MARBRIDGE FOUNDATION INC
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The lifelong burden of caring for an individual with an intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) can be an immense challenge for families. There are not many options available for individuals with I/DD once they age out of the public-school system. The Texas Observer reported that 73,000 Texans with I/DD are on a waiting list for housing and/or home and community-based services. Research indicates that individuals with I/DD have a cognitive and adaptive behavior deficit that make it difficult for them to care for themselves. They are less likely to participate in leisure activities and engage in the community-at-large even though they exhibit the capacity to do so when offered the opportunity. Research shows that 85% of adults with I/DD are not employed and 57% of those who do have jobs, only earn minimum wage. Marbridge bridges this gap by providing housing, training and education, employment, and opportunities to participate in social and community engagement activities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Employment Program
Like many people, residents are motivated by the idea of gainful employment. According to a 2016 Texas Workforce Investment Council report, however, only 17.1% of persons with a disability were employed compared to 64.6% of individuals without a disability. It is exceedingly difficult for adults with IDD to find employment that isn't rife with repetition or may lead to boredom.
Marbridge has a process to finding employment that accommodates the abilities our residents. Our Employment Coordinators assist residents with instruction in resume writing, job searching, and interviewing techniques. Once the resident completes a required job skills class, Employment Coordinators identify an appropriate job. This is made possible through relationships Coordinators make with local employers. Coordinators also provide follow-ups and identify job adaptions according to the resident’s abilities. The sense of pride and accomplishment residents have once they find the right fit is unparalleled.
Education Program
The Training & Education (T&E) Program is at the center of Marbridge life. Unique to Marbridge, Abilities Centered Training is a customized training and education program that integrates employment, socialization, recreation, and independent living skills. It was developed specifically for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Marbridge T&E courses are offered in a college-like setting on a tri-mester basis in the fall, spring, and summer. There are 150 training opportunities available each semester ranging from basic skills such as hygiene and social skills to money management and job retention. Residents can express their creative sides through multiple art classes ranging in topics from photography, sewing, choir, and drama. Options also include recreational activities such as fishing, working out in our 18,000-square foot gym and wellness center and training to participate in one of the 11 Special Olympic sports offered at Marbridge.
Equine Program
The Marbridge Equine program began in 2006 and provides residents with therapy, training, and an opportunity to compete with Special Olympics and in various western events.
The Equine Program is crucial to the wellbeing of the residents at Marbridge. Because of their calm, patient and trainable temperament, horses provide residents with life skills that initiate positive personal growth. Residents learn communication skills, trust, anger management and work ethic. In addition, residents increase strength, control, balance, and motor skills. Horses have been proven to work wonders on individuals with autism, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, behavior disorders and ADD.
Over 75 residents participate in the program each week. In addition to serving our residential clients, our program serves 90 young adults with disabilities who attend our camp program each summer. The program is located in Texas, but serves nationally.
Villa: Licensed-Skilled Nursing Home
Marbridge’s Villa boasts a five-star rating by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and provides a safe and loving environment for people who are medically fragile. Services provided include individualized medical, rehabilitative, dietary, social and spiritual. Also available are physical, occupational and speech therapy services through our onsite rehabilitation center.
One unique Villa feature is our Sensorium, a designated room with specific equipment and therapy activities to benefit sensory processing difficulties. This gives residents who are agitated a space to decompress with an ultimate goal of reducing or eliminating the need for psychotropic drugs. In addition, the Life Enrichment Center offers a place for residents to enjoy a variety of activities including music, art, live entertainment and more. Many residents participate in buddy walks around the Marbridge campus, visiting friends and staff. The program is located in Texas, but serves nationally.
Residential Program
Marbridge is an innovative and compassionate home for approximately 275 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities providing housing, specialized services, employment training, equine therapy, and more. The residents, who are 18+ years of age, have a wide range of diagnoses including Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, William’s syndrome and others. Marbridge is located in Central Texas, but welcomes residents from all over the United States.
Marbridge is the only residential community of its kind in Texas providing life-long care in a licensed skilled nursing facility that caters to the special needs population. Our services are designed to meet everyone’s needs through three distinct communities-- The Village, The Ranch, and The Villa. Each community provides a different level of support, guidance and supervision. All three are self-contained and structured to meet the goals of the individuals who reside there, while existing as a fully-integrated community.
Where we work
Awards
Bronze Commitment to Quality Award 2018
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living
Knowledge Award for Excellence in Education or Research awarded to Scott McAvoy, Executive VP 2018
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Texas Chapter
The Lodges nominated as Best New Planned Neighborhood 2018
Austin Business Journal Residential Real Estate Awards
Texas Healthcare Administrator of the Year awarded to Duncan Murphy, Director of The Villa 2018
Texas Healthcare Association
Texas Healthcare Nurse of the Year awarded to Leslie Grant, previous Nurse Manager at The Villa 2018
Texas Healthcare Association
Affiliations & memberships
Howard Gardner, PhD: Theory of Multiple Intelligences devised class: Abilities Centered Training 2018
Scott McAvoy, Executive VP, appointed to the Texas Council of Developmental Disabilities 2012
Duncan Murphy, Director of The Villa, appointed to Texas Council on Long-Term Care Facilities 2021
Dr. Liam Fry, Medical Director, appointed to Nursing Facility Administrator Advisory Committee 2022
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with intellectual disabilities
Related Program
Residential Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Residents served yearly.
Number of participants engaged in programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with disabilities
Related Program
Education Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Currently, 165 residents from The Village and The Ranch attend class regularly.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We are incredibly thankful for our amazingly generous donors, thanks to you, we're able to continue providing a safe and loving environment for adults with special needs.
Number of campers enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with disabilities
Related Program
Education Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We offer 8-9 camp sessions every summer. Due to COVID-19, camp was cancelled for 2020 and 2021. COVID-19 also affected camp in 2022.
Number of Facebook followers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Learn more about what Marbridge does to enrich the lives of our residents through safety, well being, happiness, learning, experience, and achievement: https://www.facebook.com/AWholeNewLife/
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Marbridge provides adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) a non-institutionalized option for lifetime care and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our programs are based on the following six core values: learn, experience, achieve, safety, health, and happiness. As part of our mission to continue to provide residents with the best quality of life, we developed a strategic plan to expand and improve the campus to be a premier model community providing the highest standard in facilities and programs. Marbridge strives to achieve three goals: offer comprehensive-life-long housing, provide on-going leisure activities and education; give interested and capable residents employment training and job placement.
Marbridge bridges the gap in housing options for adults with I/DD by providing a distinct alternative to group homes and offering a full spectrum of services tailored to individual needs and abilities. We are the only residential community of its kind in Texas providing life-long care in a licensed skilled nursing facility that caters to the special needs population. Our services are designed to meet each residents' needs through three distinct communities—The Village, The Ranch, and The Villa. Each community provides a different level of support, guidance and supervision. All three are self-contained and structured to meet the goals of the individuals who reside there, while existing as a fully-integrated community. The Village serves the most independent residents, the Ranch provides a greater degree of supervision to those residents who need it, and 24-hour care for residents who are medically fragile is available at the Villa. Marbridge offers residents and their families the security of a long-term continuum of care for each individual, based on their unique needs.
Marbridge provides our residents with the opportunity to grow and learn through our unique training and education program: Abilities Centered Training (ACT). ACT is based on the theory of multiple intelligences and integrates employment, socialization, recreation and independent living skills. The program's philosophy is that adults with developmental disabilities can learn the skills that enable them to become contributing members of society. There are over 150 training options available ranging from classes such as Equine, Hygiene, Social Skills and Nutrition to Money Management, Independent Cooking, Job Retention & Employment Problem Solving. Options include recreational activities such as fishing, working out in our 18,000-square foot gym and wellness center and training to participate in one of the 11 Special Olympic sports offered at Marbridge. The program helps residents achieve their goals of becoming more self-sufficient and increases their engagement and social interaction among their peers and the community-at-large.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Marbridge leadership has developed a seven-year plan to ensure that residents are given the opportunity to be learn, and remain happy and healthy in a safe and loving environment. One strategy that will help us continue to provide these vital services in the future is to increase sustainable funding sources. Currently, we are achieving this goal by leasing out a portion of our property to a local sports organization as well as several food vendors. Our current strategic plan includes the development of a business enterprise zone to increase rental revenue and offer additional employment opportunities to residents.
Resident safety is always a top priority at Marbridge. A recent review of campus security was completed and several new safety measures were put in place including perimeter fencing, a surveillance camera system and additional lighting throughout campus. In 2018 we finished building a new housing facility for residents which replaced an aging dormitory built in the 1960's. The Lodges at the Ranch provide approximately 35,000 new square feet of thoughtfully designed living quarters and common areas. It ensures a safer environment for residents, and allows us to increase our residential capacity by 12 which will result in additional revenue without added expenses.
Marbridge strives to ensure that the staff and programs are up-to-date and meet the needs of our population. The training and education staff receive ongoing training to stay informed of best practices for working with adults with I/DD. Plans are in the works to build a covered equestrian arena. The Equestrian Center would allow for the program to operate year-round, allow for an expansion of the summer program and to partner with organizations to offer equestrian support to others outside of outside of the Marbridge community. By renting out the new facility to the community, we will also increase our sustainable funding to ensure that our program is sustainable. We are continuing to look for new ways to grow our all of our programs and new and sustainable ways to fund them.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Marbridge has 65 years of experience and is considered an industry leader in the special needs arena. Over the years, we have established relationships with programs all over the county. For the past 5 years, we have hosted a National Executive Leadership Symposium where like-minded professionals in leadership roles who serve special needs populations convene to address challenges, share best practices and determine how to better serve our population and their families.
Marbridge is unique compared to other residential facilities. We are one of very few campuses in the nation to offer lifelong aging-in-place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/D). We work with each resident and their families to determine an Individualized Progress Plan (IPP) for long-term achievement. The areas covered in the IPP are learning, activity and wellness goals. Not only do we work with them to determine goals, we also provide them with assessment and support to reach their milestones or adjust their plans to accommodate changes and challenges along the way. These plans focus on each individual's ability rather than their disability. Residents' are encouraged and exposed to innovative and new opportunities to expand and practice new skills, both of a cognitive and a physical nature. We nurture their interests and enthusiasm, while providing the foundation for building important life skills and basic social strengths.
Our staff consists of compassionate, dedicated individuals who are committed to providing quality care to adults with special needs. Our organization invests in our employees by providing opportunities for staff to receive advanced and continued education to teach to adults with multi-intelligences. Our programs provide innovative approaches and methods, providing our residents with utmost care and a positive learning environment, filled with motivated and supported staff. The Villa, our on-site continuum of care, is a four-star licensed-skilled nursing facility. The facilities Medical Director specializing in Geriatrics, a Licensed Registered Dietitian, a full-time Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Our Board of Directors are a committed and dedicated group of professionals, many of whom have loved ones living at Marbridge. Their focus and attention on the sustainability of our organization is profound and their contributions of time, talents and funds is a testament to their strength and commitment to Marbridge's continued success and growth.
The strategic use of the land and updated facilities, as well as a strong donor and volunteer base allow for us to continue to provide the best quality of services and care to our residents.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Marbridge Foundation has completed several of the projects on our seven-year strategic plan.
In 2015, Victory Hall, an 18,000 square-foot athletic and wellness center was completed replacing a dated half-court gym made of cinder block built in the 1960's. The new facility provides state-of-the art space for weight training, exercise equipment, a dance studio, a full-court gymnasium and a performance stage. This facility has contributed significantly to the resident's overall health and wellness and provided the opportunity for staff members to more accurately measure and document health and wellness results.
Also completed in 2015, was the Life Enrichment Center at the Villa. The Enrichment Center is the heart of the Villa, our four-star licensed skilled-nursing facility. The center allows our most fragile residents the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities including music, art, live entertainment and more. Each month, a new schedule of enrichment activities is determined and generally includes music, art, daily news, laughing class, gardening, guided meditation, Bible study, chapel and more.
Many improvements have been made to other aging buildings on our campus. Foundation grants and individual donations allowed us to remodel the Chapel, which was built in the early 1980's. A corporate donation of a new metal building allowed us to move our maintenance building to the edge of campus away from where most activities occur to ensure resident safety. Other safety measures have been put in place including perimeter fencing, a surveillance camera system and additional lighting throughout campus.
Our next project is the creation of a covered equine arena. The new center will allow us the opportunity to offer classes on inclement weather days and throughout the hot Texas summers when the program is currently forced to suspend afternoon classes. The new facility will allow more residents to participate in the program. Our goal is to be able to expand the program to offer lessons to children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities outside of the Marbridge community.
In addition to the finished construction of the Lodges, two new residential cottages will be built, which will increase the residential census and allow more families to become a part of our innovative programs and services.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MARBRIDGE FOUNDATION INC
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2024
Mr. Michael Moulton
J. Mitchell Bell
Thomas H. Leyden
Steve T. Matthews
Thomas M. O'Brien
Mike Moulton
Julia Nickerson
Dave Perry
Barbara Gideon
Liam Fry
Scott McAvoy
Norm Phillips
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 06/18/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.