A Man You Can Rely On

Summer 2016
Kaposia invests in the
prosperity of people
with disabilities and
the profitability of our
partners.
A Man You Can Rely On
by Josh Reuter
Over the years, Kaposia has served some individuals who we help to find a job,
but do not need any on-going supports. Ten years ago we served a gentleman
named Stephen Hinderman. Stephen had worked for two large banks doing
data entry for over 15 years but had been laid off. He had since found work as
a dishwasher but was not happy at all with that job. Stephen’s former boss told
Kaposia that he was one of the best employees they ever had and how Stephen
was a very detailed and skilled worker.
Stephen had an interview with Gurstel Chargo Law office in downtown
Minneapolis. It went very well. The next day, Kaposia received a call from a
Human Resources employee at Gurstel explaining that they really liked Stephen
but were unsure about hiring him as they use a temp agency to hire their data
entry employees. We talked a little about what Stephen could bring to their
team and ultimately negotiated a position for Stephen.
Two weeks after beginning the job, Kaposia received a phone call from the
same Human Resources employee at Gurstel Chargo. She told us that Stephen
was performing just wonderfully and they could not believe how productive and
thorough he is and she thanked us for connecting them.
Months later, we visited Stephen at work. He no longer shared a cube with a
bunch of temp workers. He now worked out of his own cube with his own name
plate. In fact, Gurstel Chargo had let all of the temps go, as Stephen was doing
so well, they were no longer needed.
Stephen is still at Gurstel Chargo today, although he now travels to the new
offices in Golden Valley. Kaposia caught up with Stephen at the Walk for Wheels,
which he and his family attend nearly every year. Stephen shared that Gurstel
has changed a lot since he started but that he still loves it there and is so happy
they hired him and would not change a thing.
THIS ISSUE
Walkin’ the Walk. . . Discovering Rich. . . . Inspiring Generosity. . ~and much more!
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Shawna Christensen, the Director of Human Resources for Gurstel Chargo said,
“Stephen is a huge asset to the Firm’s Administration Department where he
assists with various tasks such as filing, scanning documents and sorting mail.
He is always willing to help out where he is needed and, in April of 2015, Stephen
won the Employee of the Month award. His teammates and the Firm enjoy and
appreciate his helpful and positive attitude. Everyone can count on Stephen
putting a smile on your face with every interaction with him.”
Kaposia would like to thank Gurstel Chargo for seeing the potential in Stephen.
It turned out to be a win-win for everyone!
Exclusive Offer! Act Now!
I still have a landline at home.
from the desk of the CEO
There. I said it. And I feel better after admitting it.
JON ALEXANDER
I’m not sure why we still have one, because the only calls
we get on it are from people trying to sell us something.
Or my mother.
We all get these calls and typically it’s right when we sit
down to dinner or just when our show is getting good.
For the past couple of years, Josh Reuter, our
Development Coordinator has been calling you. He
doesn’t call during dinner but it might be a call that you
dread.
“Our CEO would like to meet with you.”
“We don’t have any money to give to Kaposia.”
“No, no, no. He just wants to meet with you to discuss
the future direction of Kaposia.”
“Let me check the calendar and I’ll get back to you.”
And Josh moves on to the next name on the list.
For 10 years, it was my job to meet with anyone
interested in our services and I also handled all of our
intakes. I got to know individuals and their families
pretty well through this process. But since I became the
CEO, it is much harder to meet the people we serve as
well as their families. So a few years ago, I set a goal to
meet with at least 10 new families each year. I am sorry
to say that I have yet to meet that goal.
I have had the opportunity to meet with some families
and it’s been great to learn not only about the great
jobs people have found but also the many interests that
people have. I had the privilege to meet individuals who
have won gold medals in golf, swimming, and snowboarding.
I met one young man who knows all the words to several
musicals and another who wants to open his own dance club.
And I learned about one parent who is dedicated to helping
out at the Ronald McDonald Houses, where families stay while
their children are in the hospital.
So, I’m using this space to ask you to please take Josh’s call
and if you’re able to meet with us, I promise not to ask you for
money. I will be asking you to support our mission in whatever
way you can. Just as we focus on people’s skills and interests
when supporting their job search, I want to learn more about
your skills and interests and how we might be able to work
together to meet the mission of Kaposia.
So please, if you see Kaposia pop up on your Caller ID, please
take Josh’s call. Or if you want, you can call him at 651-7892830. He loves to talk on the phone and he really wants me to
meet this goal.
And not only that, but we have an exciting offer for you…if you
call in the next 30 days, we’ll throw in a free Kaposia coffee
mug with every visit.
Walkin’ the Walk
by Josh Reuter
Kaposia would like to extend a sincere thank you for the
show of support we received during our annual Walk for
Wheels. The event was amazing with fabulous music,
games and delicious pancakes. Together we raised more
than $18,000, which will allow us to purchase a van as well
as be able to continue to give our customers quality access
to their community.
Kaposia would like to thank everyone for helping raise
money and making the 2016 Walk for Wheels one of our
most successful fundraisers to date. Year after year we
continue to be in awe of the commitment and hard work
people put into helping raise money for such an important
cause. We cannot thank you enough for the support!
Lastly, Kaposia would like to give a special thanks to our
generous sponsors: Bank Cherokee, Thrivent Financial –
Landmark Group, Kraus Anderson, Professional Fiduciary
Inc, J&J Distributing, Discount Tires, Bailey Nurseries, POPP
Communications and Salon Cheveux. Your commitment to
Kaposia is truly appreciated.
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one step ahead...
SUCCESS
Discovering Rich
by Kelly Merchant
Rich is a man of few words and unless you ask the right questions or engage him in
the right environment, you may not get the pleasure of watching him excitedly express
himself. His previous supervisor would share that his co-workers were inviting him to
lunch but Rich would remain silent after their inquiries. Ultimately that job did not last very
long. It was hard to know if Rich was shy, unhappy or unsure of himself. It isn’t until you
get a chance to hang out with Rich in his living room and discuss his prized possessions
that you’ll see his face light up and he’ll start talking about what’s really important to him.
The beauty of Discovery is it leads us down a path where we find the right questions and
identify in what environments an individual will thrive. In the beginning, we visit a person’s
home where we get a glimpse into the life of the job seeker. What do they collect? How
do they decorate? What seems important? Are they organized? You can learn a lot about
a person in their own space. Rich’s living room walls are adorned with brightly colored sombreros, Native
American dreamcatchers and cultural artwork. These decorations are prominently placed and were our first
clue into Rich’s fascination with culture.
During the house tour, Rich’s love for the kitchen became quickly apparent. He loves food – all of it – and in
addition to eating, he loves to cook. He spent one afternoon cooking a Mexican style Hamburger Helper for
his Career Consultant and that is when we learned that Rich had cooking skills. If you ask him about food, he
will light up. With further investigation, we learned that Rich grew up bonding with his family in the kitchen.
Because Rich is quiet, it could easily be assumed that he doesn’t mind working alone, but that is far from the
truth. Through Discovery we found that even if Rich is not talking, he enjoys the company of others. And if
they are from another culture or speak another language, all the better. Rich likes getting out of his element.
He enjoys people, art and things that are different.
In April, a warm lead arose with a Latin American restaurant serving Venezuelan food called Arepa Bite.
Arepas are a staple food in the Venezuelan culture and is typically made with ground corn dough and stuffed
with options such as butter and cream cheese, assorted meats, chicken and avocado salad, eggs and beans.
The food joint was looking for some help. One afternoon Rich went to meet owner Erwin Chacon and it
became immediately obvious that it was a good fit. The match involved food, a free meal every shift, another
culture, and the Spanish language. With just the first encounter, Rich was engaging with Erwin and a deal
was made that not only sealed a job, but also involved Rich learning to speak Spanish. Rich was ecstatic as
he had spoken for years about buying Rosetta Stone.
Rich is flourishing in his kitchen position. He is making friends, keeping the kitchen clean and organized
and looking forward to taking on more kitchen tasks as he gets comfortable. I visit Rich every week and am
greeted with a large and confident smile. Rich introduces me to his new co-workers with ease and keeps me
updated on his ongoing Spanish lessons.
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Developments in Mental Wellness
by Scott Stivers
In May of 2015, Kaposia received a grant from the Otto Bremer foundation to develop a Mental Health Employment Services
division. One of the key components of this new division’s strategy is the implementation of a program known as WRAP®.
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) is a personalized wellness and recovery system born out of and rooted in the
principle of self-determination. WRAP® is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors;
increase personal empowerment;
improve quality of life; and
achieve their own life goals and dreams.
Working with a WRAP® can help individuals to monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors and, through
planned responses, reduce, modify, or eliminate those feelings. A WRAP® also includes plans for responses from others
when an individual cannot make decisions, take care of him/herself, and/or keep him/herself safe.
Over the past 12 months, over 100 people have attended WRAP® Seminar I sessions hosted and facilitated by Kaposia’s
Mental Health Division. A lot of excitement has grown up around the new program as it has recently begun to expand in
two important ways.
First, twelve people completed WRAP® Seminar II in order to become certified as WRAP® Seminar I facilitators. The group
was composed of members of Kaposia’s staff, customers of Kaposia, and others from the community at large. Thousands
of people across the United States and around the world have trained as WRAP® Facilitators. These people are changing the
mental health system to honor people’s recovery journeys.
In addition to reviewing the values, ethics, and components
of WRAP®, trainees were asked to present various parts
of WRAP® Seminar I with a co-facilitator. This was a step
or two outside of the comfort zone for some, but everyone
fulfilled the requirements successfully and showed mastery
of the material. With the new class of facilitators, Kaposia’s
capacity to help people recover and maintain their mental
wellness has increased exponentially.
Second, two groups of people have attended a pilot program combining WRAP® with another program Kaposia has been
using to help our customers find employment with great success for years, Discovering Your Personal Genius®. Anyone in
the work force knows that successful and meaningful employment has a positive effect on individuals’ mental wellness! By
investing the time and energy up front to reflect upon and discover individual attributes, interests, skills, tasks performed,
the ideal conditions of employment, vocational themes and social capital and for each individual, and then using that
information to guide the search for the right fit, people who attend this pilot program are set up for success, both in their
efforts to maintain mental wellness, and in their hope to achieve their life goals and dreams.
Kaposia continues to stay one step ahead, continuing to advocate for meaningful employment as a fundamental right of
every citizen, regardless of disability… and, as of now, mental health challenges.
On Friday, April 29th, a new documentary critical of
how mental illness is defined and treated in the U.S.
was screened at nearly 130 locations around the
world, including at Kaposia.
Healing Voices
“Healing Voices,” written and directed by
Massachusetts filmmaker PJ Moynihan, follows three
people over nearly five years, including a resident
nearby South Dakota.
The film explores extreme mental illness as a natural human response to trauma and features interviews with mental health
professionals and activists who question the effectiveness of addressing mental illness primarily through medication.
“What I discovered were countless individuals who have been told their extreme states, or emotional distress, was a
disease of the brain, from which they would never recover,” Moynihan wrote in a director’s statement. “The irony is that
most of these individuals are now living full lives, holding jobs, starting families. Many have gone through the painful and
dangerous process of coming off the psychiatric drugs that were doled out to them as if they were insulin for diabetes.”
A standing room only audience attended the free screening hosted by Kaposia. But, more important than the documentary
is the conversation that it has inspired across the country. “Healing Voices” is not an end in itself. It is meant to be a
catalyst, an opportunity to help us reframe what we now know about mental “illness.” And that is this: People can and do
recover from even the most severe mental health challenges. Their lives are not broken. There are alternative treatments,
and more holistic approaches, that have proven to be effective, enabling people to live full, meaningful lives.
Kaposia is proud to take a leading role in changing the tone of conversation from, “How shall we manage mental illness?”
to, “How shall we cultivate mental wellness?” One of the many initiatives Kaposia has launched is a continuing opportunity
to “take in a movie” and discuss the issues it raises. On Wednesday afternoons through July, Kaposia invites you to join
us as we watch various documentaries and provocative feature films around the subject of mental health and wellness.
Please look over the schedule on the flip side near the mailing lablel, and plan to join the conversation!
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Inspiring Generosity
customer profiles...
by Lynn Phillips
SUCCESS
Meghan B never ceases to amaze. Over the many years we have known
each other, Meghan has revealed many gifts and talents, like compassion,
generosity, and dedication. She is an inspiration to us all.
Meghan may have her own challenges, but that doesn’t stop her from meeting
the challenge to help others when they need it. For example, she has been
recognized by the Red Cross for her dedication as a blood donor. Meghan
constantly watches for the next opportunity to give blood, and writes it on her
calendar well in advance. Then, to prepare, she eats healthy foods so that
her iron is up when the day comes. Even if she hits an obstacle, Meghan is
very resourceful! One day, I was pleased to be Meghan’s ride to the Blood
Mobile. We arrived and found, much to Meghan’s disappointment, that she
wasn’t eligible to give blood that day. Not to be denied, guess who Meghan
“volun-told” to give blood! Everyone who knows Meghan, knows that she
doesn’t take no for an answer very often. But, she didn’t just “throw me
under the bus,” so to speak. She held my hand while I donated blood (and I
prayed I wouldn’t pass out!)
Another of Meghan’s many talents is raising money for causes she holds near
and dear to her heart. Her talent for raising money is even greater when the
cause helps people she knows and cares about. One of the causes Meghan
loves most is Kaposia’s own Walk for Wheels. A few years back, Meghan was
instrumental in raising enough money to buy a wheelchair accessible van.
But, it wasn’t just “a van.” It was a van for her friend, Margaret. Margaret’s
van is still in service today.
That wasn’t Meghan’s first rodeo, and it wasn’t her last. For well over ten
years, Meghan has developed and perfected her fundraising skills. Her
annual goal is to fill every line on her Walk for Wheels pledge sheet. That
is fifteen lines, and she always uses the blank space at the bottom to add
a sixteenth. (Did I mention she was dedicated?) Meghan started raising
money a full six weeks prior to this year’s Walk for Wheels. With the support
of her parents and the staff at her residence, Meghan went door to door,
even at night in the rain, to reach her goal. As a result, she was able to fill
all SIX-teen lines on her pledge sheet… THIRTEEN TIMES! All told, Meghan
raised over two-thousand eight-hundred dollars.
We should all take a page from Meghan’s playbook and start raising money
six weeks prior to this annual event! One person can accomplish great things.
I can only imagine what we could do as a group. My heartfelt thanks go out
to Meghan, not only for the great things she does, but also for the great
example she provides of giving back where it matters.
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KAPOSIA Film Series
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Wednesday, July 13, 2:45
A nice rest in a state mental hospital beats a stretch in the pen, right? Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a
free-spirited con with lightning in his veins and glib on his tongue, fakes insanity and moves in with what he calls
the “nuts.”
My Brother Mike
Wednesday, July 20, 2:45
My Brother Mike is an intimate portrait of blues rock pianist Michael Sheridan. Captivating footage of him in
recording sessions and interviews shows the genius of his lyrics and musicality, his unpretentious idiosyncrasies,
and his love of life.
Running From Crazy
Wednesday, July 27, 3:00
‘Running from Crazy’ is a documentary examining the personal journey of model and actress Mariel Hemingway,
the great granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, as she strives for a greater understanding of her family history of
suicide and mental illness.
A Beautiful Mind
Thursday, July 28, 3:00
From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experiences it all. A mathematical
genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But
the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery once
he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
All Films will be screened at:
Maple Leaf Conference Room
223 Little Canada Rd., East
Little Canada, MN 55117
For more information
call or email
Patti Bitney Starke
651.789.2820
pbitneystarke@kaposia.com
Fall 2013
Kaposia invests in the
prosperity of people
with disabilities and
the profitability of our
partners.
Chief Executive Officer:
Jon Alexander
Editors:
Scott Stivers
Carol Rydell
Josh Reuter
Kelly Merchant
223 Little Canada Road E.
Suite 100
Little Canada, MN 55117
651.224.6974 TTY • 651.224.7249 FAX
WWW.KAPOSIA.COM
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, October 1st
Saint Catherine University ~ Saint Paul, MN
Featuring Special Guest ~ Adam Levy
Adam Levy is a musician (lead singer of the Honeydogs),
educator, and social activist. He has worked in several
fields, including with at-risk youth. His son’s suicide
impels his effort to address mental illness.