Endless Possibilities for Adults with Disabilities at VIP Services

jillj48
Apr 30
4 min read

By Maura Keller | Photo by Holly Leitner

While the spring equinox may take place in March, the month can be a cold and blustery one in the Geneva Lake area. But for a special group of people, March is the time when everything begins. This group of adults with disabilities, all clients of Elkhorn nonprofit VIP Services, Inc., along with staff, begins planting the seeds that will turn into an incredible bounty of plants, flowers and vegetables by mid-summer and then be available for sale at the VIP Seeds Market.

DECADES OF INCLUSION

Day services and horticultural therapy are two of several offerings in VIP Services’ programming. The organization’s mission is to provide a broad range of services empowering people with disabilities or barriers to achievement, purpose and belonging within the community. It does this by partnering with communities, businesses and adults that participate in its programming to advance disability inclusion.

“Our organization was established in 1970 as Vocational Industries by parents of students enrolled at Lakeland School in Elkhorn [a public school specializing in students with special needs],” explains Dawne Alderman, director of people, process and marketing operations at VIP Services. “The plan was to provide a place their young adults could go for meaningful daily activities and personal growth after graduating from Lakeland School.”

GROWING AND EVOLVING

The organization rebranded in 2004 as VIP Services to reflect the comprehensive range of social and vocational programs offered. Today, VIP Services provides specific programs: day services, job training services, community employment services and transportation services to clients. VIP Services helps connect individuals to the community, while supporting employment paths allowing clients with disabilities a chance to thrive. Clients enjoy both on- and off-site activities to help foster social interaction and daily living skills.

According to Alderman, the organization supports approximately 100 clients daily in their various programs. VIP Services employs just under 200 employees and works with a committed group of volunteers. The organization provides over 5,000 rides a month to those who need transportation. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

A PASSION FOR COLLABORATION

Alderman’s drive to provide meaningful experiences for adults with disabilities is palpable — but it was not initially her career focus. Alderman began her career in retail sales promotion and marketing for Bon-Ton Stores and continued working for the company for 30 years. Bon-Ton Stores eventually closed in 2018, forcing Alderman to evaluate her next career move.

“I joined VIP in 2022 and now I get to be here every day with a wonderfully talented team of coworkers and an awesome group of clients,” she explains. “We all work very hard and still figure out how to have a little fun each day too.”

A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS

One key area of focus for the organization is VIP Services’ community-focused day services program, which offers hands-on activities that encourage mastery of fundamental daily living skills.

Clients can learn about a job, sport or hobby that may lead to meaningful, interactive experiences through other activities or volunteer projects.

Some clients will participate in job training, and once that is completed, VIP Services helps to find employment placements for those clients looking for work. One such employment opportunity is located on site: VIP Services boasts a 20,000-square-foot production facility that enables their clients to handle large projects in a timely manner. Having an on-site facility like this allows VIP Services to ensure that adults with disabilities are working in an integrated environment among production lines that can be adapted to meet the specific needs of both clients and businesses.

As part of the organization’s manufacturing and production services program, VIP Services’ clients work with a large array (over 60!) of local and regional companies and several national and international corporations.

PLANTING SEEDS OF CONNECTION

In August 2024, VIP Services acquired Seeds of Hope, a local organization providing similar services along with horticulture and culinary programs. Through that acquisition, VIP Services, Inc. gained 30 new day services clients, 14 new team members, three vehicles and a 6.8-acre parcel in Elkhorn that is now home of the VIP Services Horticulture Center.

“Our program now offers expanded options to include horticulture and culinary therapy,” Alderman explains. “This addition to our team aligned perfectly with our strategic plan [to empower individuals with disabilities through vocational, social and community skills] and we’re a better team because of it.”

HARVESTING COMMUNITY

The VIP Seeds Market allows VIP Services, Inc. to sell plants, flowers, vegetables, baked goods and crafts directly to the community. The VIP Seeds Market also supports several area food banks with the vegetables grown by the clients and it partners with local organizations to donate to community food drives.

So what excites Alderman and the VIP team about the future of the organization and its outreach? “When I started at VIP Services, I knew very little about all of the great things that happen here,” she says. “We continue to make an effort to get word out to our community about what we are doing and who we are. We get to make a difference every single day. We’re growing and our clients are growing through the supports and services we provide. What better reason to get to come to work every day?”