Area Residential Care Purchases EconoFoods Building
Area Residential Care is proud to announce its purchase of the 61,000 square foot facility at 3355 Kennedy Circle, previously the EconoFoods store. The agency plans to renovate the building to serve as its new headquarters in Dubuque. Area Residential Care’s business offices and Vocational Services Center (VSC) are currently located at two separate facilities on Kerper Boulevard.
On the purchase of this building, Jon Romaine, Executive Director stated “While it is more providence than planning, it’s appropriate that on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Area Residential Care is able to announce the acquisition of this building and property. Combining our vocational and day program areas with our central administrative offices into a single location will bring the agency more space for programs and services, provide a more centralized location, and increase our efficiency. Most importantly, a single location will also re-unite on a daily basis the individuals that this agency serves with our administrative staff; reminding all us of the reasons we got into this type of work in the first place, and why our work remains essential to our community.”
The agency plans to renovate the facility so it is handicap accessible. Renovations to the building will also include developing spaces for sheltered work, business offices, day programs, specialty products, and increasing green space for outdoor activities.
Agency Receives Grant for Sensory Room Program
Individuals with developmental disabilities will soon benefit from a new therapeutic program. Area Residential Care has been awarded a $3,246 grant from the Foundation for the Future of Delaware County. This grant will be used to fund a new sensory room program at Area Residential Care’s Delaware County Vocational Services Center in Manchester.
“We are very grateful for the FFDC’s support,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director. “It is the mission of Area Residential Care to empower people with mental disabilities to achieve their highest quality of life. The sensory room will provide individuals with a safe, therapeutic place to counter behavioral issues, build self-esteem, and create a sense of security and wellbeing.”
Agency receives grant from vsa arts of dubuque
Area Residential Care has been awarded a $4,550 grant from the VSA Arts of Dubuque. This grant will be used to provide artistic activities programming and to purchase tickets for various community plays and concerts for individuals with special needs who are served by the agency.
“We are very grateful for the VSA Art’s support,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director. “Providing opportunities to participate in and experience the arts is not always possible for us as a non-profit, so this grant really gives us a chance to provide artistic opportunities for the persons we serve.”
Agency receives $10,000 grant from prudential foundation
Area Residential Care has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Prudential Foundation, which will be used to purchase a new vehicle for the agency fleet. This vehicle would be used to provide safe and reliable transportation services for the individuals with disabilities served by the organization.
“We are very grateful for Prudential’s support,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director. “Providing adequate and safe transportation is a great area of need for our community and the individuals we serve. A new vehicle will also help us increase community outings, which will help us in achieving our vision of community integration and accessibility.”
2009 board awards given at annual dinner
On October 20, the following awards were presented at the annual awards banquet:
Special Recognition - Charles "Chuck" Davis, Officer Steve Eastvedt, Betty Fox, Piper MacRae-Egan, Mike McMahon, Mary McNally, and Dr. David Oppert
Good Neighbor - Sister Pat Conlan
Benefactor of the Year - Business, John Deere Dubuque Works, Individual - Ron Nowacki
Businesses of the Year - Dittmer Recycling, Eagle Window & Door
Vocational Workers of the Year - Garrett Gross (Dubuque), David Gaul (Manchester/Dyersville).
The following employees were also honored for their years of service:
30 Years - Jo Ann Besler, Susie Freese, Michelle Post
25 Years - Carol Foht, Ernie VanOstrand
20 Years - Joseph Crowley, Julie Milligan, Vionna Naese, Keith Watts, Janet Wonders
15 Years - Al Pecina, Shelby Shaffer
10 Years - Cecelia Davis, Dara Fishnick, Mary King, Sherry Lutgen, Tammy Waid-Link
5 Years - Juanita Caley, Sharon Chapman, Marcia Glanz, Sylvia Kluesner, Leon Lindauer, Rachel Nannenga, Lois Olberding, Tammy Schmitt, Kari Tilton, and Tom Zuccaro.
Naumann, Savolt, Schmidt, Shaffer, Steines, and Vogt named STAR award recipients
The STAR award (Staff Tribute Administrative Reward) was established in 1986 to recognize special efforts and contributions to Area Residential Care by individuals and groups of staff members. To qualify for a STAR award the recipient(s) must provide a significant contribution of time and/or effort on behalf of the agency, which enhances services to the people served or efficiency of agency operations.
Cindy Savolt, Angie Schmidt, Shelby Shaffer, Kim Steines, Toni Naumann, and JoAnne Vogt were all named as recent recipients of the STAR award for their efforts in providing for the safety and comfort of individuals by going above and beyond when on and off duty.
“The actions of these staff were significant to the individuals involved in sustaining a high quality of life and creating comfortable environments that are important to them,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing and Public Relations Director.
New lifts ordered courtesy of dubuque racing association & mystique
Area Residential Care has recently ordered new wheelchair lifts for two of its community living homes to be installed in the next few weeks. These lifts, made possible by a $14,382 grant from the Dubuque Racing Association/Mystique will ensure that individuals served will have quick and safe access to their homes, thus increasing their security, safety, and quality of life and further advancing the agency’s mission.
“We are very grateful for the support of the DRA in this accessibility project,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director. “Every person should be able to easily access their home. This grant is going to help our agency make that possible for the individuals in wheelchairs at these homes.”
VSC to host "business after hours" with dubuque chamber
On Tuesday, September 15 the agency will host the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours". We will meet at the Vocational Services Center at 2455 Kerper Boulevard from 5-7 p.m. where we will be conducting tours and answering questions about the services the individuals employed by our agency have to offer. During the tours we will showcase the variety of jobs we undertake for a variety of businesses such as A.Y. McDonald, Bodine Electric, Eagle Window & Door, John Deere, Mi-T-M, and The National Mississippi River Museum.
The Diamond Jo Casino has will be providing some delicious food and beverages will be served to suit every taste.
If you have any questions, or would like further information, please contact Laura Rannals at 556-7560, ext. 116, or lrannals@arearesidentialcare.com.
Goodmann memorial golf outing enjoys wonderful day
The 2009 Dominic Goodmann Memorial Golf Outing was held on August 3 at the beautiful Thunder Hills Country Club in Peosta, IA. 72 golfers came out to play and support the agency’s mission and we had 11 hole sponsors (please see below). It turned out to be a beautiful day and the golfers along with our sponsors helped raise almost $4500 for Area Residential Care.
The Dominic Goodmann Memorial Golf Outing is an annual fundraiser begun by the family and friends of Dominic Goodmann. The family generously chose this agency as the beneficiary of this event.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Goodmann family,” said Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director. “We are honored to have been able to continue this event in memory of Dominic, who was a founding member of our agency and a long-time supporter of our mission. We would also like to thank everyone who participated and helped make this a great event.”
We would like to especially thank the following hole sponsors:
American Trust & Savings Bank
Arensdorf Construction
Barry Bromberg -- Wells Fargo Advisors
Coldwell Banker
Dubuque Appliance
Dubuque Auto Wrecking
Goodmann Appraisal Services
Goodmann Insurance Services
Performance Graphics
US Bank
Welu Printing
Spring donor recognition
The following people and organizations have contributed to Area Residential Care during the spring quarter. Their contributions allow us to continue fulfilling our mission of empowering people with mental disabilities to achieve their highest quality of life. All gifts, no matter the size, are always welcome and are greatly appreciated.
Companions ($100-$249)
Tom & Jan Anderegg
Dubuque Home Improvement - Ron Nowacki
Jeff Small
Supporters ($49-$99)
Diane & Harold Blatt
Associates (Up to $49)
Susan Beck
Lori Gallagher
In Memory of Gretchen Schmeichel
Dorothy McDermott
Robert Steines
In-Kind Donations:
Mary Kay Leytem
Jeanie Schiffer
If you too are interested in learning how you can contribute to our cause please contact Laura Rannals, Marketing & Public Relations Director at 563-556-7560, ext 116. All gifts are tax deductible. Thank you!
Agency kicks off "every person" campaign
Throughout the month of August you’ll be seeing and hearing ads promoting some of our agency values and beliefs we want to share with our community. As you see or hear these ads, we hope you’ll join us in advocating with us that Every Person…
• has rights and the responsibilities associated with them.
• is to be treated with dignity and respect.
• is to be provided the opportunity to live, work and participate in the community.
• is to be provided with encouragement, opportunity, and support to live life to the fullest.
For more information on how you can help us promote our values please call 563-556-7560, ext. 116.
Agency receives three-year CARF accreditation
CARF International announced that Area Residential Care’s residential, vocational, and day programs have been accredited for a period of three years for its residential and vocational programs. The latest accreditation is the fourth consecutive three-year accreditation that the international accrediting body has awarded to the agency.
“Area Residential Care takes pride in receiving this highest possible level of accreditation. It is an indication of the organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served,” said CARF in the letter notifying the agency of the survey results. “The mission of the organization has been served by competent, devoted, and committed leadership, volunteers, and staff over the past several years as evidenced by the outcomes achieved and the high levels of satisfaction expressed by consumers and other key community stakeholders.”
This accreditation decision demonstrates Area Residential Care’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.
Help us raise money with internet searches & shopping
What if Area Residential Care earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!
GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half of its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations for our agency add up! To give you a sense of how the money can add up, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has already earned more than $17,000!
Not only can you raise money for the agency just by searching the internet, but you can help raise money for Area Residential Care when you shop online. GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.
Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Area Residential Care as the charity you want to support. Don’t forget to let your family and friends know as well, so they can help spread the word.
For more information on GoodSearch and the variety of ways in which you can help raise money for Area Residential Care, please call 563-556-7560, ext. 116.
