span of 60 years, COC has moved through several phases of operation: beginning as a small vocational program housed in Newburgh School in Livonia in the mid 1960s, to opening some of the first 16 person homes offering an alternative to residential institutions in the 70s and early 80s, to establishing smaller 4-6 person homes in the mid 80s through the 90s and early 2000s. Our longevity has allowed us to support many residents for decades, traveling with them through life as they learn, grow and experience life’s milestones.
Along the way, families, friends and local businesses have provided support to COC in the form of donations and or volunteering their time and talent, all of which have contributed to the stability of the organization over time. We continue to be grateful for your steadfast commitment to our mission, which is to provide quality housing to those we serve. We wish all of our supporters a wonderful holiday season, filled with peace, laughter and love.
COC Receives $50,000 from The Margaret Dunning Foundation
COC completed a large remodeling project at Friendship House in May of 2025. The project included improvements in the kitchen, laundry room, living room, office and 2 bathrooms. The $50,000 grant contributed a significant portion of the total cost of renovation. COC is grateful for this generous financial support. Our mission of supporting vulnerable adults and the legacy of Margaret Dunning are intertwined and perfectly matched. The home has been renamed Heaton House, after long time Board member, Bill Heaton. Everyone at Heaton House, residents and staff, are enjoying their cozy new home.
For more information about the Margaret Dunning Foundation and to learn about former long time Plymouth resident, Margaret Dunning, visit: margaretdunningfdn.org
On the Road with Sydney West And our Friends from Garden City Opportunity Manor
Garden City Opportunity Manor (GCOM) has the most intricate transportation schedule among all the home sites supported by COC. Getting 15 residents to and from work, appointments and errands requires a full time staff, dedicated to transportation. Each weekday there is some combination of an early morning run, mid-morning run, late-afternoon run and evening run. The man behind the transportation schedule is Sydney West. These days he can be found in the GCOM van, playing Christmas music, talking with residents, participating in lively back and forth upbeat banter. With Sydney as your driver, it is impossible not to be in a good mood going to work. The consistent, safe, reliable transportation provided by staff like Sydney is one of the key components which must be in place to allow residents to build long-term vocational success. No matter how strong their work performance may be, if people cannot get to/from their jobs they can’t maintain employment.
With access to consistent transportation the residents of GCOM are thriving vocationally. Ronnie has worked at
Haggerty Metals in Plymouth, sorting and recycling scrap metal for 23 years. Carrie, Craig Anna and Patrick have worked at the STEP Thrift shop for several years. Linda, Jenny, Anna and Robert perform production work at STEP and have done so for over 10 years. Thomas has worked at Holiday Market for over 25 years. Megan participates in supported employment and enrichment classes at Community Work Opportunities; she is transitioning from her work at a dog day care and looking for a new work opportunity. Stephen has been employed with Kroger for 4 years and Nate has been employed at Granite City for over 3 years. Working is an important role for adults. It provides a sense of purpose, and contributes to overall well-being through social connection, personal growth, and a connection to society. With transportation assistance from COC, the people of GCOM are on the move and contributing to their community.
Employee of the Year, Spirit of COC and Nightingale Awards
The Employee of the Year Award is given annually to the employee who best demonstrates the work and philosophy of COC’s long-time Executive Director, Denise King, who had a heart and passion for COC. The 2024 recipient is Mike Zientarski. Mike has been employed with COC for 13 years. He is a trusted and dependable employee. His most notable quality is his ability to develop strong relationships with the residents in his care. He is always mindful of their dignity and looks for ways to place them in circumstances where they can exercise choice and control over their lives. He works to get to know their personalities and preferences and helps them pursue their passions and interests. Mike is a comforting, stabilizing force in the lives of our residents. They love him and look forward to being with him when he comes to work. Congratulations, Mike. COC is honored to recognize you as the Employee of the Year.
The Nightingale Award was established to recognize the COC employee who has provided exemplary care to a resident, comfort to family and leadership to coworkers during a time of medical crisis for the resident. The 2024 recipient is Ferrari Griffin. Ferrari has been employed with COC for 16 years. Ferrari cares about people and enjoys the reward of watching the people of COC live their best lives. One aspect of that is having their health conditions managed well. Ferrari has formal education pertaining to medical topics , which enhances her understanding of systems within the body and various medical procedures. Ferrari also maintains good relationships with families, keeping them informed of their loved one’s health status. She is smart, persistent and a dependable member of any care team. Congratulations, Ferrari. COC is honored to present you with the Nightingale Award.
The Spirit of COC Award is given annually to the employee who constantly enhances the work environment for their peers at COC by applying their versatile skills set across different departments and roles. The recipient embodies a spirit of support, care and service to coworkers across the corporation. The 2024 recipient is Paula Gibbony. Paula joined the accounting team in July of 2022. She has quickly become a presence in the main office, stepping out from behind the numbers with a smiling, friendly face. She brings experience and expertise in her field to COC, helping shape process and efficiency, balancing precision with patience. Paula encourages staff with kindness and boosts confidence to help her coworkers feel supported no matter what the task! Congratulations, Paula. COC is honored to present you with the Spirit of COC Award.
Welcoming Rachel Young
In April we welcomed Rachel Young to the COC family as our full-time Nurse. Rachel has been a Healthcare professional since 1999 and in 2018 she completed her education to become an LPN (licensed practical nurse). Her accreditations include Medication Administration, BLS/First Aid/AED, Seizure Recognition and First Aid, and she has previous experience working in an assisted living environment. She came to us with a passion for teaching, and she is looking forward to developing and carrying out training sessions with our staff on topics including, medication passing, would care and management of chronic conditions.
Rachel is a mother of 2 sons and has 2 grandsons whom she adores. She loves watching football, especially watching our very own Detroit Lions! She can chat you up about all things football, and you can guarantee she is sporting her Lions gear front and center on game days!
Rachel has jumped right in to provide tremendous support in the care of our residents. Her ability to juggle complex care needs, assist leadership in critical care support decisions and help define best practices across the organization has been such an asset to the organization and the individuals we serve.
Other new hires include: Falisha Amerson, Adetola Ayanlaja, Kira Betts, Patricia Schoenberg, Trudy Vaerten and Amanda Watkins
We Get Stronger Together
We continued the COC tradition of coming together to work out and become stronger through floor yoga with participants from 6 different homes. Other classes throughout COC also take place such as: Garden City’s walking club, Plymouth House’s cardio drumming, and our newest class, chair yoga at Livonia House. These classes strengthen bodies, the bonds of friendship, balance, and confidence.
Remembering Rosemarie Hardy
Rosie was a very fun person who loved Uno and getting her nails done! Rosemarie also had the cutest laugh and we loved to hear it when we shared a joke with her. She could always be counted on to choose red as her favorite color. For those of you who knew Rosemarie, when you see something beautiful in the color red, remember Rosie at her best, and smile.
Families as Partners in Care
Families as Partners in Care (FPC) is a parent run committee for any family member that wants to take a larger role in supporting COC and our residents. The group is led by Co-Chairs, Mae-Yong Ogletree and Marylyn Cantrell and supported by COC Board President, Dixie Hibner. The FPC helps to create and organize events, support volunteer efforts, and streamline communications between families, the community and COC employees. This group provides a wonderful opportunity to meet our residents and staff. And engage with family members of our COC residents. It also provides a network of support and encouragement when navigating shared experiences.
If you are interested in learning more about or joining this committee, please contact Glen Hearn: GHearn@cochomes.net
A Thank you to PNC Bank
Over the last 2 years, PNC bank has provided support to COC in the form of 2 grants. The first of which was a $5,000 grant in 2024 that allowed us to install iPads in our small home settings without a computer. Having the iPads in these settings allows for easier electronic clock in/clock out and real-time tracking of staffing patterns to support accurate Medicaid billing. The second grant, provided in 2025, was $10,000.00 and funded annual passes for COC residents to the Science Center, the Zoo and the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village; these passes are currently in use and will expire in March of 2026. Many thanks to PNC bank for contributing to the mission of COC – helping those we serve live their best lives.
A thank you to St. Kenneth’s for the Valentine’s Day Dance
We would like to extend a warm “thank you” to all of the volunteers that make this event possible. We look forward to this dance every year, it is always SO MUCH FUN.
We Appreciate Our Volunteers!
How to Get Involved:
COC is always in need of volunteers to help get gardens, yards, and plant areas ready and maintained for the summer and fall. We are always looking for interested people that would like to help with weeding, trimming bushes, and spreading mulch. If you are interested in helping at a certain location please contact Glen Hearn, ghearn@cochomes.net, 734-838-0540.
Volunteer Projects Completed
- Every other Monday night volunteers pick up donated Panera goodies and drop them off at the main office on Tuesdays as part of Panera’s Day-End Dough-Nation program. This program donates approximately $27,000 of baked goods to COC per year.
- Sally Pinchock comes into the main office on Thursdays or Fridays weekly and helps the program managers file paperwork. Sally also helps file taxes for any of the COC residents.
- Run Downtown Plymouth (RunDTP) group led by Theresa Gutierrez, Linda, Ryan, Ann, Johanna & Mike, have been meeting the residents at POH and walking with them every Tuesday, rain or shine, from April through October.
- Norm Augustine comes into the main office every two to three months and helps audit the cash books for the program managers.
- St. Timothy sends several volunteers to the COC Office to help residents create a variety of arts and crafts projects developed by Lisa, Chris, and Barb. The residents always look forward to the creative activities the volunteers prepare for them.
- Volunteers from the court systems provide much needed help with keeping yards looking good by pulling weeds, raking leaves, and trimming bushes.
We want to say a HUGE thank you to all of the volunteers who have put their time and effort into COC and have helped to enrich the experiences and lives for our residents.
Support the Mission of COC
Legacy Giving Program
As the people supported by Community Opportunity Center (COC) age, the Corporation is in a position of self-funding extra staffing and services needed as well as modifications to homes and vehicles. Mental Health funding does not cover costs associated with maintaining homes and providing employee benefits to attract quality staff.
For these reasons and more, we need to strengthen COC’s resources to continue helping people achieve their greatest potential while living in a caring and safe environment. You can help by considering COC in your estate planning. Means of offering support include:
- Make a donation in memory of a loved one, in honor of a special occasion, a matching gift through your employer or a direct contribution.
- Identify Community Opportunity Center as a beneficiary of a portion of your Retirement Plan, Life Insurance Policy or financial accounts such as a bank or brokerage account or a CD.
- Those over 70½ who must take the required minimum distribution (RMD) from their IRA annually can donate directly from their investment source. In this way it’s treated as a reduction in income and the standard deduction on your tax return can still be taken.
Donations are tax deductible. With your gift, you can help us do what we do today, even better tomorrow.
Participate in Other Donation Programs
Community Opportunity Center, NPHC (COC) is currently enrolled in two different donation programs. Donating through these programs will never cost you more money. Each year we receive contributions as a result of families and friends of COC who shop at Kroger using their rewards card and iGive.com.
Sign up for a Kroger Plus shopper’s card and enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program to ensure COC receives your donation. To confirm your contribution, Community Opportunity Center will be printed at the bottom of your receipt. Register at: krogercommunityrewards.com
Shopping online through iGive.com connects you to over 700 brand name stores including eBay, Staples, JC Penney, Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, QVC, Expedia, Home Depot, Best Buy, Gap and Nordstrom. A portion of each purchase will be donated to COC. In fact, shopping through iGive.com will often save you money through exclusive coupon codes and deals offered just for our members. Sign up at www.igive.com/welcome
If you need help signing up with any of the above, please contact Glen Hearn in the COC office at 734-838-0540.
Thank You to Our Generous Donors
In Honor and Memory
Honorary and Memorial Donations help provide for the general needs of COC and the men and women we support. Call us at 734-422-1020 and we will deliver memorial envelopes to a funeral home or to your home. Also, anyone who desires to remember COC through their memorial giving can send a donation to COC in memory of an individual. Consider an Honorary donation to honor someone special for their birthday, anniversary, or just because you care. Whether remembering or honoring someone, a recognition letter is sent to the recipient and the donor. Your donation will make a difference!
Honorary Donations
In Honor of Jenny Pearson – Mrs. Elaine Pearson
Memorial Donations
In Memory of Rosemarie Hardy – Mr. Kevin Hardy
In Memory of Ed Hibner – Mr. & Mrs. Carl Cantrell
In Memory of Patricia Marshall – Ms. Nancy Schriver
In Memory of Eileen Murphy – Mr. Robert Murphy
General Donations
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Abar
Mr. Michael Averill
Mr. William Cole
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Diegel
Mr. Edward Hibner
Ms. Barbara Krasiecko
Mr. John Lawrence
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Mc Ilhargey
Mr. Matthew Munn
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Van Dyne
Ms. Margaret E N Yogi
Grants
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Fidelty Charitable
Margaret Dunning Foundataion
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Pearson
PNC Bank
COC is committed to providing the best possible living situation for the men and women we support. A critical factor that contributes to achieving this goal is contributions of all kinds. Your generous monetary donations help maintain COC’s high standards.
COC Board Members
- Holly Heath, Executive Director
- Dixie Hibner, President
- Chris Dancy, Vice President
- Tom McLean, Treasurer
- Larry Boulton, Secretary
- Dan Cytacki
- Lyle Daniels
- Ed Diegel
- Marge Mitchell
- Jenny Sherman
- Francine Stroud
- Bert Valdez