Return to flip book view

Report to the Community 2021

Page 1

Empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to lead better lives by providing a lifetime of high quality services family support and advocacy Report to the Community 2021

Page 2

The Arc Impact Since 1950 people with disabilities and their families have been placing their trust with the St Louis Arc Today the St Louis Arc serves more than 4 000 children teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders Down syndrome intellectual and other developmental disabilities From in person direct care to virtual programs we are proud of the difference we make in people s lives and are excited to share our impact through this Report to the Community A Home of His Own E veryone at the St Louis Arc seems to know Sam Sam has been involved in many of the Arc s Leisure programs for years from learning to cook in Cooking for Comfort to meeting others and staying active through the monthly Dance Club But Sam longed for more outside of Leisure activities and had set a goal Sam wanted to move out of his parent s house by his 30th birthday of Senior Services and Navigator of Residential Supports Great advocacy and anticipatory planning were instrumental in continued success for Sam for his parents and for the staff in Sam s home In 2020 Sam and his family found the right fit at the Arc s Dautel Circle Once a potential house was identified for Sam he and his family began visiting the house once a week Sam s parents Jane and Ed knew the St Louis to get to know the roommates and staff As Arc could help Sam achieve his goal We just Sam became more comfortable he began felt the Arc was organized and so well run visiting the home without his parents and his said Jane Sam doesn t communicate easily visits became longer Sam told his parents the but when he did he d say I want my own only words they needed to hear apartment I m ready He saw his younger siblings move out of the house and he wanted It s the perfect house that for himself Nice people all day I love Jane and Ed had attended the Arc s parent groups and workshops for years and learned what options Sam had for moving out of his family s home They would meet with the Arc s Residential team each year to develop a plan for when Sam was ready to move out Jane and Ed asked good questions and helped prepare staff for supporting Sam once he moved shared Mary Anne Tolliver Director Sam While transitioning to a new home during a pandemic was definitely challenging Sam embraced his love of exercise and the outdoors as a way to stay active In the past Sam volunteered at a variety of places in St Louis my bedroom It s good With the start of the pandemic however all of Sam s volunteer opportunities ended Sam At the age of 32 Sam was able to achieve his communicated with his staff that he was goal of moving into a home of his own Within bored so they helped him to explore his new the first month of Sam living at Dautel Circle neighborhood and go hiking in area parks his family noticed a difference Sam struggled to sleep through the night in his family home Sam has been a strong self advocate and with however now he rarely wakes in the middle of support from his parents and the St Louis the night and often tells staff he slept well in Arc he has achieved his goal Sam tells his his room He shared with staff and his family parents and his staff that now he s an adult that he feels like an adult in his new home With a strong plan in place Sam his parents He loves his room often borrowing movies and the Arc ensured a smooth transition to from the library and enjoying quiet time Sam s new home I love my house It is a alone Jane shared Sam never spent time friendly atmosphere and I love it every day alone when he lived with us He just never says Sam I am a very happy man I am knew how to occupy himself Now he can very stable and calm in my adult life Adult choose on his own to go and do something life is easy for Sam he continued I feel secure Succeeding in the Most Challenging of Times O ver the last five years Alexis has worked hard to build her skills as a parent with the support of the St Louis Arc s Parents Learning Together PLT program PLT helps parents who have intellectual or developmental disabilities safely and successfully raise their children and support their health education and development While Alexis has continued to succeed in the program little did she know that she would need to put all of her newly developed skills to use during one of the most challenging times for any parent a pandemic As school moved to a virtual format Alexis continued to advocate for her daughter She took the initiative and reached out to the school to remind them of the IEP her daughter needed Alexis spoke up for her daughter said Cathy She advocated for more assistance and for her daughter to receive more time for them to provide support During meetings she asked a lot of strong questions of the teachers and staff so she could fully understand the plan While advocating for her daughter the onset of the pandemic presented additional As a young mother of three children ages 8 challenges for Alexis as she tried to assist her 4 and 3 Alexis has worked hard to achieve 8 year old with virtual learning Alexis wasn t many outcomes in PLT She has grown into experienced with technology and didn t have a strong advocate for her children over the access to WiFi at home The school provided a past two years When Alexis noticed her oldest Chromebook to access the virtual classroom daughter was reading from right to left she but Alexis needed to find a hotspot to connect and Cathy Hayes Program Coordinator for to the internet Like many parents during the PLT spoke with the school to find support start of the pandemic Alexis also needed to Despite working with the school Alexis noticed learn how to connect her daughter to a virtual little progress in her daughter and was able classroom The PLT staff supported Alexis in to transfer her to a new school to get needed understanding the instructions and learning educational support The new school identified the steps to connect to Zoom Through the that Alexis s daughter should be evaluated and PLT program I have learned so much about began working on a plan of support how to take care of my kids said Alexis My main goal is to make sure I grow with my kids Alexis and I advocated strongly for her and do my part to take care of them daughter to be evaluated as soon as possible shared Cathy We attended every In addition to one on one support from PLT Parent Teacher conference to determine her staff participants attend group sessions with daughter s progress at school The school other parents PLT group sessions were able evaluated Alexis s daughter and recommended to continue virtually during the pandemic an Individualized Education Program IEP Coming together with other parents through Unfortunately the pandemic began shortly group sessions I learn a lot listening to thereafter others Alexis Despite the pandemic Alexis continues to meet the basic needs of her family Alexis schedules medical and dental appointments for herself and her children utilizing public transportation and family members for assistance to appointments Alexis has maintained connections with community supports and resources and used her newly developed technology skills to maintain social connections with peers I have learned how to express how I feel and I know I won t be judged The staff is trying to help me grow and learn Alexis Alexis and her family are proud of the significant progress she has made with her outcomes to be a successful parent This fall her daughter returned to school in person and Alexis enrolled her son in a Pre K classroom She is excited about the school year and continues to be a strong advocate for her children s education She demonstrates confidence in her parenting skills and is a great role model for her family and friends

Page 3

A Lifetime of Support SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES DAY SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT Launch Recreation Community Engagement Dautel Circle Counseling and targeted support for moms dads siblings transition ages and caregivers of older adults 870 PARTICIPANTS Teen and Young Adult transition programs including independent living classes social skills events and parent programs 201 PARTICIPANTS Individual and team sports weekend camp and active living programs 257 PARTICIPANTS Day program for adults to participate in their communities through volunteerism and recreation 144 PARTICIPANTS Embedded Early Education Family Education and Advocacy Connect Socialization Aging With Empowerment Embedded supports for teachers children and families in North County early childhood centers 300 CHILDREN Workshop series networking opportunities advocacy support and other educational activities for families and participants 567 ATTENDEES Helping individuals live independently with minimal support 60 PARTICIPANTS CHILDREN S SUPPORT FAMILY SUPPORT INDEPENDENCE SKILLS Capable Kids and Families Support and Counseling A lending library of therapeutic toys and equipment for children and support services and resources for parents 132 CHILDREN Prevention Education and awareness aimed at reducing the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome DIRECT EDUCATION TO 5 500 PEOPLE BROADER REACH THROUGH MEDIA 7 100 000 Therapy Services Developmental Occupational Speech and ABA and ESDM services at the child s home or through community partnerships 175 CHILDREN Family Navigation Support to find and maintain paid employment includes assessment job coaching job placement and retention 421 PARTICIPANTS In home Residential Support Respite Employment Training Parents Learning Together Parenting support and education for people who have disabilities and are raising children 41 PARENTS AND 95 CHILDREN Resources and Referrals Connecting families to information and resources through phone email and in person meetings 3 829 ENGAGEMENTS Program for aging adults that allows choice of daily activities common community space and options for socialization both in the community and on site 48 PARTICIPANTS Supported Employment 1 1 support to assist an individual or their family in navigating through a transition or goal 168 PEOPLE Short term relief for families caring for a child or adult with a disability Arc provides reimbursement services 1 356 FAMILIES Social activities such as dances book club art and cooking classes Family Fun Nights music therapy and Community Meetups 3 910 PARTICIPANTS Support in attaining employment skills Includes summer programs and collaborating with school districts to help students gain work experience 133 PARTICIPANTS Support for people to live in homes located on a campus like environment in west St Louis County with 24 hour staffing 67 RESIDENTS Community Based Support for people to live in apartments and homes in the community with 24 hour staffing if needed 53 RESIDENTS In FY2021 The Arc had 450 full and part time staff benefited from the services of 681 volunteers offered 4 834 programs virtually to keep individuals and families engaged during the pandemic Participant numbers based on the fiscal year ended June 30 2021

Page 4

Arc Highlights Financial Information Planning Forward REVENUE FUN FACT Planning Forward is an 8 week course designed to guide people with disabilities and their families through planning for the future Through discussing topics such as safety and security healthy living advocacy and community living individuals are able to begin designing how they want to live as they approach their aging years 86 Total Revenue 35 780 222 INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM FUN FACT Capable Kids and Families Capable Kids and Families is a program designed to promote early intervention by providing children ages birth to six and families with developmentally appropriate toys and therapeutic equipment free ofcharge Additionally the program connects families to community resources that meet their needs and facilitates network building and supportive friendships among parents 2 326 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES 59 FUN FACT One challenge during the pandemic was to create a virtual experience for Arc United participants athletes with and without INDIVIDUALS disabilities To fill the sport void the Leisure PARTICIPATED IN THE team developed an Esports video gaming PLUG IN PROGRAM IN league called PLUG IN Play Leisure s United ITS FIRST YEAR Games This inclusive Esports program one of two in the United States allows players ages 16 and up of all abilities and skill levels to play against their friends family and players in other states Participants learn valuable skills such as online etiquette communication good sportsmanship problem solving and teamwork Government Fees State 36 Government Fees Local 19 Program Fees 6 Contributions Events 5 United Way 2 Endowment Performance 8 COVID Relief PPP Loan 10 COVID Relief Grant 14 FY 2021 revenue included one time income received to offset COVID s multi year impact EXPENSES Operating Expenses 24 883 537 PLUG In NET ASSETS 100 80 60 40 Residential Adult Day Family Support Respite Children s Services Management General Supported Employment Leisure Fundraising Total Net Assets 45 14 16 7 8 6 2 2 28 910 193 Temporarily Restricted 822 566 Permanently Restricted 5 545 900 Unrestricted Quasi Endowment 13 439 560 Unrestricted Operating 9 102 167 20 FUN FACT In January of 2020 theSelf Advocates St Louis Arc connected with teens and young adults to start The St Louis Self Advocates Despite starting just before the pandemic the group has grown and is thriving The Self Advocates are St Louis area youth seeking to empower each other to increase awareness about disability related issues and improve their community Members are St Louis area residents between the ages of 14 and 29 who have a diagnosed disability The group s goals include advocacy quality and morale Year ending June 30 2021 53 REGISTERED MEMBERS OF THE ST LOUIS SELF ADVOCATES 0 Thank you to the following partners for their continued financial support of Arc programs ARCHS Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St Charles County Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Missouri Department of Economic Development Youth Opportunities Program Missouri Department of Mental Health Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council Productive Living Board for St Louis County St Louis Office for DD Resources United Way of Greater St Louis

Page 5

1177 N Warson Road St Louis MO 63132 www slarc org Get Involved Today 2021 Board of Directors Join Us In Our Mission In addition to providing a lifetime of high quality services family support and advocacy the Arc provides opportunities for community members to become engaged in our mission Volunteer through a variety of social and recreational activities Join our team and become a part of the Arc Advantage Staff members make a difference in the lives of others Donate a gift large or small to help us provide valuable services to individuals and families who need them Hire a qualified capable Arc participant to join your company s team VISIT www slarc org OR CALL US AT 314 569 2211 Joe Kinnison Chairman of the Board Dave Mayo Immediate Past Chair Ron Reim Chairman Elect Mark Jostes Vice Chair of Finance Mike Lackey Vice Chair of Governance Sherry Ward Vice Chair of Human Resources Suzanne C Engelhardt Vice Chair of Special Events Corporate Outreach G Patrick Galvin Co Vice Chair of Development Mary Steward Co Vice Chair of Development Paul Belfer Maggie Blakelock Michkeal Cross Leland B Curtis Courtney Dean Hazel Donald John Fey David Giuntoli Nancy Imbs Fred Jaeckle Karen Jordan Andy Kanefield Dan Kelley Johnny Londoff Jr Christopher Menz Scott Monette Libby Newport Bhavik Patel April Regester Ph D Kathie Winter Emeritus Connie Schnuck Thomas K Vandiver President CEO Mark A Keeley MSW LCSW

Page 6

Page 7

Page 8