Construction Begins at The Laradon SchoolStudents at The Laradon School, Laradon’s school for children with disabilities ages 5 to 21, will soon have a brand-new, upgraded building to call their own.

Laradon recently broke ground to expand, improve, and upgrade its aging school buildings. A groundbreaking ceremony on January 25th brought together city and state officials, community leaders, and Laradon supporters to launch the first phase of Laradon’s overall construction plan for its 9-acre campus.

Students of The Laradon School have spent the last year in a temporary home inside the Gilpin School, a former Denver Public Schools Elementary School. While it has been an easy transition thanks to Laradon’s highly trained staff and a high ratio of 90 staff to 70 students, the children and teachers alike are looking forward to moving back into the new and improved school when it re-opens in July of 2018.

Students come to The Laradon School when their needs exceed the school

district’s resources to adequately support a student with developmental disabilities. The Laradon School takes the students with the highest of needs that may not have anywhere else to go until they are ready to transition back into their home district or graduate and transition into adult programs.

The project is funded by community supporters and foundations who generously give to the People. Building. People. Capital Campaign for Laradon.  Thanks to this support, planned upgrades across all programs will improve access to technology and give individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage with the community even more.

• Adding additional classroom space designed to support the concepts of appropriate education and least restrictive environment

• New, assistive technology upgrades and outdoor playground equipment

• A new affordable housing complex for the community that will include substantial programming space for the individuals we serve

• Upgrades to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and greater improvements to accessibility

• Improved adult programming spaces

In this newsletter: — School Construction

Begins

— The Power of Employment

— A Letter from the Executive Director

— Self-Advocacy at the Capitol

— The Calabrese Society

— South Denver Families Enjoy Play Groups

LARADON FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER | SPRING 2018

When you give to Laradon, you support education programs that help students work on developmental skills to grow into independent learners. A gift of $100 will purchase eight books so we can build a complete library

in each classroom.

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREvery year, through exceptional individualized services, Laradon builds a community of nearly 700 empowered and independent individuals and families who are able to live, learn, and grow to their full potential.

Over the next three years, the Laradon Foundation will reach out to the community to raise $10 million to:

• Improve and increase program spaces for the School, Adult Day Services, and Adult Employment Services

• Create new and better ways to serve people in our programs

• Sustain our service mission long into the future

Our commitment to remain financially stable allows us to continually improve services for Denver’s most vulnerable individuals and families. The People. Building. People. Capital Campaign for Laradon will help us remain debt free, decrease dependency on Medicaid funding, and build community partnerships to better share resources.

Over the next year, we will continue to share snapshots of People. Building. People. at Laradon. The future is in our hands. We invite you to help build it!

Sincerely,

Tilman Adair, Executive Director

Self-advocacy at the Capitol on IDD DayWalking through the Colorado State Capitol for the first time is a memorable experience for everyone, and people in our programs are no exception. Each year the advocacy group, Alliance Colorado, hosts IDD Awareness Day at the Capitol. Adult individuals from Laradon programs were there to explore the historic building, speak with legislators, and even observe meetings in the House and Senate Chambers.

One individual from Laradon’s Work Teams Program, Erin Bargman, was asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in front of legislators before the Senate meeting began. Erin is a dedicated self-advocate, who actively participates in discussions on rights for people with disabilities and for the funding of Medicaid.

Erin explained that she felt she was a representative for others in the IDD community and that the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance gave her a chance to raise awareness for Laradon and the needs of those with IDD.

“ It felt good,” she said, “My family and friends were so proud of me. I’ve never

been in front of that many people before.” Many of the other individuals who attended are a part of a self-advocacy group at Laradon, called The Laradon Officers. This group meets monthly to talk about their rights and program needs. They enjoy attending events like IDD Day because they can advocate for themselves and their peers by talking to legislators and showing them that they want to be involved in decision-making processes.

Dana Woods is a self-advocate who thoroughly enjoyed her time at the Capitol, even stating that she wants to work there someday! Her favorite part was getting to work a self-serve coffee machine herself in the lobby. Small acts such as this re-assert her independence and make her feel like a part of the community.

A gift of $100 to Laradon’s Adult Programs will purchase six workbooks to teach skills that support independence.

Bequests The most common way to make an estate gift is through a will or living trust. For most, tax planning is not a significant issue, especially after the new tax law in 2018. Bequests allow people to retain full control over their assets until their estate is settled.

If you are interested in creating a bequest for Laradon, you can share the following language with your attorney. It may prove helpful when drafting (or updating) your will or living trust.

Sample language for a specific bequest to Laradon Foundation:

“I give to Laradon Foundation, 5100 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80216, a Colorado non-profit corporation, the sum of $_______ [or ______% of my estate; or the property described herein], for its general purposes.”

Sample language for a residuary bequest to Laradon Foundation:

“I give to Laradon Foundation, 5100 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80216, a Colorado non-profit corporation, all [or ____%] of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, for its general purposes.”

If you take this step, please let us know. We would love to welcome you as a member of The Calabrese Society.

Introducing The Calabrese Society In 1948, Joseph and Elizabeth Calabrese were struggling to find a place in society for their two sons with developmental disabilities, Larry and Donald. After years of trying to find a school that would educate their children with no luck, Joseph and Elizabeth decided to create a school of their own. After investing all of the proceeds from the sale of their business at Elitch Gardens, Laradon was born!

Although it started as a school for children with developmental disabilities, it quickly evolved into providing services for adults. 70 years later, Laradon is stronger than ever with 14 unique programs serving nearly 700 children and adults with developmental disabilities each year. Laradon’s fiscal strength is in large part due to its long history of being a good steward of donated funds.

The Laradon Foundation is proud to announce The Calabrese Society, which we’ve created to honor those who remember Laradon with a gift in their estate plans. The Calabrese Society is a symbol of the legacy that Joseph and Elizabeth created 70 years ago, and will continue long into the future due to its financial stability. Laradon continues to innovate and adapt, ensuring that individuals with disabilities are receiving access to the best services possible, all while staying fiscally strong.

Estate gifts make a significant impact on Laradon. Each one represents a person’s commitment to the IDD community and an investment of trust in the future of each of our individuals. All estate gifts are welcome. The spirit behind every gift- large and small- is the same. It’s a person’s selfless expression of support far beyond their lifetime for programs that continue to empower people with disabilities to become more independent and self sufficient.

Please consider becoming a member of The Calabrese Society. And if you’ve already made a gift, please let us know. We would love the opportunity to thank you personally.

Want to learn more about The Calabrese Society? Contact Executive Director, Tilman Adair at 720-974-6815 or tilman.adair@laradon.org

South Denver Families Enjoy Play GroupsTwo is always better than one. That’s why Laradon’s Family, Infant, and Toddler (FIT) Program is excited to be providing two Play-and-Learn Groups each week. The FIT Program provides in-home therapy for children who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays. Play-and-Learn Groups are an additional resource for families to meet at a local library and spend an hour each week participating in shared activities with local neighborhood children.

Play-and-Learn Groups meet once a week at both the Valdez Perry Library in Elyeria-Swansea and the Athmar Library in southwest Denver.

The benefits for children who attend are huge. Children learn social skills by interacting with large groups of people, sharing toys, taking turns, and following directions - all through play. These are lessons that prepare toddlers for preschool.

“The kids from the FIT Program interact a lot with community kids.

It helps them practice being social and how to use speech,” said Ana Saucedo, Laradon’s FIT Family Navigator.

These groups are more than just a chance for children to participate in activities; they also serve as a place for parents to connect with vital resources. Ana coordinates several speakers to come to the group meet-ups to provide connections and resources to address issues that impact the whole family. Organizations like Mi Casa and Focus Points partner with Laradon to help families with legal advice, nutrition and food support, and healthcare resources.

“For some parents, it also helps just being out in a public setting with their kids. A lot of these parents are uncomfortable in large social settings, because their children have a tough time with too many people and loud noises,” said Ana. “These groups help both child and parent become comfortable.”

Play and Learn Groups are 100% funded by charitable donations.

One of the greatest needs for families in the FIT program is diapers for their very young children. A gift of $100 will buy three month’s worth of diapers that the therapists can distribute to families.

The Power of EmploymentFor the 22 million working-age Americans with disabilities, having a job can be a gateway to independence and inclusion in their community. Connie Wolff, an individual in Laradon’s Individual Employment Program, knows this better than anyone.

Connie has been working behind the British Airways ticket counter at Denver International Airport for the last four years, helping people who need a wheelchair or extra assistance get to their gate for travel.  

It wasn’t a smooth landing however. It was incredibly difficult for her to find this job -- which is unfortunately not uncommon for individuals with disabilities. The job search can be a challenge and each must overcome stigma and convince hiring managers of the benefits of employing people with diverse abilities.

Connie searched for months, applying with many different retailers until she finally found the company that staffs the ticket counter. Even then, she was commuting more than two hours each way to work, further proving her commitment to the job.

“ I just love helping people and working with the ticket agents. I love my job,” said Connie.

Connie’s employment coordinators at Laradon act as a liaison with her employer, offering support and coaching, and are there to troubleshoot any issues that Connie may have on the job. Laradon’s employment programs support individuals to live, work, and participate in their local communities.

“Connie is very driven and takes her job seriously. She wears many hats and is challenged every day, but she does a fantastic job of balancing everything,” says Erica Vaiser, Laradon Employment Coordinator.

Her supervisor said that Connie is “hands-down” the most reliable employee they have ever had. Connie now lives closer to DIA and continues to find happiness and

fulfillment at work. The fact that she has an intellectual disability hardly comes into play; her hard work and tremendous motivation shine each day.

The Individual Employment Program is an Enterprise-Zone-qualified project, so any gift of $250 or more designated for this program will make you eligible for a 25% Enterprise Zone tax credit.

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5100 Lincoln St. | Denver, CO 80216

303-296-2400

Laradon’s Mission is to be an organization of excellence that provides superior, individualized services to children and adults with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities, supporting their independence in daily life and maximizing their full potential.

5100 LINCOLN ST. DENVER, CO 80216

Save the DateGroundbreaking Ceremony for Affordable Housing ComplexT H U R S D A Y , M A Y 3 , 2 0 1 8 Join us as we celebrate breaking ground on a new affordable housing complex on our west campus with Gorman & Company, LLC. This mixed-use building will be open to the community, with Laradon programming on the first floor. Ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

Laradon’s Annual Carnival and School Grand OpeningT H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 8

Laradon will host this annual community event with carnival games, local celebrities, and cotton candy! There will also be a Grand Opening and tours of the new Laradon School buildings. More info to come.

The Laradon Foundation Newsletter

LARADON IS CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES!