Autism Works, Inc. General Information. Contact Information. At A Glance. Nonprofit. Autism Works, Inc. Address

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1 Autism Works, Inc. General Information Contact Information Nonprofit Address Autism Works, Inc. 915 East County Road H Liberty, MO Phone (816) Fax Website Facebook Twitter facebook.com/pages/autism-works-family-connectionon-the-spectrum/ ?ref=hl twitter.com/ info@autism-works.org At A Glance How to donate, support, and volunteer Autism Works is always looking for volunteers for our summer programs and game nights. If you would like to volunteer your time or talents please contact Dessarey Klarlund at dklarlund@autism-works.org Donations can be made securely on our website at or mailed to 915 East County Rd H Liberty MO

2 Mission & Areas Served Statements Mission Statement Autism Works serves individuals and families who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. We believe great resources, information and support should be available to everyone in the community. Our organization works with families and the local community to increase autism awareness and develop support for families dealing with the everyday struggles of living on the spectrum. Background Statement Before Autism Works, there was a significant gap in autism services and support in the Northland, Clay County and rural counties outside of the Kansas City area. Autism Works was established in 2010 by a group of dedicated parents and volunteers who had the desire and passion to create a place for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families to belong. The goal was to provide new resources and support for children with ASD and their families in the Northland community and surrounding counties. It started with a few parents and teens meeting once a month for a social club and developed into a full time program serving all ages. Over the past five years the organization has grown tremendously and provided many new programs and support to the ASD community. Impact Statement Founded in 2010 in Liberty, Missouri, Autism Works serves individuals and families in the Northland affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. We believe great resources, information, and support should be available to everyone in the community, regardless of ability to pay. To this end, we offer social skill classes for students K-12, living and cooking classes for transition-aged youth, game nights, support groups, and parent and caregiver workshops.2017 Accomplishments: Continued to offer four social skills programs for grades K-12, a young adults program, game nights, cooking programs and summer programs in addition to our community activities, parent support groups and workshops. Added two new social skills instructors to accommodate the Elementary programs. Hosted two annual community events- Trunk or Treat & Holiday Open House. Spread Autism Awareness in our community through local speaking engagements. Raised over $28,000 at our annual Evening on the Spectrum fundraiser in April Goals: Increase our fundraising efforts to support our expanding programs.increase our marketing efforts to improve community recognition.continue to maintain our quality services while growing our programs to further meet the needs of our community. Needs Statement HP Office Jet Pro 9610 ink cartridgesprinter papercorporate/individual sponsors for our annual fundraiser in April.Marketing support- donation of marketing supplies or the donation of an individual s expertise in creating marketing material. CEO/Executive Director/Board Chair Statement When my grandson was diagnosed with Aspergers our family knew nothing about Autism. We started the journey to educate ourselves and find help for this wonderful little boy. To our surprise, there was nothing north of Kansas City to assist us. This inspired me to find a way to provide support for the Northland, so I founded Autism Works. We have a diverse board representing many different professions, talents, and leaders in the Northland. Most have volunteered their time from the very beginning. They have a strong commitment to fulfill our mission and measure our progress and growth. We have hired highly qualified staff with autism expertise to work with our children. Our Executive Director, Dessarey Klarlund, energizes the parents with workshops, support groups and seeks out experienced professionals to enhance our organization. She is continually measuring, evaluating the impact of the ongoing classes, support groups and activities provided by Autism Works. Our major challenge is funding to continue our growth and success with our mission. We have seen an increase in financial support for low income families, in addition we keep our program fees very low. We currently have one major fundraiser annually that have doubled in size and attendance every year. In addition, we receive support from individual and corporate donations and have continue grant writing to meet our goals. Service Categories Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers 2

3 Autism Areas of Service Areas Served Areas MO - Clay County MO - Liberty MO - Platte County KS - Johnson County MO - Jackson County MO - Ray County Autism Works is located in Liberty Missouri. Our students come from every surrounding county in the KC Metro area. 3

4 Programs Programs Children & Youth Social Skills Program Description We offer multifaceted programs, resources, and support groups to meet this critical need. Our social skills classes provide evidence-based, ongoing, affordable class options targeted toward children with high functioning Autism/Asperger s. Four age-based groups serving grades K- 12 meet weekly or biweekly for 1-2 hours. Our curriculum aids children in understand their own and others emotions, developing and improving skills to communicate feelings and recognize others feelings, knowing how to start and maintain interactions appropriately, and understanding others perspectives. ASD symptoms can range from mild to severe, but behavioral therapies, including social skill classes and recreational activities like those provided by Autism Works, can make a significant impact on a child s health and sense of well-being and acceptance. Category Human Services, General/Other Services for Individuals with Disabilities Population Served Children and Youth (0-19 years),, Short-Term Success Long- Term Success Short-term impacts for children attending the social skills classes: increased eye contact, increased verbal communication with teacher, improved play and conversational skills, increased comfort in social settings, improved peer interaction, improved control of emotional expression, increased ability to negotiate conflict, reduced general anxiety, and increased asking and commenting skills. Social Skills class curriculum is evidence-based including, but not limited to, social skills training, video modeling, task analysis, visual supports, and cognitive behavioral intervention. Social skills classes strengthen focusing skills and attention span, increase self-expression, improve language, and build sensory integration skills. Classes also improve academic performance and prepare students for future employment. The program improves the lives of participants by allowing them to gain valuable life skills not innately learned by children with ASD. Children who attend the social skills classes will find new ways to communicate and express themselves, learn to better understand basic communication rules, better interpret social cues, and learn improved ways to interact with their peers, family and community. Program Success Monitored By Social Skills class curriculum is evidence-based including, but not limited to, social skills training, video modeling, task analysis, visual supports, and cognitive behavioral intervention. Social skills classes strengthen focusing skills and attention span, increase self-expression, improve language, and build sensory integration skills. Classes also improve academic performance and prepare students for future employment. Each child needs a different number of sessions to experience anticipated results, but students typically begin to show improvement in after 8-10 sessions. Program outcomes are: (1) Autism Works students will have improved social skills as demonstrated by a 95% attendance rate as tracked by AW attendance records. (2) 80% of Autism Works students will have strengthened communication skills as evidenced by parents and tracked by end of session parent surveys. 4

5 Examples of Program Success I can never thank Autism Works enough for what you have done for my son. I shudder to think what his high school years could have been like without Sabrina s knowledge and guidance. He has learned and matured so much through your weekly classes. He is applying to attend the Propel program at UMKC this fall and I don t think he would have been able to accomplish this without you and your programs. We are forever indebted. Stephanie C S.T.R.I.V.E. -Social, Transitional, Responsibility, Independence and Vocational Training Description Category STRIVE is designed to serve as an additional piece of preparation for high functioning individuals with Autism or Aspergers between the ages of The focus of STRIVE is to encourage and foster independence in work skills, personal life, money management and social interaction among peers. STRIVE aims to ensure that individuals are prepared for the next step in their lives by teaching and practicing critical skills for independence in adulthood. Human Services, General/Other Services for Individuals with Disabilities Population Served People/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities,, Short-Term Success Long- Term Success Program Success Monitored By The transition from school to adult life is an immense feat for anyone; this shift seems to be especially challenging for individuals with Autism, as well as their support systems. The STRIVE program has been designed to work with those individuals. Participants will identify their strengths and areas that need more support and training. Individuals who attend STRIVE classes will have additional exposure to job readiness, meal preparation, household responsibilities, appropriate hygiene and grooming skills as well as community involvement and leisure skills. Our goal is to help participants become independent in the home and community and learn basic skills to secure employment. Program success is monitored by the class instructor, participants and their caregivers. Initial assessments are done on each individual to identify areas of strengths to build on and areas that need additional support and training. Weekly goals and tasks are sent home with participants. Follow up and instruction are provided to individuals who need support accomplishing their individual goals. Examples of Program Success Young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders are less likely to continue their education or get a job after high school when compared to young adults with other disabilities. According to a recent study, only about 35 percent of young adults with ASD attended college and only about 55 percent had a job the first six years after high school. Many parents with children with ASD describe leaving high school as falling off of a cliff because of the lack of services for adults with ASD. Many programs focus only on children, however Autism does not disappear in adolescence. The majority of lifespan is spent in adulthood. The STRIVE program will provide support and services to fill in this gap. 5

6 Young Adults Adventure Squad Description Category Y.A.A.S. is a community integration program for young adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The focus of this program is to help young adults ages become more independent and an active member of their community by learning how to plan and participate in various community outings. Human Services, General/Other Services for Individuals with Disabilities Population Served People/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities,, Short-Term Success Due to the lack of community programs, many adults with ASD experience higher levels of loneliness and lower peer relationship quality than same aged peers. This program addresses these issues by providing these individuals with an opportunity to become more engaged with others and become an active member of their communities. Long- Term Success The goal of this program is to teach young adults how to become more independent with planning their own social activities and feel less isolated by participating in events within their communities. Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success AW leadership staff evaluate attendance data monthly and rely on participant and parent feedback. This data is used to make ongoing program adjustments to increase the effectiveness of programming. Before the Young Adults Adventure Squad, many young adults with ASD were isolated in their homes with limited social interactions and opportunities to participate in community events. Through weekly activities and monthly planning meetings, these individuals have become more independent and self confident in their abilities to be an active member of their communities. 6

7 Parent Support Groups Description Category Often parents and caregivers feel alone in their journey once their child is diagnosed with ASD. Support groups provide a place for parents to connect to others, share stories, celebrate successes and relieve stress. Our support groups are in a relaxed setting with an open format for conversation and sharing. Autism Works offers two different support groups that meet once a month- Parents Night Out and Moms Brunch Support Group. Parents Night Out gives both parents the opportunity to enjoy an evening out with other parents. Dealing with the everyday stress of having a child on the spectrum leaves little time for parents to get out and relax. This group provides a relaxed atmosphere with friends and lets the parents enjoy an evening without the kids. The Mom s Brunch group offers the same type of support but focuses on support among other moms. For mothers of children with ASD, they can experience a different kind of stress that only another mom can relate to. Human Services, General/Other Parenting Education Population Served People/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities,, Short-Term Success Long- Term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Parents and caregivers with support, experience reduced stress, improved advocacy skills, increased sense of belonging and acceptance in the community. There is a feeling of relief knowing you re not alone and others share the same experiences. Our long term goal for the support groups is to increase attendance and eventually be able to provide free child care so more parents can attend who do not have reliable childcare options available. Since the introduction of our support group meetings, we have always asked parents for feedback and allowed them to express their ideas on what kind of support group they would feel most comfortable attending. Our support groups are regularly attended and have increased in numbers every year. The parent support groups have helped us so much it's hard to put it into words. For the first 18 years of our son s life we had zero support from anyone else who even had a clue to what we were going through. Once we moved here though we found a lot of other parents who truly got what we were going through. The parent s night out support group has been great for both of us; I think it s really good for the dad's to get to talk to other dads who are dealing with a not always pleasant teen age boy with autism. The mom's brunch support group has also been very supportive, I often feel like I'm helping a mom with a child who is younger since I've already been there done that and got the t shirt. Overall these support groups are priceless to us; we've made several friends and know there's nothing we can say about our son that they can almost always relate to.- Christy Hunt 7

8 Leadership & Staff Executive Director/CEO Executive Director Term Start Jan Mrs. Dessarey Klarlund Compensation $0 - $50,000 dklarlund@autism-works.org Experience Dessarey Klarlund started as a parent volunteer in 2010 and developed the teen club program for teens with ASD. Over the past several years she has developed many new programs to support the Autism community including; the social skills programs for grades K-12, young adults program for ages and parent support groups. Dessarey was also the parent of a young adult with an Aspergers and has first hand knowledge about the needs of the Autism community. Senior Staff Mrs. Dessarey Klarlund Title Experience/Biography Director of Programs Dessarey started as a parent volunteer in 2010 and created the teen club program for teens with ASD. Over the past two years she has developed many new programs including the social skill program and parent support groups. Dessarey is a parent of a teen with an Aspergers and has a great passion for serving the ASD community. She also currently volunteers as a parent mentor for the Institute for Human Development / Sharing Our Strengths program. Staff Paid Full-Time Staff 1 Paid Part- Time Staff 0 Volunteers 50 Retention Rate 90% Paid Contractors 10 Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually Quarterly Semi-Annually Plans & Policies 8

9 Organization Has a Fundraising Plan Organization Has a Strategic Plan Management Succession Plan Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Under Development Collaborations Autism Works independently leads this project but receives referrals from local physicians, clinics, and psychiatrists/psychologists in the Kansas City area. Referrals through ongoing connections with local schools, clinics, physicians, and psychiatrists/psychologists in the area are critical to our success. We will continue to recruit children and families through referrals from all schools in the Liberty School District, in addition to referrals from other school districts in Kansas City and Clay and Platte counties. We also facilitate a work experience project for Liberty High School Essential Skills Classroom student. Our partnership provides opportunities for vocational skill development and preparation for Job Olympics. Affiliations Affiliation Year Nonprofit Connect of Greater Kansas City 2015 Chamber of Commerce 2017 Government Licenses Is your organization licensed by the government? No CEO Comments Since 2010, our organization has grown from one program serving only teens, to many programs serving ages 5-29.As we continue to move forward, we recognize the need to expand and develop new programs for our students as they grow older. In addition to our ongoing Social Skill Programs, Autism Works is also committed to researching and exploring new ideas for future plans to accommodate the needs of our young adults in our community. We look forward to continuing to serve families with loved ones diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 9

10 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Mr. Jim Koger Company Affiliation H&R Block Term Jan 2019 to Jan Board Members Name Mrs. Amy Abbiatti Mrs. Leslie Byram Mr. Paul Gerberding Mr. Jim Koger Ms. Jamie Krisman Mr. Kelley Martin Mr. Dan Mattews Affiliation Manor Thrift Store Special Needs Planning Center DST Systems H&R Block Helms Properties, LLC Martin Financial Group, LLC Summit Behavioral Services, Inc Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 7 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 4 Female 3 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 3 Board Term Limits 0 Board Meeting Attendance % 100% Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions 100% 10

11 Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions 100% Constituency Includes Client Representation Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 4 Standing Committees Parents CEO Comments Autism Works developed a Parent Advisory Committee in 2016 to help lead us into the future. Together, they form a strong team and are a vital part of our organization's growth and success. 11

12 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start Jan 01, 2018 Fiscal Year End Dec 31, 2018 Projected Revenue $128, Projected Expenses $128, Endowment Value $0.00 Spending Policy Income Only Percentage 0% Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Total Revenue $94,551 $101,512 $76,529 Total Expenses $95,659 $97,666 $97,346 Revenue Sources Foundation and Corporation $30,802 $50,054 $42,602 Contributions Government Contributions $0 $0 $0 Federal State Local Unspecified $0 Individual Contributions Indirect Public Support $0 Earned Revenue $40,228 $33,287 $25,793 Investment Income, Net of Losses $0 $0 $0 Membership Dues $0 Special Events $23,521 $18,171 $8,134 Revenue In-Kind $0 Other $0 12

13 Expense Allocation Program Expense $77,888 $76,868 $77,050 Administration Expense $17,771 $20,798 $20,296 Fundraising Expense $0 $0 $0 Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 81% 79% 79% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 0% 0% 0% Assets and Liabilities Total Assets $55,746 $56,822 $52,935 Current Assets $48,292 $46,915 $46,437 Long-Term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Current Liabilities $507 $475 $431 Total Net Assets $55,239 $56,347 $52,504 Short Term Solvency Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 0% 0% 0% Top Funding Sources Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Individual Donor $13,000 TradeBot Systems $8,464 Kunkel & Associates $10,200 Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Irven E. & NeVada P Amount Linscomb Foundation $10,000 Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Individual Donor $3, Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Goal $0.00 Foundation Comments FY 2017, 2016, 2015: Financial data reported using IRS Form 990.Foundation/Corporate revenue line item may include contributions from individuals. Created Copyright 2019 Greater Kansas City Community Foundation 13