2022 Impact Report

2022

A Year of Growth and Innovation 701-839-4724 | WWW.INDEPENDENCECIL.ORG | MINOT, ND + BOTTINEAU, ND

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“THE MOST VALUABLE THING THE TEAM AT INDEPENDENCE, INC. HAS TAUGHT ME IS THAT MY LIFE, HOPES, DREAMS, AND GOALS MATTER. THAT I MATTER, AND I CAN DO GREAT THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY." I recently received that quote from a person whom we served in the last year. I figured it was the perfect introduction to the 2022 Impact Report.

The past year was a record setting year for Independence, Inc. Let’s look at some of these accomplishments: • We served a record number 733 people through our core services this year.

• We assisted a record 31 people to transition from a nursing home back into their own home.

• We prevented another 26 people from moving into a nursing home.

• We prevented 12 people from becoming homeless.

• We assisted 12 others to move home from a homeless shelter, or other similar congregate living arrangement, into their own home.

• We provided Pre-Employment Skills training to over 300 students in 22 regional high schools.

We helped dozens of other people to find a job, to find better housing, to learn to ride the bus or to pass their drivers test.

When looking at these numbers, I try to look at the impact they represent on people’s lives. How liberating it is to move home from a nursing facility and back into your own home. The peace that comes when homelessness is no longer a daily fear. The freedom that comes with your own driver’s license. The doors that open when you graduate high school with the skills needed to transition into adulthood.

These stats also have a massive impact on our communities. When people live independently, they live longer, are healthier, and it costs the taxpayers a whole bunch less.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve people with all types of disabilities throughout our 11 county service area. We appreciate each and every individual who has trusted us to support them as they achieve their dreams.

Scott Burlingame Executive Director

WHO WE ARE

Independence, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to empowering individuals with disabilities, seniors, and people with behavioral health disorders to live independently.

We are a non-residential, community-based, consumer-controlled agency that provides a variety of enrichment services designed to help North Dakotans with disabilities escape dependency, emerge from poverty, maximize self-sufficiency, and actively participate in community life.

STAFF Scott Burlingame, Executive Director Jamie Hardt, Program Director Amber Johnson, Finance Director Kate Rock, Community Relations Specialist Nicole Beech, Independent Living Advocate Leigha Just, Independent Living Advocate Connie Klein, Independent Living Advocate Laura Mendez, Independent Living Advocate Katie Johnson, Independent Living Advocate Haley West, Independent Living Specialist Pamala Mondragon, Information Specialist Sierra Scherr, Youth Transition Specialist MacKenzie Larson, Peer Support Specialist

2022 BOARD John Sallee, President Dawn Palumbo, Vice-Chair Lacey Krueger, Secretary/Treasurer Andrea Savelkoul, Member-at-Large Kyle Erickson, Director Ashley Beall, Director Allyson Berner, Director Rianne Kuhn, Director Drew Hanson, Director

Mission

Federal State Money Follows the Person Free Through Recovery/Community Connect CARES Act Vocational Rehabilitation Fundraising Donations Misc.

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

2022 Revenue*

Federal - $144,297 State - $337,665 Money Follows the Person - $476,106 Free Through Recovery/Community Connect - $129,999 CARES Act - $35,444 Vocational Rehabilitation - $33,012 Fundraising - $36,366 Donations - $15,412 Misc. - $27,167

TOTAL REVENUE: $1,235,468 *UNAUDITED

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

In the fall of 2021, we welcomed MacKenzie (Kenzie) Larson to our team as a Peer Support Specialist. Kenzie uses her lived experience to assist others to live healthy lives in the community. Kenzie is also responsible for encouraging people with all types of disabilities to participate fully within the community in which they live.

SOUND OF INDEPENDENCE

In June, Independence, Inc. kicked off the 2022 Arts in the City Thursdays Downtown with the Sound of Independence Live Music Festival. This event, done in partnership with the Minot Area Council of the Arts, provided the opportunity for musicians with and without disabilities to promote inclusivity by performing live in downtown Minot.

Our Advocates of the Year for 2022 were: Courtney Gorze ADVOCATES OF Youth Advocate of the Year THE YEAR and Stephaney Beamis Advocate of the Year

Our organization offers core services to eleven North Dakota counties including Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McKenzie, McHenry, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville, Rolette, Ward, and Williams.

SERVICES

WHO WE SERVE

FREE THROUGH RECOVERY

CORE SERVICES

PROGRAMS NURSING HOME + COMMUNITY TRANSITION

INFORMATION + REFERRAL

INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING

PEER MENTORING

INDIVIDUAL + SYSTEMS ADVOCACY

YOUTH TRANSITION

TRANSPORTATION TRAINING

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE

HOUSING HELP

Mental/Emotional 25.2%

EDUCATION SUPPORT

Consumers By Disability Type

Multiple/Other 8%

Physical 21.3%

FINANCIAL LITERACY

TRANSFORMATION SERVICES

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Cognitive 45.4%

Independence, Inc., serves people of all disability types. This year we have seen an increase in consumers with physical disabilities requesting services.

Rolette 10.3%

Consumers By County

Bottineau 13.9%

With offices in Minot and Bottineau, it is no surprise that we serve many people in those locations. However, the staff in our offices travel throughout our entire service area, or offer services virtually. Because of this, we serve people in each of the counties we serve.

Burke 11.5%

Renville 9.7%

Pierce 4.2%

Divide 9.7%

568

Mountrail 10.9%

IN WARD COUNTY

McHenry 21.8%

Serv

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ect

IN SERVICE AREA

Com

i ty Edu c

7494

a

nd

ion

733

un

at

ir

erral

1068

D

n and R

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io at

ef

Inform

McKenzie 0.6%

733

c

h

Williams 7.3%

Outrea

Throughout the year, our organization serves people in a variety of ways.

From working directly with people to achieve their independent living goals, to providing information on services and programs available in our community, Independence, Inc. served a total of 9,295 people throughout 2022.

60+ 14.9%

Consumers By Age At Independence, Inc., we serve people of all ages. In the past year we served more adults aged 25 to 59, and in those who are over the age of 60.

5-19 44.6%

25-59 36.4%

20-24 4.1%

DISABILITY AWARENESS IN SCHOOLS

In 2022, Independence, Inc. provided disability awareness to 503 students at 5 elementary schools in our service area.

These lessons included defining disability, reading a book featuring a student with disabilities, and participating in an activity that asked disability related questions to the students. We also provided each student with a Disability Awareness Activity Booklet to take home.

A NIGHT WITH STEPHANIE LAND

To continue with the Building Dreams Capital Campaign, this September we hosted our Building Dreams Event: A Night with Stephanie Land.

Stephanie Land is the author of Maid which details her story, and struggle, of living in poverty. This event continued our major fundraising efforts to help pay off our building and continue remodeling it to better meet the needs of our community. We are grateful for the support shown by our sponsors and community at this event.

This past year, provided voter education prior to the local and midterm elections. This included hosting a candidate forum and compiling a list of polling places in our service area.

Independence, Inc. also completed 25 accessibility surveys of polling locations throughout the 11 counties we serve and coordinated the survey of 100 locations throughout North Dakota.

VOTER'S EDUCATION & POLLING SURVEY'S

DISABILITY PRIDE DISPLAY

This year, Independence, Inc. focused on redefining disability related stigma and promoting disability pride. We did this in two ways.

The first way was through our #FactFriday campaign on social media.

This 10-part series was meant to help destigmatize disability.

The second way was through asking community members with and without disabilities "What does disability pride mean to you?"

Participants were photographed with their answers, and the photos were displayed at the Minot Public Library throughout December.

RETURN OF THE CHILI BOWL

After two years off, 2022 saw the return of the Chili Bowl VI. We were excited to bring this fun event back to our community. The Chili Bowl is a restaurant competition to find out who makes the best chili in our service area. Pictured are our Celebrity Judges, and winners.

Arny's 2.0 won People's Choice and Backroad's Café won Critic's Choice!

LUNCH PALS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

In 2022, Independence, Inc. partnered with Companions for Children to offer a new program called Lunch Pals for Students with Disabilities. This program offers peer mentoring to students with disabilities by adults with disabilities. At the beginning of the 2022 school year, there were 8 mentoring matches.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first program of its kind in the country.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENCE, INC. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL Facebook: @IndependenceCIL Instagram: @IndependenceCIL

DONATE MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION‫ ‏‬TO HELP US ACHIVE OUR MISSION

Minot Office 315 3rd Ave. SW Minot, ND 58701 | Tel: (701) 839-4724 www.independencecil.org info@independencecil.org

SPREAD THE WORD TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS BEING DONE AT INDEPENDENCE, INC!

ATTEND AN EVENT JOIN US AT AN UPCOMING INDEPENDENCE, INC. EVENT

Bottineau Office 519 Main Street, Suite 4 Bottineau, ND 58318 | Tel: (701) 228-2221 www.independencecil.org connie@independencecil.org