COMMUNITY LIFE SERVICES

2023-2024 CONTINUED TO BE ANOTHER CHALLENGING YEAR ACCLIMATED WITH CHANGING RULES RELATED TO HEALTH SAFEGUARDS AND FIRE AND FLOOD EMERGENCIES THAT CONTINUED TO IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR COMMUNITIES INTO 2024. OUR CLIENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF HAVE ALL CONTINUED TO WORK AND ADAPT. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A HYBRID OF SERVICES TO MAINTAIN SERVICE UTILIZATION AND REGULAR SUPPORT SCHEDULES FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES. CLIENTS CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE A MIXTURE OF SERVICE MODALITIES TO MEET THEIR TRADING AND INDEPENDENCE NEEDS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE CONTINUED PROVIDING IN-PERSON SERVICES WITH A COMPLEMENT OF VIRTUAL SERVICES WHEN REQUESTED BY CLIENTS. WE PROVIDED ONGOING SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 150 ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION, EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT, EMPLOYMENT RETENTION, AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE WAITLIST FOR SERVICES WITH NO MOVEMENT AS IT WILL REQUIRE INCREASING OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND OUR CHALLENGES TO FIND AND RETAIN STAFFING HAS INCREASED DUE TO THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR COUNTRY. FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THIS EMPLOYMENT MARKET IN OUR AREA CONTINUED TO BE POSITIVE THROUGH 2023-2024 ALTHOUGH THE HIGH COST OF HOUSING HAS IMPACTED ALL STAKEHOLDERS. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WE SUPPORT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE INTERNSHIPS AND ACHIEVE PAID JOBS DUE TO THE LACK OF WORKERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, DUE TO LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MANY OF OUR CLIENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES ARE NOT ABLE TO MOVE OR CHANGE WHERE THEY ARE LIVING DUE TO A SHORTAGE IN HOUSING THEY CAN AFFORD. ANOTHER YEAR OF CHALLENGES, WE CAN TAKE PRIDE IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF. A SUSTAINED SHORTAGE IN THE LOCAL WORKFORCE HAS MEANT THAT EMPLOYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN VERY EAGER TO WORK WITH US TO EOMPLOY A LARGER DIVERSITY OF WORERS, WHICH MEANS THAT PEOPLE WE SUPPORT ARE GETTING JOBS FASTER THAN PRIOR YEARS IN THE MARKET.