Finance Committee Agenda and Packet 2013 12 16

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ACL)) ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING . IN BOULDER COUNTY, INC. August 30, 2013 City of Louisville Kevin Watson Director of Finance 749 Main Street Louisville, CO 80027 Dear Mr. Watson: On behalf of the Association for Community Living (ACL) in Boulder County, I am honored to turn to the City of Louisville to request $1,000 to support of our program for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities who reside in Louisville. Support from the City of Louisville will provide us with resources to support individuals with developmental disabilities in Louisville. The Association for Community Living in Boulder County is a volunteer advocacy organization. We are one of 1,200 chapters which comprise The Arc (formerly the Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States). Our Mission: We believe that people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities belong in the community in natural proportions — to live, to work, and to participate fully in all aspects of community life. The ACL/BC exists to ensure these rights by acting as a catalyst to promote attitudes, practices, programs and policies that result in full participation. We are pleased that an ARC Thrift Store recently opened in Louisville which will be adding to Louisville sales tax revenue At the ACL, we believe that people with intellectual /developmental disabilities and their families make a vital contribution to the wellbeing of the whole community. Every day we advocate with and for families, children, and adults to create opportunities for inclusion and participation in all aspects of community life, and to promote the social connections these opportunities bring. As a result of our work, our schools, workplaces and whole community are stronger, richer, and more diverse. People with development disabilities and their families are especially hard hit during economically challenging times. Funding is crucial to ensure that individuals and families continue to have the advocacy they need to access to basic safety net services and other community resources. Unlike other agencies who serve individuals with UDD in Boulder and Broomfield Counties, the ACL receives no state or federal funding nor do we charge for any of our services. Because of this, we are an independent voice for people with FDD. Following is a story about a client named Bill and how the ACL helped Bill get back on his feet Bill was referred to the ACL by Workforce Center in Longmont. They were concerned that he was not only unemployed but also homeless and suspected he may have an intellectual /developmental disability (I /DD). When we first met Bill he was living in his truck which was old and no longer running. He told us that he left school age 10 because his teachers said he would never learn to read, write or do math. Bill started working as a manual laborer; he was strong, hard - working and a good practical problem solver. Throughout his life Bill was able to find work and pay his bills, he never asked for or received any public support and he had no family to rely upon in hard times. 5744 N. 71st Street • Longmont, CO 80503 • 303.527.0888 • Fax 303.527.0589 • www.aclboulder.org — Serving Boulder & Broomfield Counties — 6