St. Madeleine Sophie's Center, Inc.
Empowerment for Life . . . Through Innovation and Education
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Sophie's Gallery Art Program
Sophie's Gallery Art Program began in the 1970s when it started in one classroom with just a few students on the main campus. Today, the art program takes place at Sophie's Gallery & Gift Shop, a 5,000 sq. ft. storefront that opened in Downtown El Cajon in 1999. A satellite gallery and gift shop, called Sophie's Too, is located on SMSC's main campus. At Sophie's Gallery Art Program, 300 of the 400+ adult students who are enrolled at SMSC attend the program every week. Our students learn a variety of media, such as print-making, jewelry-making, fused glass decor, mosaics and painting; they also exhibit their work locally, regionally and nationally. Sophie's was the first art program of its kind in San Diego County in which all of the instructors are professional artists.
Aquatics Program
The Aquatic Program began in 1998 with the hiring of a professional Aquatics Manager who continues to serve in this role. (She supervises 10 American Red Cross-certified lifeguards and swim instructors.) The centerpiece of the program is a solar-heated, 100,000 gallon, 50'x76' pool that is the only one in East County to have a wheelchair ramp (it also has ADA-approved stairs and a chair lift). Programming is offered year-round (dome is used during colder months) to 100 SMSC adult students who choose to participate in the program, and 400 members of the general public (infants through seniors, and people with disabilities) who participate in the public component that includes learn-to-swim classes (infants through adults); and services offered through our program partners: Arthritis Foundation, Grossmont College, Sports for Exceptional Athletes, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. We also have our own Special Olympics swim team -- The Tritons -- composed of 59 members (ages 8 to 73).
Sophie's Organic Garden
St. Madeleine's two-acre, certified Organic Garden was founded in 1998 in a former horse pasture. Every day, 40 SMSC students work in the garden that is open year-round. It's a job site and job training center, and a source of pride for our students who take great satisfaction in bringing bushels of produce to our school's kitchen where the onions, tomatoes, herbs and fruits are incorporated into healthy meals for themselves and our 120 employees. Our students learn how to grow and nurture shrubs, flowering plants, vegetables, herbs, and citrus trees. In February 2015, St. Madeleine's installed an Aquaponics Gardening System in the solar greenhouse. Aquaponics is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatics animals, such as fish in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. The garden includes ADA-accessible pathways and propagation houses. Over 1,000+ visitors come to the garden each year; including 400+ who attend our annual Morning Glory Brunch fundraiser (in the garden) that helps support program costs.
Where we work
Accreditations
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) - Adult Day Services - 3 year 2018
Awards
Movers & Shakers: Who's Who in the San Diego Visual Art World (Debra Turner Emerson) 2009
San Diego Visual Arts Network
TWIN Award (Debra Turner Emerson) 2009
YWCA
Women in Leadership Award (Debra Turner Emerson) 2008
San Diego Business Journal
Finalist-CEO Award (Debra Turner Emerson) 2008
San Diego Business Journal
Outstanding Community Involvement Award/Small Business Award Category (Sophie's Gallery) 2007
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
Women in Leadership Award - Art and Culture Category (Debra Turner Emerson) 2006
San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
Zanville Award (Organic Garden) 2006
United Way of San Diego County
Women in Leadership Award - Education Category (Debra Turner Emerson) 2005
San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
Organizational Development Award 2005
Non-Profit Management Solutions
Honorable Mention-Most Innovative Product Marketing Category (Sophie's Gallery) 2005
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
Magnolia Award for Arts & Business Partnership of the Year (Sophie's Gallery's partnership with Bread & Cie) 2005
City of El Cajon
Woman of Distinction Award (Debra Turner Emerson) 2001
Soroptimists
Woman of Distinction Award (Debra Turner Emerson) 2001
City of Santee
Outstanding Performer (Debra Turner Emerson) 2001
Dale Carnegie
Finalist, Woman of the Year 2010
San Diego Magazine
Reader's Poll - Sophie's Gallery named as Best Local Gallery "To Buy" 2010
San Diego Union Tribune
Non-Profit of theYear (inaugural year for the award) 2011
San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
Best of East County Readership Poll - Organic Garden voted Silver Star Winner for Best Nursery/Garden 2011
The East County Californian
Clean Beaches Award 2011
Ocean Beach Town Council
Readers Poll - Sophie's Gallery won 2nd place for Best Public Art Center 2012
San Diego Union Tribune
6th Annual Celebrating Women Award 2012
San Diego Woman's Club
Leadership East County Award 2013
The Chamber San Diego East County
Non-Profit of the Year 2013
The Chamber San Diego East County
Citation Award Community Partner 2014
City of El Cajon
Community Partnership Award 2015
California Park & Recreation Society District 12
Most Admired CEO Nominee 2016
San Diego Business Journal
Business Women of the Year Award Nominee 2017
San Diego Business Journal
Most Admired CEO Nominee 2018
San Diego Business Journal
Gold Start winner for “Best Nonprofit” 2019
The East County Californian
Silver Start winner for “Best Art Gallery” 2019
The East County Californian
Non-Profit of the Year Award Nominee 2020
San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce
SILVER STAR winner for “Best Art Gallery” 2020
The East County Californian
External reviews

Videos
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?
As an organization, our goals are to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to increase their independence and self-sufficiency, build self confidence and self-esteem, and become part of the greater community.
As we look to an enlightened future, our sights are committed to strengthening our standards of excellence and high quality programs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
SMSC accomplishes our strategies through the development, implementation and sustaining of nationally recognized innovative programs.
Our strategies include:
Strengthening the Board of Trustees through responsive Committees.
Building on existing community partnerships and collaborations.
Building sustainability as a business through effective management, planning and leadership.
Strengthening and growing the volunteer program.
Remaining flexible and adjusting our programs and facilities to address the changing needs of our students and the economy
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our programs receive the highest rating for services from the Commission on Accreditation from Rehabilitation Services (CARF). SMSC is recognized for having many strengths, including empowering students, using innovative ideas designed to focus on strengths and abilities of students, maintaining excellent relations with community organizations, and using creativity in designing services and programs.
Specific strengths and capabilities include:
A wide array of program curriculum and unique activities (e.g. garden, art program, culinary art program, aquatics/fitness, performing arts, computer lab).
An extended period of program support, over long period of time.
Transportation is provided for students (Unusual for an adult program).
Safe, comfortable and welcoming facilities for students: garden, pool, campus environment, with appropriate spaces for specialized activities.
An exemplary ratio of professional staff to students. Staff is trained, experienced and provides high quality services and thoughtful care of students and families.
Strong management and leadership degreed, sophisticated, experienced with students and families.
Recognition and awards in local community and nationally.
A robust volunteer network at all levels; support from the Kraemer Endowment Foundation, Board of Directors, Auxiliary and SMSC “public" volunteer community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Celebrating 50 years of service (in 2016), St. Madeleine's needs help in funding the important upgrades and physical plant changes to provide the best possible program environment for our clients and the community. Our buildings and grounds' infrastructure is aging – and our client's interests and needs are very different than they were decades ago.
In addition, we are always faced with cash flow challenges. Our 2015 operating budget is $8,215,300. Of this amount, approximately $2.2 million (27%) must be secured from private sources, such as individual gifts, foundation and corporate grants, special event income, endowment revenue, and earned income (e.g. pool use fees, art and garden retail sales). The balance is supported by contracts with the San Diego Regional Center for the Developmentally Disabled whose daily reimbursement rate of $55 a day (73% in today's dollars) has not increased for over a decade. This represents an annual funding gap of approximately $2,000 per student.
During the same time, certain costs have increased significantly due to inflation and the cost for repair and maintenance of buildings and vehicles has increased over the years as items age. This has led to an increase in the amount that must be raised to meet basic program requirements.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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.
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.
St. Madeleine Sophie's Center, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 11/03/2022
Ms. Judy Mantle
Community Volunteer
Term: 2019 - 2021
Sharon Esche-Irving
Esche & Alexander Public Relations
Judy Mantle
Community Volunteer
Rory Goldberg
Community Volunteer
Debra Emerson
St. Madeleine Sophie's Center
Alison Cummings
Community Volunteer
De Anna Dougherty
Kaiser Permanente
Susan Bobbitt-Voth
Community Volunteer
Stuart Karasik
Community Volunteer
Ginger Poutous
Community Volunteer
Virginia Rodee
Society of the Sacred Heart
James Wellman
Community Volunteer
Rick Zamora
Zamora CFO
Sandy Biondo
Consolidated Lenders
Marina Hernandez
Society of the Sacred Heart
Richard Holstrom
Baker Tilly US
Mary McLaughlin Davis
Wooten & Davis
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? No
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
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/01/2021GuideStar 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 disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- 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.