OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS

VOCATIONAL/EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: FOUNDED IN 1953 BY VISIONARY PARENTS WHO WANTED A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR TEENAGE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS HAS ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE ABILITIES OF PEOPLE. AT A TIME WHEN MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD LEARN JOB SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE THE SENSE OF PRIDE THAT COMES FROM EARNING A PAYCHECK. IN 1959, OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS BECAME THE FIRST SERVICE PROVIDER IN THE TWIN CITIES TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO FIND JOBS WITH EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMUNITY. IN 2024, OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS SERVED 1024 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT DOZENS OF JOB SITES, RESIDENCES AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS THROUGHOUT THE TWIN CITIES, WITH 242 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS PROVIDES SUPPORT TO A WIDE RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS - INCLUDING YOUNG ADULTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, ADULTS RECOVERING FROM BRAIN INJURY, AND ADULTS OF ALL AGES WITH DOWN SYNDROME. NO MATTER WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS, OUR SERVICES HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO LEAD MORE REWARDING AND MEANINGFUL LIVES. OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS PROVIDES ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP PEOPLE ACQUIRE SKILLS FOR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION INCLUDING MANAGING A BUDGET, SHOPPING, COOKING HEALTHY MEALS, AND REGISTERING TO VOTE. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OFFER A FULL SPECTRUM OF SUPPORT TO HELP PEOPLE EXPLORE THE WORLD OF WORK AND REACH THEIR EMPLOYMENT GOALS. PARTICIPANTS GAIN EXPERIENCE, EARN AN INCOME, AND HAVE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS VALUED AT OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS AND AT OTHER BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.2024 ENRICHMENT MILESTONES: PEOPLE SUPPORTED IN ENRICHMENT SERVICES: 234 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN IN-PERSON ENRICHMENT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: 190 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN ENGAGE WITH MY COMMUNITY: 26 INDIVIDUALS UTILIZING VIRTUAL ENRICHMENT CLASSES: 77 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN MULTIPLE PROGRAMS: 582024 EMPLOYMENT MILESTONES: PEOPLE UTILIZING EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT (JOB SEEKING) SUPPORTS: 107 NEW COMPETITIVE JOB PLACEMENTS 74 SUPPORTED 258 PEOPLE WORKING COMPETITIVE, INDEPENDENT JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY THE AVERAGE WAGE FOR PEOPLE WORKING COMPETITIVE JOBS INCREASED TO $16.33 PER HOUR (2.62% INCREASE FROM 2023).OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS IS ACCREDITED THROUGH CARF INTERNATIONAL, THE COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION OF REHABILITATION FACILITIES. DURING ITS LAST ACCREDITING PERIOD (2023), OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS WAS REACCREDITED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FOR ITS COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT PLANNING SERVICES. THE LATEST ACCREDITATION WAS THE TENTH CONSECUTIVE THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITING BODY HAS AWARDED TO OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS. THIS REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION THAT CAN BE AWARDED TO AN ORGANIZATION AND SHOWS A SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE TO THE CARF STANDARDS. AN ORGANIZATION RECEIVING A THREE-YEAR ACCREDITATION HAS PUT ITSELF THROUGH A RIGOROUS PEER REVIEW PROCESS AND DEMONSTRATES TO A TEAM OF SURVEYORS DURING AN ON-SITE VISIT ITS COMMITMENT TO OFFERING SERVICES THAT ARE MEASURABLE, ACCOUNTABLE, AND OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.