Inclusion Connections, Inc.

The primary goal of Inclusion Connections is to advance the independence of young people with developmental disabilities. This year our primary focus is two-fold: improving PawsAbilities employment program, and planning and fundraising for BelongKC supportive living initiative.

The strategy employed to enable Inclusion Connections to accomplish organizational goals is to offer year-round programming: Healthy Living, CreateAbility, EmployAbility (PawsAbilities) and Camps. Everything we do at IC is designed to accommodate abilities and promote independence of students. They and their families want more than what has been available in the past. Since 2013 programming has grown and expanded to meet the evolving needs of those we serve. Each year our revenues have increased, allowing us to serve more individuals and to provide a wider canopy of opportunities for them. One of the means we have employed to achieve success is to thoughtfully and strategically form community partnerships including other nonprofits as well as businesses. We are proud that many of these business partners have become multi-faceted: sponsoring Gala FashionAbility, providing volunteers, and employing our students. This strategy has allowed us to maximize impact.

Inclusion Connections continues to evolve, becoming a well-known and respected organization that gets things done! Our families and students are confident in our ability to provide the pathway to independence they want and need. The nonprofit is strong and vibrant, with a varied stream of revenues and wide community support. Our small size can be deceiving: we are capable of accomplishing a lot! We continue to add staff, refine partnerships, and are expanding our Learning Center space in Olathe once again in Spring 2022. PawsAbilities employment program continues to expand numbers served and sales of our products just doubled year-over-year. The needs of our students is a great motivator, and with greater funding we will continue to provide the opportunities they so richly deserve. Our BelongKC supportive living initiative is critically-needed in our Kansas City community, and remains an organizational focus.

PawsAbilities job skills training and placement program was implemented in 2016 to meet the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities as they transition from school to the workplace. Students learn translatable skills by making dog treats and other products, packing and shipping orders, waiting on customers in our retail and mobile stores, all in preparation for community-based employment. Our employment specialist cultivates businesses with positions matching students' interests and abilities, and we provide ongoing support for jobholders including job coaching, additional education and all-important transportation to/from workplaces (none are able to drive).

We also offer a wide-variety of evening program opportunities including cooking classes, individual and team fitness, art, music, dance and theater, and provide numerous social opportunities. In 2019 we implemented Inclusion for Life workshops for our families and other community members, addressing barriers, providing education and identifying resources across the life-span. This is just one example of how Inclusion Connections advocates for individuals with disabilities in our community.

In 2021 we began planning BelongKC, a supportive living initiative meeting a critical need in our community. We are currently working with experts and implementing a fundraising strategy to achieve this goal.