Explore the ALSO Children’s Homes Wishlist and help fill the season with joy for the children supported by ALSO.
Explore the ALSO Children’s Homes Wishlist and help fill the season with joy for the children supported by ALSO.
Trey, who is living with disabilities, knows the importance of being supported by team members who really care. His story is not only about finding employment in a job he loves but getting the motivation to jump at on-the-job training opportunities, interact with customers, and even obtain a driver’s license.
His incredible progress is due not only to the heart work and expertise of the staff at ALSO, but to the support of individual and corporate donors who believe in the ALSO Mission to,
“… promote the full inclusion of people experiencing disabilities in the life of their community.”
As we enter into the holiday season, we often think about how grateful we are to have family, friends, and community members that support us when we need it. We’re also grateful for a place that we can call ‘home’, a good job, an independent life, and enough money to meet basic needs. Making donations to non-profit organizations like ALSO is the perfect way to express gratitude for what we have, because donors can contribute to actually changing lives. Let’s talk further about how donations to ALSO help those we support with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), creating opportunities for:
Donations help us to meet goals of promoting full community inclusion for those we support with developmental and intellectual disabilities…and this benefits all of us!
In Oregon, an estimated 36,551 individuals are living with I/DD. Throughout daily life, they face many challenges, including,
The motivation for nonprofit organizations such as ALSO to help those we support meet those challenges is fully present. However, such challenges are difficult to overcome for several reasons:
Given these challenges, donations from individuals, family members, and businesses play a crucial role in ALSO’s many support services. Fortunately, ALSO has developed many ways to make an impact.
Trey’s story of achievement as a valued employee, his rise in self-confidence, and his consistent ability to learn new skills is a perfect example of why it’s so important to donate to ALSO. Many other young adults supported by ALSO have taken the journey to productive and meaningful lives:
Holly works two jobs, goes to exercise classes at her gym and is a beacon of light in her small Oregon town.
As Advocates for Life Skills and Opportunity, ALSO is committed to the Mission of full community inclusion and independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Fulfilling our Mission can be complicated because every individual has different abilities that are most successfully addressed with best practices in person-centered interventions.
All donations, large or small, help us to incorporate these person-centered interventions into our programming, which includes:
Each donation expands our reach into the eleven Oregon counties that ALSO serves: Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Deschutes, Umatilla, Klamath, Josephine, Jackson, Harney, Jefferson, and Crook.
Donations have a direct impact on high-quality ALSO programming. Access10 funds daily supported activities (DSA). These are outings, classes, and experiences that keep individuals with I/DD healthy, growing, and connected to the community. Donations additionally support accessible transportation, assistive technology, advocacy efforts, affordable housing, and children’s program development.
Donating to ALSO means not only contributing to the direct needs of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, but there are broader benefits.
First, contributions have a positive impact on the emotional health of those we support. Imagine if you were unable to do simple things, like meet friends for coffee, shop for holiday gifts, or volunteer in the community. Well, this would negatively affect your self-confidence, mental health, and self-worth. It’s the same for persons with disabilities — these activities are necessary components of dignity, self-agency, and community belonging.
Second, there are countless societal benefits to supporting inclusive communities. Just a few of these are:
Fortunately, there have been measurable quality-of-life improvements for people with disabilities over the past several years. For example, facility-based work (e.g. sheltered workshops) that limits social inclusion and pays subminimum wage has dropped by 59% between 2004 and 2022. Still, those with I/DD have cost-of-living challenges like costly healthcare services. This cuts into the personal budget, limiting options for accessible and affordable housing.
This means that, despite a brighter overall picture, human services organizations like ALSO still need your help.
One of the best things a person can do for themselves is to give to others. Making a holiday gift to honor someone you love is particularly satisfying. The holiday season is a powerful time to tap into our personal and societal values of philanthropy, generosity, and gratitude.
On a practical level, donations received at year-end help ALSO plan ahead for the following year for building/house maintenance, outings, and addressing staffing needs. Donations also benefit personal and corporate tax considerations.
Gifts to ALSO make a real difference in people’s lives, allowing them to reach their full potential in inclusive communities. As you’ve seen during our discussion today, everything we do for those we support produces tangible results. So, we ask if you’re able to please help us out with this important work.
Trey thought he really didn’t have a chance for a good life until he was supported by the team at ALSO. His advice is a strong testament to the great work that we do.
“The thing I would tell people wanting to get connected to ALSO is…don’t wait…Don’t wait to get connected to ALSO.”
Visit the ALSO Donate Page Today!
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Help us ensure that everyone has the same opportunities in their home, workplace and community. Let’s make dreams!
