A new CFO for United Disabilities Services in Lancaster

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Grant S. Markley, who has a background in both the for-profit and nonprofit sector, will serve as the nonprofit’s CFO, the East Lampeter Township-based organization, which provides services to the aging, veterans and people with disabilities, announced.

Markley previously worked as COO at Rheems-based Wenger Feeds LLC, a privately owned poultry and swine-feed manufacturer in Lancaster. He formerly served as a board member for United Disabilities and its sister company, Lancaster Township-based Accessing Independence, which provides home health services.

Markley is replacing United Disabilities’ previous CFO, Laura Deeghan, after about a month-long search, spokesperson Debra Showalter said.

“He has a past history with the organization, and certainly his qualifications seemed to be the right fit for the organization,” Showalter said.

As CFO, Markley will be responsible for all financial operations including accounting, auditing, billing, budgeting and payroll.

He also will oversee the organization’s strategic planning and business operations.

Community donations critical

United Disabilities has operated in Lancaster County for about 51 years providing services such as in-home personal care, autism support and home modifications, and it serves about 30 counties in Pennsylvania, depending on the program, Showalter said.

This time of year is critical for the organization’s finances, as there are many fundraisers under way, Showalter said.

United Disabilities’ largest fundraiser is a gift-wrapping station at Lancaster shopping mall Park City, where volunteers wrap gifts outside of Sears from Black Friday through Christmas Eve.

The fundraiser, which is about 40 years old, typically raises about $35,000 per year.

United Disabilities also recently collected $25,000 in donations during Lancaster County’s day of giving, the Extraordinary Give, which took place Nov. 18.

Showalter used the organization’s service dog program as an example of how the money impacts the nonprofit.

The organization trains service dogs to support individuals with mobility disabilities as well as autism and post-traumatic stress disorder. Each situation requires different training.

It costs United Disabilities about $25,000 to raise a service dog from puppy to placement – United Disabilities requires the recipient only to personally raise up to $5,000 for the service – so it relies “very strongly on community donations to support that program,” Showalter said.