PathNotes Spring 2015 - Pathways to Independence

-PathNotesA Publication of Pathways to Independence - Spring 2015
Building a Network
Whether it’s personal or professional, we all strive to maintain a robust network of friends, acquaintances and contacts to
round out our lives and give us connections to a diverse group of people. Having many connections in the community or
knowing the right person can help with finding a job, a place to live, activities to be involved in, transportation or someone to
go to for a favor in a time of need. For our participants, developing a vast network of support outside of family members can
be difficult. With the help of PTI, participants have slowly but surely surrounded themselves with a network of support inside
and outside of the organization.
Chris Develops his
Network of Friends
While Chris has only been a
participant for a short time, since
August 2013, he has seen his
social skills improve, friendships
develop and learned to travel
more places on his own. After
trying out a few events, Chris
decided to join PTI, “I really liked
the other participants and staff at
the few activities I tried,” he stated.
At the nursing home where he works as a dishwasher, he
feels accepted and appreciated. Chris says, “I like the
atmosphere, people, and the nursing home administrator
understands my disability.” However, Chris held jobs in the
past where he was misunderstood and bullied by coworkers. Other PTI participants had similar experiences in
their careers and in sharing these occurrences with one
another, they have formed a bond. Chris described how
this helps him: “It encourages me to try harder and it makes
me feel better that other people have had the same issues
as me and we can talk about them together.”
With the help of Pathways to Independence, Chris has
started to build his own network. The new friends Chris has
made since joining PTI also have shared interests in going
to Six Flags, movies,
games and mini golf.
He says, “I used to
just stay home in my
room. Since I joined
PTI, I’ve been going
out, doing activities
and making more
friends.”
Leigh Shines in Social Situations and
Excels in her Career
When Leigh joined PTI in December of 2009, she was
looking for an outlet to explore new activities outside of
home, to feel less anxious in social situations and to
meet friends. More than five years later, observing
Leigh at PTI events, she is like a force of nature,
bouncing around and talking with nearly everyone in the
room. She recently planned her 30th birthday party,
which was attended by
many PTI participants, as
well as other friends and
family.
Before becoming a PTI
participant, she experienced
anxiety in group settings
with new people. “Stepping
out of my comfort zone was tough”, Leigh said about
interacting with others, “I have a tendency to talk very
fast when I am nervous, which made it difficult to
connect with people.” Also, some attributes of people’s
personalities sometimes irritate her and this prevented
her from opening up to new people in the past. Now,
she said, “My patience and tolerance for others has
improved...Being a part of PTI has helped me realize
when I’m getting to that point of no return, know how to
calm down and bring myself back.”
Leigh has worked in direct support in group homes for
adults with developmental disabilities through St. Louis
Arc. She has been in her position for seven years and is
able to apply the skills learned in her job to interacting
with others in PTI. She says, “Everyone has human
emotions and reactions to things, sometimes they are
just expressed differently. It is important for me to know
not only what a person is saying, but how they are
saying it and what their body language is like, in order to
understand them.” (continued on page 3)
-PathNotesPathways to Independence
Board of Directors
Officers
Bradford Werner
Steve Dedrickson
John Finkenkeller
Sharon Kircher
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Board Members
Rachel Balbach
Diana Boursiaw, Ph.D.
Renau Bozarth
J. Scott Clark
Brooke Foster
Linda Johnson
Helen Nelling
Christopher Roberts
Stephen Stanfill
Joseph Wilder
PTI enriches the lives of adults with
complex learning disabilities and
associated disorders through the
development of the social interaction
and self-advocacy skills necessary to
achieve each individual's goals for
independence, community
engagement and meaningful
relationships.
Our Vision:
Adults with learning disabilities will
enjoy a fullness of life through:
 Living in a community which is
accepting and offers choice
 Attaining self-realization,
independent living, health and
security
 Engaging in healthy relationships
and using good judgment, &
 Contributing to the community
with a sense of purpose, passion
and responsibility.
Board Resource
Committee
Selma Balk
Rick Boalbey
Debbie Emmelkamp
George Fonyo
Deborah Gordon
Arthur Hoffman
Curtis Ittner, Jr.
R. Troy Kendrick
Linda Nissenbaum
Joan Oliver
Tere Owens
Jo Werner
BOARD BUSINESS
Fiscal Year 2015 Board Meetings will be
held at 5pm at the Commerce Bank in
Clayton on:
Monday, May 4th
Monday, June 15th
Our Mission:
Programs are designed to assist
participants to:
 Increase self-esteem
 Develop a robust personal
network of friends and natural
supports
 Initiate self-advocacy
 Enhance soft skills necessary for
vocational and employment
success
 Gain self-confidence
 Enhance socialization skills and
social understanding
 Integrate into and access their
community
Pathways Staff
Craig Strohbeck
Rose Piel
Jessie Steinberg
Jamie Larson
Kristen Azotea
Ray Bozesky
Dorian Frenchie
Beth Gartin
Abbie Lincoln
Endya Golliday
Executive Director
craig@ptistl.org
Program Manager
rose@ptistl.org
Program Manager
jessie@ptistl.org
Project Monitor
office@ptistl.org
Program Specialist
Program Specialist
Program Specialist
Program Specialist
Program Specialist
Work-Study Student
Office Address
Pathways to Independence
200 South Hanley, Ste. 103
Clayton, MO 63105
314-863-0202 Phone
314-863-7865 Fax
Like us on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/
ptistl.org
Visit us online at:
www.ptistl.org
Search “Pathways to Independence
Impact” on Youtube.com to watch
videos on PTI Programing
Trivia Night 2015
Thank you for braving the weather and terrible road conditions to attend
this wonderful event! Your generosity helped to raise over $19,000,
making it our most successful Trivia Night yet! These funds will help
PTI to provide the tools so our participants can continue their progress
towards greater independence!
-PathNotesSocial College Corner
Instructor: Miranda Ming
Miranda holds a Bachelors and Masters
in Educational Administration and will
graduate with a PhD in Educational
Policy and Research Studies in the
summer of 2015. She taught “Social
Media Tips and Tricks” in the Fall of
2014 and is teaching “Nurturing
Friendships” and “Networking” this
Spring. During the social media course, a participant
had concerns regarding his safety and privacy online and
was hesitant to join Facebook. Miranda stated, “After
our second session discussing privacy and security
settings, the participant decided to try out Facebook.
Every week thereafter, consistent progress was made to
use social media as a tool to enhance relationships.”
Instructor: Gina Cato, M.A, CCC-SLP
Gina is the Chief Speech-Language Pathologist at the
Center for Hearing and Speech, where she has worked
since 2004. She is also a member of the Mira Initiative,
a group dedicated to addressing the speech and
language needs of St. Louis-area children whose first
language is Spanish.
Gina taught the “Dating and Relationships” course in
the Fall of 2014. She described the activity during the
four-class session that the participants found most
helpful: “the males and females separated into different
rooms and anonymous questions were passed back
and forth between the rooms. Learning how to ask
questions in a relationship was an important topic of the
course.”
Upcoming Social College Courses
Managing and Communicating Feelings and Emotions:
Our positive and negative emotions impact social situations. This
course will allow participants to practice their communication
skills. When we understand our own emotions using words, we
are better able to tell others how we feel. Participants will identify
how they feel about certain social situations and practice ways to
effectively communicate feelings with others in a productive way.
Networking: How do you build your social network of friends or
professional contacts? This course will cover incorporating the
use of Social Media as a personal and professional tool,
interviewing, public speaking, professionalism and will also
include an actual networking opportunity or event.
Community Advocacy Course
During PTI’s Social College course
last fall, “Community Advocacy,”
instructor Chris Worth, from
Paraquad, and participants discussed
issues they face in the community and steps they can take to
affect change. As part of the course, participants wrote letters to
government officials regarding the lack of transportation options
for people with disabilities in St. Charles County.
(Continued from Page 1) One of the ways Leigh has learned to express herself and relax is through taking photos, she actually
has a Bachelor’s Degree in Photography. She developed an interest in the art form while on a vacation with her family in
Yosemite National Park when she was younger. While
she does not see photography as a potential career
path for herself, she has shared her talents with
Pathways to Independence. Her images appear on
PTI’s tribute cards thanking donors for making
contributions in memory or in honor of someone. Leigh
enjoys photographing nature and landscapes. One of
her favorite places to take pictures is at the Missouri
Botanical Garden. She also likes to photograph her
friends, family and pets.
Partially funded by:
PathNotes
Contributions & Tributes
September 2014-March 2015
Our deepest gratitude goes to all those who continue to support Pathways to Independence. Please note: every attempt was taken to ensure accuracy in
this list and any error or omission is unintentional. Please contact the office if you locate any error.
Leadership Gift
Anonymous
August A. Busch, III
Charitable Trust
John and Kathryn Dubuque
John and Marti Finkenkeller
Millennial Society
Lori Clithero
J. Scott Clark
Richard D. Johnson
JST Charitable Fund
Susan K. Newman
Ruth and Alan Siteman
Dr. Raymond G. Slavin
Jo Werner
Joseph and Laureen Wilder
Sustainer
Blair and Selma Balk
First Unitarian Church of St. Louis
Diane and Ed Garesche
Don and Fran McDaniel
Bob Scott
Stephen and Jenifer Stanfill
Bill Wahl
Supporter
Chris and Jen Haggerty
Sponsor
Renau Bozarth
Vincent and Sarah Capone
Dr. Steve R. Dedrickson
George Fonyo
John Luby
Lee and Lois Miller
Phil and Sima Needleman
Thomas and Patricia O’Toole
Keith and Kathy Rabenberg
Delores Reis
Craig and Jenifer Strohbeck
Marc and Wendy Vander Tuig
Michael and Alice Walther
Gregory and Ann Willard
Thomas and Patricia Wiltsch
Marlene D. Zafft
Friend
Susan Akins
Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Andert
Tim and Marianne Behlmann
Donald and Susan Berg
Duane and Judith Blanton
Betty L. Brand
Laura Brock
Julie and Oscar Cartaya
John C. and Karen R. Dolan
Charitable Fund
Rita Duran
Tom and Gwen Eckelman
The Gall Family Fund
Zora S. Hanko
Patricia E. Killian
Rob Libera
Lee Lottes
Dave McNaughton
Gary and Helen Nelling
Joanne Nelson
Maurice Noellsch
Robert and Nancy Petersen
Joseph Pottebaum
Christopher Roberts and Kelly
Galanis
Terri Roberts
Michael and Rosemary Roth
Becky Seaman
Joseph and Anne Tolan
Wendy Torri
Contributor
Anonymous
Shirley Asner
Tim Balk
Robert and Mary Berry
Diana Bourisaw
Richard and Vicki Briggs
Jim and Pat Cook
Karen Copeland
Daniel and Janet Desnoyer
Sandra M. Ferrante
Jerry and Cindy Finkenkeller
Jim and Chris Gorman
Esther and Harvey Greenstein
Kim Hanson
Kristen Hauser
Alvin and Marilyn Horst
Cathleen M. Horst
David Holtzman and Shauna Feely
Al and Marilyn Horst
Jim and Julianne Krekeler
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Miller
Judith W. Moeller
Betty Morgan
Charles and Leslie Polokonis
Barbara Pratter
Nancy B. Rohan
David and Annie Rowan
Cliff and Gail Saxton
Tom and Kathy Schlag
David and Karen Schuster
Barbara Silver
Steve Spencer and Cassie Frisbie
Mark and Karen Stallman
Andrew Surber
Margaret M. Tucker
Rebecca Wallace
Gerald and Judith Zafft
Matching Gifts
Amazon Smiles
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Phillips-Van Heusen Foundation, Inc.
United Way of Northern New Jersey
Foundations and Grants
Autism Speaks– Social Focus
Bland Family Foundation– Social
College
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
The Grainger Foundation
Lodging Hospitality Management
In Honor of Joe Asner
Nesher and Carrie Asner
In Honor of Blair and Selma Balk
Alexandra Rosin
In Honor of Selma Balk
Joseph and Laureen Wilder
In Honor of Amanda Behlmann
Dorothy and Steve Podry
In Honor of Kai Martin Dillon
Joshua and Lindsey Dillon
In Honor of John Finkenkeller
Mr. and Mrs. Michael R. Hogan
In Honor of Lisa Gilbert Eitelberg
Hallie Goldfader
In Honor of Debbie Goldfader
Nancy M. Greenberg
Penny Robiner & David Miner
In Honor of Dr. Jeffrey Gordon
Stephanie Schlamb
In Honor of Michael and Nancy Goya
Scott and Tricia Hackett
In Honor of The Kircher Family
John Honerkamp
In Honor of many lessons learned
Terri Roberts
In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Don
McDaniel
Kate Sheldon
In Honor of Lauren Montgomery
The Montgomery Family
In Honor of Patty Rogers
Elli Jordan
In Honor of the Werner Family
Anonymous
In Honor of Cindy Werner
Karen H. Crebs
In Honor of Sam Wiltsch
Rosemary Wiltsch
In Honor of the 60th Anniversary of
Gene and Marlene Zafft
Their Children and Grandchildren
In Memory of Ted Balbach
Debby, Jeff and Brian Gordon
In Memory of Robert Byers
Blair and Selma Balk
In Memory of Robbie Finger
Debby, Jeff and Brian Gordon
Elliot and Lynda Sharpe
In Memory of Beatrice Garten
Hallie Goldfader
In Memory of Peggy Goldfader
Rachel Balbach
Penny Robiner & David Miner
In Memory of Doris Ittner
Mrs. Peter Bunce
Letah Carruthers
Bob and Stacy Clark
George Fonyo
Jean Hobler
Curt and Molly Ittner
Wallace G. Klein and his daughters,
Peggy and Carla
Mrs. Richard E. Lord
Brian Malin
Marie Oetting
W.R. Piper
J. Edward Rohan
Carol Rucker
Arthur and Betty Schmid
Twenty Grand Syndicate
Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Turley
Mike, Alice and Sean Walther
In Memory of Rita Kozek
Blair and Selma Balk
In Memory of Paula Lite
Blair and Selma Balk
In Memory of Zohar Rosenblith
Betty Berger
In Memory of Jim Rosenthal
Hallie Goldfader
In Memory of Linda Sanford
Denise Ellis
Angela Gronda
Jackie Martin
Rose Piel
Bill and Doris Sanford
Denise Sanford
In Memory of John “Jack” Sullivan
Anonymous
Don and Ann Boyce
Maureen Cameron
Debbie and Hallie Goldfader
Rose Piel
Robert Scullin
Phillip Sullivan
In Memory of Karen Sullivan
Karen M. Sullivan Foundation
In Memory of Robert P. Tschudy
Michael and Alice Walther
In Memory of B.K. Werner
Duane A. Hercules
In Memory of Gene M. Zafft
Blair and Selma Balk
Robert and Elizabeth Bruce
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Carlie
Tony and Pat Diliberto
Edward and Elsa Dreyfus
Rachel Dreyfus
PathNotes
Richard and Sheila Flom
Esther Frank
Lauren and Jeffrey Friedman
Michael H. Freund and Lynn Hamilton
Debbie Gilula
Elliot and Joan Glassman and Frances
Lerman in Heaven
Roberta and Gordon Goldman
Debby, Jeff and Brian Gordon
Gary and Jerry Graham
Ray and Sally Howell
Curt and Molly Ittner
Mr. and Mrs. Joel S. Iskiwtch
Marian and Harold Katz
Lori Kaskowitz Kenward
Theodore and Geraldine Koziatek
Barbara Lancaster
Alan S. Levi
Susan and Robert Levin
William Londoff and Donna J. Hill
Ellen Mactas
Martin and Patricia March
McCormack Baron and Salazar
Jenifer Merlo
Marie Prange Oetting
Patty and Bob Paster
Susan Pizzano
Stuart and Barbara Radloff
Sue Rich
Mrs. Jeanne Rimmel
Sylvan H. Robinson
Richard and Sally Rosenthal
Steve Sandweiss
Joyce Schneiderman and 2nd Family
Barbara Smolin
Taylor Jordan, LLC / TJ Lending
Mark and Leslie Temkin
Kay and Hillie Ullman
Garry and Bonnie Vickar
The Walther Family
Herbert and Diane Weitman
Cindy and Jo Werner
Wilco Molding
Joseph and Laureen Wilder
Geri Wilson
Hillary Zimmerman and Chris Hebeler
On Occasion of the Birth of Kathryn
Mary Ellen Roberts
John and Ellen Galanis
On Occasion of Christmas
The Hellwege Family
Tribute for Special Birthday of Myron
Grodsky
Blair and Selma Balk
Toast to Independence Supporters
Bartels and Missey Construction
Craft Beer Cellar
John and Kathryn Dubuque
Jim and Laure Hullverson
Mesa Cycles
Riverfront Times
Joseph Vaccaro
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company
The Wellington Group
Trivia 2015 Sponsors
Anheuser-Busch
Robin Connelly
Hillside Animal Hospital
The Hogan Family
Let’s Build Hope
Lodging Hospitality Management
Master Auto Repair
Peoples National Bank
Ed Rataj
The Sanford Family
Schnucks
Sevens Dental
Ultra Color
The Walther Family
Lauren Wilder Designs
New Board Member:
Helen Nelling
Helen Nelling was introduced to Pathways to
Independence through Don Sanford, the chair
of PTI’s fundraising committee and brother of
Linda Sanford. Soon after she retired from a
distinguished career in Human Resources,
Helen attended the Toast to Independence
fundraiser at Urban Chestnut Brewing
Company last fall. She said, “Afterwards, I did
research on Pathways. The organization’s
mission fits my belief that every person should
be able to lead the fullest, richest and most
independent life possible. I would be honored
to work with a group that provides the
resources and support to allow St. Louis area
adults with learning disabilities to broaden and
deepen their life experiences.”
Helen brings a significant background in
business administration and evaluation,
personnel and employee benefits, strategic
planning and development, insurance and risk
management to the PTI board. Her skill and
knowledge base will be invaluable to Pathways
to Independence moving forward into the
future.
Jamie Larson: PTI’s New Project
Monitor
Jamie started working at Pathways to
Independence in August of 2014. She
was introduced to Pathways to
Independence through her brother,
Erik, a former PTI participant. “I could
directly see the positive impact PTI
had on Erik’s life. His conversation skills have
dramatically improved and he’s developed interests
and friendships outside of work and family,” she said.
Her professional background is in theatre, education
and direct client support. Before starting at PTI,
Jamie worked at two St. Louis theatre companies in
marketing, box office and company management.
Jamie is excited to continue to utilize her varied
experience and skills at Pathways to Independence
and help contribute to each participant’s success!
Saturday July 25, 2015
St. Charles Community College
Call 314-863-0202 x4
for more information.
Together with several other St. Charles service providers,
PTI is participating in this one-mile dash that will unite us
all: runners, walkers, rollers and spectators for a night of
celebration and community. Come out and enjoy this
evening of entertainment that will end with a family-friendly
movie! Visit ptistl.com/events for more information.
PathNotes
Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report
Program Highlights






Survey Results
The following reflects information gained from
“Pathways is a one of a
Participants received 6852 hours of
face-to-face support across all
program areas to 121 individuals.
48 participant respondents to our 2014 survey.
kind organization. They
198 Social Growth group opportunities were presented and attended for
skill generalization, community participation and progress towards goals.
Across six major skill areas, over 65% of
participants agree or strongly agree that they have
improved in:
111 Social Focus small groups were
initiated with staff support to help
participants progress towards goals in
planning, building relationships and
overcoming anxiety.
120 Social Focus individual supports
assisted participants in identifying
goal areas and receiving focused
training toward those goals.
42 Social College classes were held
covering 11 topic areas. Social
College supports participants in better
understanding the etiquette of specific
social topic areas that are commonly
difficult for participants to manage
independently.
Avg. cost to provide service is $2,344
per person factoring in all expenses.
Strategic Plan
A review of the strategic plan
adopted in February 2013 reveals
progress on all four goal areas.



33% of all tasks were
completed in FY ‘14 and will
continue to be monitored.
53% of all tasks showed
progress or significant
progress in line with
expectations.
Of remaining 16%, 8% of
tasks are priority items for FY
‘14 while continuing to progress in other areas.
not only offer opportunities
6 of 8 measures of Social Connectedness
5 of 6 measures of Conversation Skills
4 of 5 measures of Social Understanding
2 of 4 measures of Advocacy
for participants to socialize
and take part in fun
activities; but to learn how
to engage and interact
with others. Through these
social experiences, many
participants are
connecting with others
5 of 9 measures of Community Participation
6 of 9 areas of other performance-based Soft Skills
Areas identified to refine skill training included:
Maintaining friendships
Inviting others to get together
Expressing wants and needs
Budgeting
Route finding
Using resources to select activities of interest
Anger management
and overcoming fears
which have held them
back for years. PTI is
definitely life-changing for
many persons who would
otherwise be isolated and
lonely.”
- Betty Beckmann (parent)
Foundation/Corporate Support
In addition to public funding through
local Senate Bill 40 Boards and
individual giving, the following
foundations, businesses and
organizations contributed financially
during FY ‘14:
Ameren
Autism Speaks
Bland Family Foundation
Bowersox Insurance Agency
Bright Futures in Focus
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Favazza’s
Galanis Cataract & Laser Eye Center
John Finkenkeller, CPA
First Unitarian Church of St. Louis
Hillside Animal Hospital
LMI Aerospace
Lodging Hospitality Management
Mildred, Herbert and Julian Simon
Foundation
Millstone Foundation
Neighbor’s Credit Union
Pettus Foundation
PVH—Madison
Rotary Club of Clayton Ladue
Schnucks Markets
Sevens Dental
Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund
St. Louis Philanthropic Organization
Stinson Morrison Hecker, LLC
The Emporium
The Trio Foundation of St. Louis
Transitional Life Solutions
Various private family trusts
-PathNotesPathNotes
Statements of Activities for years ended June 30, 2014
2014
2013
Unrestricted Support and Revenue
Contributions
$201,986
$176,577
13,759
109,127
8,296
10,004
18,665
6,942
27,147
1,037
44,667
31,215
859
8,535
3,742
9,819
319,299
353,078
204,596
189,951
Management and general
47,346
55,585
Fundraising
31,765
30,645
283,707
276,181
35,592
76,897
351,759
274,862
$387,351
$351,759
Grants
-Productive Living Board of St. Louis County
Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
-St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources
-Developmental Disability Resource Board for St. Charles County
Special Events
Investment Income
Participant Fees
Miscellaneous
Total Unrestricted Support and Revenue
Expenses
Programs
Supporting Services
Total Expenses and Losses
Increase in Unrestricted Net Assets
Net Assets at Beginning of
Net Assets at End of Year
Pathways to Independence (PTI) served those who met the
following criteria in FY ‘14:
Primary Diagnoses Include:










Learning Disability
Reading Disorder
Math Disorder
LD-NOS
Written or Expressive Disorders
A(D)H(D)
Autism
Asperger’s Syndrome
Borderline Intellectual
Functioning
Traumatic Brain Injury

St. Louis County (Private Pay and Scholarship), St. Louis City (for Developmental Disability Resources funded positions) or St. Charles County (for the
Developmental Disability Resource Board of St. Charles County funded positions).

At least 18 years old and diagnosed before age 22
200 S. Hanley, Suite 103, Clayton, MO 63105
-PathNotesCardinals vs.
Kansas City Royals
Saturday, June 13th 3:15pm
Busch Stadium
Tickets: $30, includes admission, a voucher for a hot dog and soda to be
redeemed the day of the game AND a T-shirt if purchased by May 15th.
It’s also Leash Day at the ballpark. (see St. Louis Cardinals website for more
details)
For more information and registration:
http://ezregister.com/events/13034/
Or contact Jamie at (314) 863-0202 ext. 4
Pitch for Developmental disABILITIES is an event to bring awareness to the abilities of the
members of our community diagnosed with a D.D.
Join us for this opportunity to interact inclusively and show just how involved people with
D.D. are in our daily lives. From the workplace, our neighborhoods and in our spare time,
we support each other every day.