clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com
BY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY
West Hawaii children with disabilities were excluded from school, institutionalized or traveled to Hilo for support services in the early 1960s. No area program existed to provide their care or training.
That led a group of residents, led by Dr. Kid McCoy and Mark Sutherland, to devise an alternative. In 1962, they created an organization and a school at Christ Church Episcopal’s Wallace Hall in Kealakekua to serve these children with disabilities.
The Arc of Kona, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, has long since outgrown that location.
Operating on an approximate $3.2 million annual budget, the nonprofit is serving 113 people with disabilities to achieve independence and participate in society. It offers classroom-based therapeutic skills building; personal assistance; independent living in Ocean View; a group home in Captain Cook; a Ka’u service center; work crews in janitorial services, gardening and yard maintenance; as well as vocational and job training. Last year, Arc of Kona delivered more than 160 programs to people throughout the island other than Hilo, President and CEO Gretchen Lawson said Tuesday.
“Time certainly sneaks up on you, and this is a momentous occasion,” she said. “We have gone from very humble beginnings, essentially providing socialization and skills in some form or other to really trying to find a way for these individuals to integrate fully into the community, to thrive and meet the goals they dream of.”
The successes are many.
Arc of Kona has helped identify participants’ talents, strengths and abilities and matched those to activities and work close to their homes.
From July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011, it found 22 jobs for 32 referrals from the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Several participants are learning how they can earn an income through their art; one has already started his own jewelry business, Lawson said.
Another participant, a man in his 50s with a cognitive delay, was successfully discharged and moved to a more appropriate skilled nursing facility. He had been with Arc of Kona since age 10. Intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities are lacking, she said.
When Lawson assumed the organization’s leadership in late 1996, she said Arc of Kona was in danger of closing because of insufficient funding.
Her greatest joy during her tenure has been seeing the community rally behind Arc of Kona, as well as helping transform the struggling nonprofit into a stable one that securely delivers services and makes a profound difference in the lives of so many.
She also enjoys “keeping the positive momentum moving forward” for Arc of Kona, as well as the nation in regard to expanding opportunities for people with disabilities. Lawson said it was an honor being selected as one of 15 people nationwide for membership in the Institute of Rehabilitation Issues 37th Annual Prime Study Group that analyzed the Affordable Care Act passed in March 2010 and looked for implications for those with disabilities and their ability to choose work.
“We’re certainly proud to have made it this far and are committed to growing with the community and adapting to the ever-changing environment and economic realities,” she said.
As part of its accreditation process, Arc of Kona is updating its strategic plan. The nonprofit is seeking public comments on what specific services are wanted or needed in the community and what its goals should be over the next three years. Its present goals include strengthening its core service to Hawaii Island residents limited by disability; increasing fundraising and earned income; designing and delivering standard training for all staff positions; and providing a well-managed infrastructure that enhances agency operations, Lawson said.
Comments, due by March 31, can be faxed to 323-9444, emailed to xan@arcofkona.org or mailed to Arc of Kona, P.O. Box 127, Kealakekua, HI 96750.
Lawson said funding has always been Arc of Kona’s biggest challenge — one that hinders expansion or addition of programs. She would like the nonprofit to be “more creative and efficient” in its fundraising — particularly broadening financial support and pursuing funds without restrictions.
She credited the board of directors, employees, partners and the community for how Arc of Kona has fared in this economy. Still, the organization’s funding has dropped, especially when considering its budget in 2008 was roughly $3.4 million.
Arc of Kona has various funding sources, including the government, foundations, private donors and corporations. However, a major component is government funding, which has been shrinking. A program that provided transportation services is the only one the government has cut so far.
The past couple of years has been “a time of evolution,” one in which the staff still has to do more with fewer employees. Fortunately, volunteers have contributed their talents, such as teaching ukulele and helping hopeful entrepreneurs file the appropriate paperwork, she said.
For more information, call 323-2626 or visit arcofkona.org.
clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com