People With Disabilities Succeeding
Employment and Community Inclusion
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
All Americans should enjoy freedom, equal rights and happiness. Unfortunately achieving even the bare minimum standard of living indicators such as economic security, health, and safety is a struggle for people with developmental disabilities. Their options for fair employment, education, housing, recreation and leisure activities and social belonging are severely limited. Even in this day and age, workers with disabilties are often paid less than minimum wage. Some so- called professionals demean and punish adults with developmental disabilities and call this “behavior modification”. Many people with developmental disabilities are stereotyped and grouped together in large numbers rather than being treated as individuals. Without a program center or site, PDS provides intensive support to adults with developmental disabilities, enabling them to lead “normal”, happy lives, rich with security, health, and friendship, paid employment, and true acceptance in their community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Fitness and Nutrition in our community
PDS works with our clients with developmental disabilities to promote healthy lifestyles. Because of physical differences, medication, and other issues related to being low income, our clients are prone to obesity and weight related problems. We teach them how to make good choices when they order food in the community, as well as healthy cooking techniques. Every client who is able and willing, is involved in exercise and fitness activities such as swimming, working out at local gyms, dance classes. dog walking, hiking , bike riding etc. Once a month, a certified nutritionist works with our clients to reinforce concepts of healthy eating and fitness. We give prizes to people for losing weight or keeping their weight under control, and make the meetings as fun, yet informative as possible. As with all of our services, our healthy cooking classes, and other fitness and nutrition activities, occur in natural environments, alongside people who do not have disabilties within our community.
Appreciating nature and animals in our community
PDS targets all aspects of quality of life for adults with developmental disabilities. Marin county has so many beautiful creeks, lakes, hiking trails and beaches that offer people a sense of serenity, freedom and peace. PDS is conscious of the benefits of swimming, bike riding, hiking, fishing and relaxing in nature and we make sure that our clients have the opportunity to spend time in all the beautiful natural settings that our community offers. Further, dog walking outdoors allows animal lovers the therapeutic benefits of communing with animals and socializing with other animal lovers in our neighborhoods.
Creative Expression in our community
PDS targets all aspects of quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Expressing themselves through the arts is extremely therapeutic to many of the adults we serve. Our clients have the opportunity to participate in art classes at a local recreation center as well as dance classes that are good for fitness as well as creativity. As with all of our services, our adult clients are able to join in on artistic activities in integrated settings alongside people who do not have disabilities, rather than sequestered inside a special building designated for people with disabilities.
Where we work
External reviews

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Goals & Strategy
Learn 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?
The goals of our service are to create employment and community inclusion for adults with developmental disabilities. We focus on helping people lead meaningful lives filled with purpose, laughter, friendship, dignity and love. People with Disabilities Succeeding effectively targets the major areas of quality of life for any person, not just someone with a disability. All of PDS's services are offered in integrated settings in our community, alongside people who do not have disabilities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
People with Disabilities Succeeding achieves our goals of enhancing the quality of life of adults with developmental disabilities by providing job development, job coaching, job enhancement and promotion, money management training, program supplies, mobility (transportation) and community-based instruction while emphasizing social inclusion as well as fitness and nutrition. All of PDS's services are offered in integrated settings in our community, alongside people who do not have disabilities. Our staff to client ratio is kept very low (1:2) to allow for intensive and individualized support. We work with our clients to create individualized schedules which provide routines, and variety of activities, and different friends and staff members to spend time with. Routines allow predicability and comfort, while variety prevents burn out or and promotes flexibility. PDS addresses the unique needs and choices of every client we serve, and treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The secret to our success, and the achievement for which we are the most proud, is the fact that People with Disabilities Succeeding has maintained our integrity by adhering the our values, even when it has been costly, time consuming and labor intensive to do so. Our clients are active, participating members of their community, with long term jobs, friends and purpose in their lives. This is because we always put our clients first and respect their choices and their dignity as human beings and their rights as adults. We have incredibly high standards for our staff members and we fulfill our commitments to employers by ensuring that we are doing everything within our power to make sure our collaboration with them is a positive and worthwhile experience for everyone involved. Our success is reflected in the unusually high employment rates for our clients and very low turnover rates for our staff. Our organization has continued to thrive as an innovative leader in our field since 1990.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
People with Disabilities Succeeding has been in operation since 1990, so we have provided a lifetime of support to some people. Our clients, their families, staff people, community members, employers, and coworkers have reported a better quality of life because of this organization. We plan to continue our work for many years to come and to weather tough economic times and other challenges. Our organization will continue to innovate and be resourceful as well as patient and loving and open to all the wonderful people we serve. PDS will maintain our integrity and stay true to our values while continuing to have high standards and an excellent work ethic. We have seen many organizations fail because they grew too large or became greedy or lost focus. We know that our strong beliefs regarding employment and community inclusion for all people, regardless of their disabilities will sustain People with Disabilities Succeeding and continue to inspire others to do similar work.
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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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.
People With Disabilities Succeeding
Board of directorsas of 11/08/2022
Kathy Doering
San Francisco State University
Alison Falvey
Gail Sollid
Denise Belanger
Mary Mauro
Robin Sloan
Brian Lyng
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
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data