Every Staff working For OPWDD suffering through not only Covid 19 and also a staffing crisis could use a huge financial thank you.  Our staff have endured hardships that shouldn't go unrecognized.  Not only 60 plus our work weeks and constant policy changes.  But the care provided to our Service Recipients.  From the start of the pandemic staff scared and still providing care to the people people didn't understand what was going on but the huge change to there daily lives.  Removal from programs to no outings at all.  Staff not getting supplies needed and PPE impossible to get.  Staff continued to push through these struggles.  Being exposed to Covid positive individuals and still required to maintain the best care possible.  The state wasn't prepared for this but staff still pushed forward.  Not able to work from home nor switch to zoom the staff still there.  In November 2021 email waved raises and bonuses in our faces but not for us but others.  Then the current raises not given to current staff but only to raise new employees wage to meet the starting pay for new hires.  If you truly care about putting people first as you say.  How about reward the staff putting those people first everyday of the week usually on a 16 hour shift.  These wonderful staff working endless to provide your mission statement deserve all that can be given.  To not only not give them the raise they deserve but to also rub in their face the raise there not getting is truly disgusting and inhumane.  For a agency Mission Statement to put people first to do this, doesn't understand what there mission statement means.  From all of us Tired, Frustrated and Under Appreciated Direct Support Prefessionals that deserve your respect.