PROGRAMS FOR EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE

PEP's goal is to provide a supported environment where community members learn, work, and engage with peers.  PEP exists to provide a pathway to a healthy and full life for the adult handicapped in Beaufort and Jasper, SC counties. PEP’s staff teaches skills related to home, work, social interaction, and employment. They educate the special needs community members to prep food and cook, create and sell ceramic art pieces, and use computers. Through PEP, our members have jobs at restaurants, retail stores, and the hospital. PEP enables social interaction by providing the opportunity to go on field trips, attend movies and plays, and volunteer in the local community.  PEP members become athletes, cheerleaders, bowlers, and Special Olympians.

PEP contracts with the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) whose role is to ensure that minimum standards are met. Those standards include maintaining a goal-oriented program of developmental, prevocational services designed to develop, maintain, increase or maximize an individual’s functioning in activities of daily living, physical growth, emotional stability, socialization, communication, and vocational skills.

PEP is aware of the need to get information out about the services provided. Developing plans to recruit potential members who would benefit from PEP services is necessary as well as making sure that expansion of services to accommodate additional members is a top priority. Also, making sure the PEP facility remains state-of-the-art in terms of safety and cleanliness.

PEP provides a supported environment where community members learn, work, and engage with peers. PEP accomplishes this with a great team of qualified and enthusiastic staff members and volunteers who are instructors, job coaches, and facilitators for all PEP members as they participate in daily scheduled, structured activities. PEP members and families all have a voice in happenings at PEP. Families and caregivers are encouraged to attend PEP activities, meetings, and gatherings several times a year as well as take surveys to voice their concerns and ideas. Currently there is a monthly committee meeting of PEP members who share ideas of activities they are interested in or would like to see more of at PEP.

PEP has a solid foundation for fundraising and with community support for over 25 years, PEP has earned a reputation as a respected and valued non-profit organization. PEP is always exploring ways to create new and reliable funding opportunities and is currently exploring and promoting legacy giving opportunities.

Strong Board leadership and support (through monthly Board meetings) enables PEP to not only achieve goals, but to aspire to new goals as well. The Board Treasurer oversees the financial activity of PEP and sets realistic income levels designed to move toward operating costs.

PEP remains vigilant in making sure every driver and instructor completes an annual comprehensive training to ensure high safety standards are met and maintained. Defensive Driving, CPR/First Aid, MANDT (Responding to Aggression and New Hire Training), OSHA (Fire Safety, Blood-Borne Pathogens, Lifting and Transfers, Consumer Funds, AIDS), and Understanding Disabilities, Abuse and Neglect, Bullying, HIPAA, etc. are included. Three van drivers and every PEP instructor must go through these trainings.

Through skilled staff and trained volunteers, PEP enriches the lives of each PEP member daily and reduces the burden of caregivers who are often needed to care for their family member around-the-clock. PEP provides transportation with a well-maintained fleet of vans, from each member's home and back again at the end of the day in order to make sure there is no barrier to attend. PEP's transportation program also allows PEP members to work in the community, go on field trips, go shopping, and make leisurely trips in the community.

In terms of ensuring a safe environment during COVID, PEP acquired two hospital grade air purifiers in August 2021. These air purifiers are run 24/7, the facility is sanitized daily, and a fogging machine to eliminate germs is also used weekly. PEP remained vigilant in safety practices during COVID and will continue thereafter.

PEP relies on social media and email blasts to make sure that PEP families as well as the community are aware of what is happening at PEP. The Board believes transparency is very important to maintain a relationship of trust and confidence.

PEP is the reason some families relocate to the Lowcountry, knowing there is support as well as employment for their intellectually disabled family member especially as caregivers age. In June 2021, launched an updated version of our website to help people learn about services, make the site more user-friendly, and make available community resources as well. There is also an on-going effort to utilize social media platforms more thoroughly to increase awareness and help make PEP events more successful.

PEP has increased employment opportunities for PEP members by soliciting businesses that need jobs filled by the skills they have. The ceramics studio is busy year round producing pieces hand made by PEP members and PEP is always looking for festivals and venues to sell the pieces.

PEP has also had success meeting financial obligations (through vigorous fundraising) as COVID diminished the number of attendees at PEP which decreased monthly income received by Medicaid. Today, PEP has a consistent daily increase in attendance and continues to fundraise through grant writing and at an annual Gala.

New programs include a Science Education Program and an Exercise Program. The Science Education Program includes Robotics, Science Experimentation, and Gardening (learning about the local eco-system). Also, PEP members are transported to a robust exercise program at the Island Recreation Center in Hilton Head Island twice a week, which caters to the needs and capabilities of each person. PEP is always on the cutting edge of improving the daily activities by listening to the wishes of each PEP member.